Policies
1. Privacy Policy
Last updated: 26/10/2026
Your privacy matters, and much of what you share with me is about your health. This policy explains what personal information I collect, why, how I look after it and what your rights are. It applies to flourishinggut.com and to the services I provide through it.
1.1 Who I am
I am Lee Walker, trading as The Flourishing Gut®. I am the data controller, which means I decide how and why your personal information is used.
- Address: 24 Pinfold Green, Staveley, HG5 9LR
- Email: hello@flourishinggut.com
- ICO registration number: ZA524776
I follow the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
1.2 What I collect and when
Booking a free discovery call. When you book through TidyCal, I collect your name, your email address and your answer to “What is the biggest challenge your IBS is causing you right now?” Your answer may reveal information about your health. I use it to arrange the call and to prepare for it.
The discovery call. We meet online by video. I take notes during our conversation, which may include your symptoms, history, goals, whether your IBS has been confirmed by your doctor, and what you decide. The call is not recorded.
Registering for the programme. If you decide to go ahead, I ask you to complete a registration form. It asks for your full name, date of birth, email address, phone number, home address, and your doctor’s name and address. It also includes a medical questionnaire: why you want therapy and how it affects you, a 0 to 10 rating of how severe it is, any previous hypnotherapy, whether you have psychosis or a personality disorder, whether a psychiatrist is treating you, whether you have ever attempted suicide, any fears or phobias, and whether you have talked to your doctor about the issue and about hypnotherapy. It also asks how you heard about me. The answers are stored in a password-protected spreadsheet. They are not stored on this website.
During the programme. I keep notes from our weekly online sessions. I also collect progress information at the start, during and at the end of the programme: your IBS symptom severity score (IBS-SSS), a baseline happiness measure, the VIA Character Strengths Assessment, and your reflections on what flourishing means to you. These are completed through survey links. If you give your optional consent on the registration form, I audio-record your sessions so that I can send you a personal recording of your hypnosis to listen to at home. I send it through WhatsApp, which encrypts messages, using the phone number you gave me. I also use the recordings for my own case notes and professional development. If you do not consent to recording, you can still take part and will receive standard audio recordings. After the programme, I may email you a short follow-up questionnaire to see how you are getting on. Completing it is optional.
Payment. You can pay in 3 monthly payments through Stripe, or by bank transfer. Stripe handles your card details, and I do not see or store them. If you pay by bank transfer, I see the details that appear on my bank statement, such as your name and account details. I keep a record of what you paid and when, and I email you a receipt.
Email and birthday gift. If you join the programme, I add your name, email address and date of birth to MailerLite, my email service, so that I can send you programme emails and a birthday gift. I do not add any other information to MailerLite.
Contacting me. If you email me, I keep your message and my reply.
Visiting the website. The site is built on WordPress and hosted by Siteground. Like most websites, it may collect technical data such as your IP address, browser type and the pages you visit. See the Cookie Policy for more.
Testimonials. I only publish a client’s review with their consent, and only with their first name. I never publish photos of clients.
1.3 Why I use your information, and my legal basis
| Purpose | Information | Legal basis |
| Arranging and holding your discovery call | Name, email, answer to the booking question, call notes | Taking steps at your request before a contract (UK GDPR Art. 6(1)(b)) |
| Registering you and providing the programme | Registration details, session notes, progress scores | Performing our contract (Art. 6(1)(b)) |
| Handling health information, including your medical questionnaire answers | Symptoms, health and mental health history, doctor details, psychiatric treatment, IBS-SSS and similar scores | Your explicit consent (Art. 9(2)(a)) |
| Taking payment and keeping accounts | Payment records | Contract and legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(b), (c)) |
| Programme emails | Name, email | Contract (Art. 6(1)(b)) |
| Birthday gift | Name, email, date of birth | Your consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) |
| Recording your sessions (optional) | Audio recordings | Your explicit consent (Art. 9(2)(a)) |
| Follow-up questionnaires (optional) | Your answers | Legitimate interests in checking long-term results (Art. 6(1)(f)); your answers may include health information, so I rely on your explicit consent for that part |
| Finding out how clients hear about me | Your answer to the “How did you hear about me” question | Legitimate interests in understanding how my marketing works (Art. 6(1)(f)) |
| Publishing testimonials | Review text, first name | Your consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) |
| Anonymised results (for example, average symptom reduction) | Aggregated scores only | Legitimate interests in showing how the programme works (Art. 6(1)(f)); no individual can be identified |
| Keeping the website secure and working | Technical data | Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) |
Because information about your health is “special category” data, I rely on your explicit consent to use it. You can withdraw that consent at any time by emailing me. Withdrawing does not affect anything done before, but it may mean I can no longer continue the programme with you.
1.4 Who I share your information with
I do not sell your information. I use the following service providers to run my practice. Each handles information only on my instructions:
- TidyCal (online booking)
- Google (Google Workspace including Calendar, Forms and Sheets)
- Stripe (payments)
- MailerLite (email)
- WhatsApp (sending your hypnosis recording)
- Google Meet (online sessions)
- Google Forms (progress questionnaires)
- Siteground (website host)
I may also share information if the law or a court requires it, if the police are investigating, if you disclose a serious risk of harm to yourself or someone else, or if you disclose abuse or harm to a child. In those cases I may contact your GP, the police or the relevant authorities. I only share information with another healthcare professional, such as your GP, with your explicit written consent. I discuss parts of my work in professional supervision, which registered therapists are required to have, but I never disclose your name or anything that could identify you.
1.5 Transfers outside the UK
Some of these providers are based in, or store data in, countries outside the UK, including the United States. Where that happens, I rely on safeguards such as the UK-US data bridge, the UK International Data Transfer Addendum or adequacy regulations, as appropriate for each provider.
1.6 How long I keep it
| Information | Kept for |
| Discovery call booking and notes (if you do not go ahead) | [for example, 12 months] |
| Registration form, session notes and progress scores | 8 years after your last session, as required by my professional indemnity insurance |
| Audio recordings of sessions | Permanently deleted 1 year after your last session |
| Payment records | 6 years (tax and accounting requirements) |
| MailerLite details | Until you unsubscribe or ask me to remove them |
| Testimonials | Until you ask me to remove them |
When the time is up, I delete or anonymise the information.
1.7 Keeping it safe
Records are held in password-protected accounts [with two-step verification], and I only keep what I need.
1.8 Your rights
You can ask me to:
- give you a copy of the information I hold about you
- correct anything inaccurate
- delete your information
- restrict how I use it
- send it to you in a portable format
- stop using it where I rely on legitimate interests
- stop using it where I rely on your consent (you can withdraw consent at any time)
Email (hello@flourishinggut.com) and I will reply within one month. There is no fee. If you are unhappy with how I have handled your information, please talk to me first. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk, 0303 123 1113).
1.9 Other points
I do not make decisions about you by automated means. The programme is for adults aged 18 and over, and I do not knowingly collect information from children. I may update this policy from time to time, and the date at the top shows when it last changed.
2. Cookie Policy
Last updated: 26/10/2026
2.1 What cookies are
Cookies are small files that a website saves on your device. Some are essential for the site to work, and others collect information about how you use it.
2.2 Cookies on this site
| Cookie or service | Purpose | Type | Duration |
| WordPress / [security plugin] | Keeps the site working and secure | Strictly necessary | session |
| TidyCal booking embed | Lets you book a discovery call; it may set its own cookies | Functional | session |
| Analytics, for example Google Analytics | Counts visits and shows which pages are used | Analytics (needs consent) | session |
| Embedded video, for example YouTube | Plays videos | Third party (needs consent) | session |
2.3 Your choices
Strictly necessary cookies do not need your consent. For all others, I ask for your consent through the cookie banner, and you can change your mind at any time. You can also block or delete cookies in your browser settings, though parts of the site may then stop working.
3. Website Terms of Use
Last updated: 26/10/2026
- About these terms. By using flourishinggut.com, you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the site.
- Information only. The content on this site is general information. It is not medical advice and does not replace advice from your doctor. See the Health and Medical Disclaimer.
- Intellectual property. The site, its text, images, logo, recordings and The Flourishing Gut® name belong to me. You may view and print pages for your own use, but you may not copy, share, sell or republish them without my written permission.
- Accuracy. I take care to keep the site accurate and up to date, but I cannot promise that it is always complete or error-free.
- Links to other sites. I am not responsible for the content or privacy practices of other websites I link to.
- Liability. I am not liable for any loss arising from your use of the site, to the extent the law allows. Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for anything else that cannot be limited by law.
- Changes. I may update the site and these terms at any time.
- Governing law. These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have jurisdiction.
4. Programme Terms and Conditions
Last updated: 26/10/2026
4.1 The service
The Flourishing Gut is a 12-week programme combining gut-directed hypnotherapy with positive psychology. It includes 12 weekly online sessions by video, an audio recording of each hypnosis session to use at home (if you consent to recording), a free discovery call beforehand, pre-programme questionnaires, and the positive psychology modules and exercises, which you complete at your own pace.
4.2 Who it is for
The programme is for adults aged 18 or over whose IBS has been confirmed by their doctor. I check this on the discovery call, and the registration form includes a medical questionnaire. You should not have hypnotherapy if you have psychosis, and you should check with your doctor first if you have a personality disorder. If your doctor does not think hypnotherapy would help, you should not go ahead. I may also decide that the programme is not suitable for you, and I will explain why and suggest alternatives where I can. You agree to answer the questionnaire accurately and to tell me about any relevant changes in your health.
4.3 Fees and payment
The fee is £1,299. You can pay in full by bank transfer, or in 3 monthly payments of £433 by Stripe subscription. For the Stripe option, I email you an invoice, you pay the first payment through it, and Stripe takes the next two automatically, one month apart. There are no extra costs, and you will receive a receipt by email.
4.4 Your right to cancel
Because the programme is booked online, you have a 14-day cooling-off period from the date you sign up, under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. You can cancel by emailing me within that time. If you ask me to start before the 14 days are over, you will pay for the sessions already provided at £150 per session, and I will refund the rest. I do not charge the administration fee in section 4.6 for a cancellation within the cooling-off period.
4.5 Rescheduling and missed sessions
A minimum of 48 hours’ notice is needed to reschedule or cancel a session. If you cancel or reschedule with less notice, or do not attend, a late cancellation fee of £100 will be charged. If you are late, the session will still end at the agreed time, with no change to the fee. I will reschedule any session I have to cancel.
4.6 Refunds
The programme fee is discounted compared with my single session rate of £150, on the basis that you commit to the full programme. If you cancel before finishing, after the cooling-off period, you pay £150 for each session you have used, plus a £25 administration fee to cover processing and transaction costs, up to a maximum of the full £1,299 fee. If that comes to less than you have paid, I refund the difference. If you are paying by Stripe instalments and it comes to more than you have paid so far, you owe the difference, and I cancel your remaining instalments. Because the single session rate is higher than the programme rate, after 9 sessions the sessions used plus the administration fee are more than the programme fee, so no refund is due.
4.7 No guarantee
Many clients see a real improvement, but I cannot guarantee a particular result. Outcomes depend on many things, including your own commitment to the sessions and home practice.
4.8 Your responsibilities
Please attend sessions from a private, quiet place, listen to your audio recording as agreed, never listen to it while driving or operating machinery, complete the questionnaires honestly, and tell me if anything changes that might affect your safety or suitability.
4.9 Confidentiality
What you tell me is confidential, with limited exceptions: where the law or a court requires disclosure, where the police are investigating, where I believe you or someone else is at risk of serious harm, or where a child is at risk of abuse or harm. In those cases, I may contact your GP, the police or the relevant authorities. I only share information with another healthcare professional, such as your GP, with your written consent. Parts of our sessions may be discussed in professional supervision, without your name or any identifying details. I only record sessions if you give your optional consent on the registration form, and I delete recordings 1 year after your last session.
4.10 Recordings and materials
The recordings and materials are for your personal use only. Please do not copy, share or sell them.
4.11 Complaints
If you are not happy, please email hello@flourishinggut.com and I will respond within 14 days.
4.12 Liability and law
Nothing here limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for anything that cannot be excluded by law. These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales.
5. Health and Medical Disclaimer
- The Flourishing Gut is a complementary programme. It does not diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition, and it is not a substitute for medical care.
- Please make sure IBS has been diagnosed by your doctor before you start. Symptoms such as blood in your stools, unexplained weight loss, persistent changes in bowel habit, a lump in your abdomen or tummy, or night-time pain need medical assessment first.
- Do not stop or change any medication or treatment without speaking to your doctor.
- Hypnosis may not be suitable if you have psychosis, and you should check with your doctor first if you have a personality disorder. Please tell me about your health history before you start, and speak to your doctor if in doubt.
- Never listen to a hypnosis recording while driving, operating machinery or doing anything that needs your full attention.
- Gut-directed hypnotherapy for IBS is recommended in NICE guidance, but individual results vary.
6. Testimonials and Results Statement
- The testimonials on this site are real reviews from my clients, published with their consent and with first names only.
- The experiences described are individual. Your results may be different.
- Where I quote a result, such as “over 80%”, it is based on actual client results who completed the programme and whose IBS symptoms were measured at the start and end. Clients are not paid for their testimonials.