Privacy Policy
Tessa Dongelmans | M.Sc. Psychologist
Website: www.tessadongelmans.com
Last updated: 17 October 2026
1. Introduction
Protecting your personal information and respecting your privacy are important to Tessa Dongelmans.
This Privacy Policy explains how personal data is collected, processed, stored and protected when you visit this website, make an enquiry, book an appointment or participate in a counselling or coaching session.
All personal data is handled in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and applicable German data protection laws.
2. Data Controller
The person responsible for processing personal data is:
Tessa Dongelmans
M.Sc. Psychologist
32425 Minden, Germany
Email: contact(at)tessadongelmans.com
Website: www.tessadongelmans.com
3. Personal Data We Collect
Depending on how you use the website and services, the following personal information may be processed:
Contact and booking information
Name
Email address
Telephone number, if provided
Appointment dates and times
Communication preferences
Information submitted through contact or booking forms
Service-related information
Information voluntarily shared during counselling sessions
Personal circumstances, experiences, goals and challenges
Relevant notes necessary for providing the agreed service
Previous appointments and session history
Payment and administrative information
Billing details
Payment status and transaction references
Invoices and legally required accounting records
Technical website information
IP address
Browser type and operating system
Date and time of website access
Technical server logs and related security information
Information about health, emotional well-being or other sensitive circumstances may constitute special-category personal data under Article 9 GDPR.
Such information will be processed only where an appropriate legal basis and an applicable Article 9 condition exist, including explicit consent where required.
4. Purposes and Legal Bases for Processing
Personal data may be processed for the following purposes:
Providing counselling and coaching services
To arrange, prepare and conduct sessions and communicate about the agreed services.
Legal basis: Article 6(1)(b) GDPR (performance of a contract or pre-contractual measures).
Where special-category personal data is involved, an additional valid condition under Article 9 GDPR is required.
Responding to enquiries
To answer questions and respond to requests submitted through the website or by email.
Legal basis: Article 6(1)(b) or Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, as appropriate.
Payments and accounting
To issue invoices, maintain payment records and comply with legal accounting and taxation requirements.
Legal basis: Article 6(1)(b) and Article 6(1)(c) GDPR.
Website functionality and security
To operate the website, ensure technical reliability and protect against misuse or unauthorised access.
Legal basis: Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
Consent-based processing
Where explicit consent is required, such as for certain sensitive information, optional cookies or marketing communications, processing will be based on the relevant consent provisions under the GDPR.
Consent may be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future.
5. Confidentiality of Counselling Sessions
All counselling and coaching sessions are treated confidentially.
Information disclosed during sessions is not shared with third parties without the client's consent unless disclosure is legally required or otherwise permitted under applicable law.
Session information is used only for legitimate purposes related to providing the agreed services and fulfilling applicable legal obligations.
Access to confidential information is restricted to authorised persons with a genuine need to access it.
6. Appointment Scheduling
Appointments may be booked using the external scheduling service Calendly.
When using Calendly, personal information such as your name, email address, selected appointment time and other information you choose to provide may be processed by Calendly to facilitate appointment scheduling.
Calendly processes personal data in accordance with its own privacy information and applicable contractual data protection arrangements.
For more information, please refer to:
Where appointment data is transferred outside the European Economic Area, appropriate safeguards will be used as required by applicable data protection law.
7. Communication by Email
When you contact Tessa Dongelmans by email, the information you provide will be processed to respond to your enquiry and, where relevant, arrange or provide services.
Email communications may contain personal information. Standard email transmission cannot always guarantee absolute confidentiality.
Clients are encouraged not to include unnecessary sensitive medical or psychological information in ordinary email communications.
8. Payments and Invoicing
Payment and invoicing information is processed for the purpose of fulfilling contractual obligations and complying with applicable German tax and accounting requirements.
Where external payment service providers are used, necessary payment data may be transferred to those providers.
Full payment card details are not stored by Tessa Dongelmans unless explicitly stated otherwise in a separate payment notice.
9. Cookies and Website Technologies
This website may use cookies or similar technologies to support essential website functions.
Strictly necessary technologies may be used without consent where legally permitted.
Optional technologies, including non-essential analytics, advertising or tracking tools, will only be used where a valid legal basis exists and any required prior consent has been obtained.
Visitors may be able to manage their cookie preferences through the website's consent settings and browser controls.
Details of specific cookies, service providers, purposes and retention periods must be supplied where such technologies are used.
10. Third-Party Service Providers
Personal data may be processed by carefully selected service providers where this is necessary for operating the website or providing services.
These may include providers of website hosting, appointment scheduling, email communications, online meetings and payment processing.
Where required by law, appropriate data processing agreements will be concluded.
Personal data will not be sold to third parties.
11. International Data Transfers
Where personal data is transferred to a country outside the European Economic Area, such transfers will take place only where an appropriate legal mechanism exists.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include an adequacy decision by the European Commission, approved contractual safeguards, or another lawful transfer mechanism.
12. Storage and Retention
Personal data will be retained only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required by law.
Booking information, correspondence and counselling-related information will be reviewed and retained according to the purpose of processing and applicable legal requirements.
Invoices and relevant business records will be retained for the periods required under German tax and commercial law.
When personal data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymised unless continued retention is legally required.
13. Security of Personal Data
Appropriate technical and organisational measures are taken to protect personal information against unauthorised access, accidental loss, disclosure, alteration or destruction.
These measures may include access restrictions, password protection, secure connections, appropriate device security and the careful selection of service providers.
No electronic transmission or storage system can guarantee absolute security.
14. Your Rights Under the GDPR
Subject to applicable legal conditions, you have the right to:
Access personal data held about you (Article 15 GDPR).
Request correction of inaccurate information (Article 16 GDPR).
Request erasure of personal data (Article 17 GDPR).
Request restriction of processing (Article 18 GDPR).
Receive certain personal data in a portable format (Article 20 GDPR).
Object to processing based on legitimate interests (Article 21 GDPR).
Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent (Article 7(3) GDPR).
You may also lodge a complaint with a competent data protection supervisory authority.
The supervisory authority for North Rhine-Westphalia is:
Landesbeauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit Nordrhein-Westfalen (LDI NRW)
Website: https://www.ldi.nrw.de
15. Automated Decision-Making
No automated decision-making producing legal or similarly significant effects, including profiling within the meaning of Article 22 GDPR, is carried out in connection with the counselling services described in this policy.
16. Changes to This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated to reflect changes in legal requirements, business practices or the technologies used on the website.
The current version will be made available on www.tessadongelmans.com.
17. Contact
For questions regarding personal data, confidentiality or the exercise of data protection rights, please contact:
Tessa Dongelmans
M.Sc. Psychologist
Email: contact(at)tessadongelmans.com
Website: www.tessadongelmans.com