Privacy Notice

Last updated: 9 September 2026

Who I am

Grounded Compass is the trading name of Aaron Goodall, a sole trader based in the United Kingdom.

For data-protection purposes, Aaron Goodall trading as Grounded Compass is the data controller. This means I am responsible for deciding how and why your personal information is used.

You can contact me about this privacy notice or how your information is handled at aaron@groundedcompass.co.uk.

About this privacy notice

This notice explains what personal information I collect, why I collect it, how it is used and protected, and the rights you have in relation to it. It applies when you visit this website, make an enquiry, book a discovery call, or receive coaching from Grounded Compass.

Grounded Compass provides coaching services to adults. I do not knowingly offer services to, or collect personal information directly from, anyone under the age of 18.

Personal information I may collect

Depending on how you interact with Grounded Compass, I may collect:

Your name and contact details, including your email address and telephone number.
Enquiry and booking information, including appointment dates, correspondence and any information you choose to include when booking.
Information you choose to share during discovery calls or coaching sessions, such as your goals, challenges, circumstances and agreed actions.
Information about ADHD, neurodiversity, or your physical or mental health that you choose to provide. This may be classed as special category data and will be treated with additional care.
Coaching records, including brief session notes and agreed actions.
Audio or video recordings and transcripts only where we have discussed this in advance and you have given your explicit agreement.
Payment and invoicing information where you purchase a service. Grounded Compass will not retain your full payment-card details.
Technical information generated when you use this website, such as your IP address, browser information and cookie preferences.

You are not required to disclose a formal diagnosis or provide health information to make an enquiry or book a discovery call.

How I collect your information

Most information is collected directly from you when you use this website, contact me, complete a booking form, attend a call or coaching session, or make a payment.

Some technical information may be collected automatically through this website and its cookies. If a third party, such as an employer, refers you for coaching, I may receive limited contact and administrative information from them. I will explain this to you and will not share the content of coaching conversations with them without your consent, unless disclosure is required by law or necessary to respond to a serious risk of harm.

How and why I use your information

I use personal information only where I have a clear reason and a lawful basis for doing so:

To respond to enquiries and arrange discovery calls - because it is necessary to take steps at your request before potentially entering into a coaching agreement.
To provide coaching, communicate with you, manage appointments and maintain appropriate records - because it is necessary to perform our coaching agreement.
To issue invoices, process payments and maintain financial records - to perform our agreement and meet my legal and accounting obligations.
To operate, secure and improve this website and my business systems - where necessary for my legitimate interests in running Grounded Compass safely and effectively.
To send marketing updates - only where you have specifically agreed to receive them. You may withdraw that consent at any time.
To protect you or another person from a serious and immediate risk of harm, or to comply with a legal requirement.

Where I process information concerning ADHD, neurodiversity, or your physical or mental health, I will only do so where you have chosen to provide it and have given your explicit consent. You may withdraw this consent at any time by emailing aaron@groundedcompass.co.uk. Withdrawing consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing that took place before it was withdrawn.

I do not use your personal information to make solely automated decisions about you.

Session recording and transcription

With your explicit consent, coaching sessions will normally be recorded and transcribed using Microsoft Teams. Recording and transcription help me produce accurate session notes, provide you with clear follow-up actions and agreed homework, monitor your progress and maintain continuity between sessions.

I will explain how recording and transcription will be used before they begin. You may decline, ask me to pause or stop a recording, or withdraw your consent at any time. Choosing not to be recorded will not prevent you from receiving coaching; I will take written notes instead.

Recordings and transcripts may contain personal and sensitive information, including information about ADHD, neurodiversity, mental or physical health, your personal circumstances and matters discussed during coaching. They will only be used to deliver and administer your coaching, prepare session summaries and agreed actions, and maintain appropriate coaching records. They will not be used for marketing or automated decision-making.

Access will be restricted to me and to service providers used to deliver the recording, transcription and secure storage services, where necessary. Recordings and transcripts will not be shared with an employer, referrer or any other third party without your specific consent, unless disclosure is required by law or necessary because of a serious and immediate risk of harm.

The original audio or video recording will normally be deleted within 30 days after the transcript and session summary have been prepared. The transcript may be retained during our coaching relationship so that I can monitor progress and maintain continuity between sessions. It will normally be deleted within 90 days after our coaching relationship ends. Relevant session notes, action summaries and other coaching records may be retained in accordance with the retention periods explained elsewhere in this Privacy Notice.

Who I may share your information with

I do not sell your personal information.

Where necessary, I may share limited personal information with trusted service providers that help me operate Grounded Compass, including:

Wix, which hosts and supports this website.
Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Bookings and Teams, which I use for email, appointment scheduling and online meetings.
Payment, invoicing or accounting providers used to administer payments and maintain financial records.
Professional advisers, insurers, regulators or public authorities where reasonably necessary or legally required.

I may also disclose information where required by law, or where I reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to protect you or another person from a serious risk of harm.

Service providers may use personal information only as needed to provide their services and must handle it securely.

International data transfers

Some technology providers may process or store personal information outside the United Kingdom. Where this happens, I use providers that apply appropriate safeguards for international transfers as required by UK data-protection law.

How long I keep your information

I keep personal information only for as long as it is reasonably needed for the purpose for which it was collected, including legal, insurance and accounting requirements. My usual retention periods are:

Enquiries that do not lead to coaching: up to 12 months after our last contact.
Booking information, client correspondence, coaching agreements and coaching notes: normally up to six years after our coaching relationship ends.
Financial and tax records: for at least five years after the relevant 31 January tax-return submission deadline, as required by HM Revenue and Customs.
Session recordings: normally deleted within 30 days after the transcript and session summary have been prepared.
Session transcripts: retained while coaching is taking place and normally deleted within 90 days after the coaching relationship ends.
Session notes and agreed action summaries: retained as part of the client’s coaching records for up to six years after coaching ends.
Marketing preferences: until you withdraw your consent or unsubscribe.

Information may be retained for longer where required by law or where necessary to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim. When it is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymised.

How I protect your information

I take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against accidental loss, unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure. These measures include using password-protected systems, access controls, multi-factor authentication where available, secure cloud services and limiting access to information to what is necessary.

No online service can guarantee absolute security. If a personal-data breach creates a risk to your rights and freedoms, I will take appropriate action and notify you and the Information Commissioner's Office where required.

Your data-protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

Ask for a copy of the personal information I hold about you.
Ask me to correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
Ask me to delete your information in certain circumstances.
Ask me to restrict how your information is used in certain circumstances.
Object to certain uses of your information, including direct marketing.
Ask for information you provided to be transferred to you or another organisation where the right to data portability applies.
Withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on your consent.

These rights are not absolute and may be limited by legal or regulatory requirements. To exercise a right, email aaron@groundedcompass.co.uk. I may need to confirm your identity before responding and will normally respond within one calendar month.

This website uses cookies and similar technologies. Some are essential for the website to function. Optional cookies, such as analytics cookies, will be used only where you choose to accept them through the cookie banner. You can change or withdraw your cookie choices through the website's cookie settings.

Questions and complaints

If you have a question or concern about how your information is handled, please contact me first at aaron@groundedcompass.co.uk so I can try to resolve it.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office, the UK's data-protection regulator. Visit ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or telephone 0303 123 1113.

Changes to this notice

I will review this privacy notice regularly and update it when my services, systems or legal obligations change. The date at the top of this page shows when it was last updated.