How to Make a Complaint

Last updated: October 2026 I aim to provide counselling and psychotherapy in a professional, ethical and respectful way. I recognise, however, that there may be occasions when you have a concern about my practice or about the way your personal information has been handled. If you have a concern or would like to make a complaint, I encourage you to contact me in the first instance where you feel able to do so. I will take your concerns seriously and aim to respond in a fair, respectful and timely way: Maria Apiafi Counselling & Psychotherapy Email: maria@apiaficounselling.co.uk Website: apiaficounselling.co.uk Making a complaint will not affect your right to raise a concern with an appropriate professional or regulatory body, including the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or, in relation to data protection, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

I am a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and work within the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions. If your concern relates to my professional practice as a counsellor and psychotherapist, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you and, where possible, seek to understand and address your concerns. You also have the right to raise a concern or make a complaint through the BACP’s professional conduct process where the matter falls within its remit. Information about raising a concern or making a complaint about a BACP member, including the circumstances in which BACP can consider a complaint and any applicable time limits, is available directly from the BACP. British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Website: bacp.co.uk

If your concern relates to the way I have collected, used, stored, shared or otherwise handled your personal information, please contact me so that I have an opportunity to consider and respond to your concern. I will take your concern seriously, acknowledge your complaint within 30 days of receiving it and without undue delay, take appropriate steps to investigate it. I will keep you informed about the progress of the complaint and provide a final response without unnecessary or unjustifiable delay. You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent regulator for data protection. The ICO provides information about raising concerns about how an organisation has handled your personal information and the steps you can take if you remain dissatisfied with the response you receive. Information about making a data protection complaint and the ways in which you can contact the ICO is available directly from the Information Commissioner’s Office. Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Website: ico.org.uk

If you raise a complaint with me, I will acknowledge it and consider the concerns you have raised carefully, fairly and respectfully. I may ask you for further information where this is necessary to understand the complaint fully. I will respond within an appropriate timeframe, taking account of any timescales required by applicable complaints procedures or law, and will keep you informed if I need additional time to consider the matter. I will handle information relating to a complaint confidentially and will only use or share information where this is necessary to investigate or respond to the complaint, meet my professional or legal responsibilities, obtain appropriate professional advice, or establish, exercise or defend a legal claim. Where appropriate, I will reflect on the outcome of a complaint and consider whether any changes to my practice, procedures or professional development are needed. Records relating to complaints will be retained securely in accordance with my Privacy Policy and Data Retention Policy.

I will review this information periodically and may update it to reflect changes in my practice, professional guidance, complaints procedures or applicable law. When changes are made, I will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. If you have any questions about this information, would like to raise a concern or make a complaint, please contact me: Maria Apiafi Counselling & Psychotherapy Email: maria@apiaficounselling.co.uk Website: apiaficounselling.co.uk Further information about how I collect, use and protect personal information is provided in my Privacy Policy. Information about how long I retain personal information is provided in my Data Retention Policy, and further information about my approach to data protection is available in my Data Protection & GDPR Statement.