Most EFT practitioners take notes during and after sessions; most of us are obliged to take notes by insurance companies or by the requirement of the law.
Your note-taking requirements will very much depend on where in the world you are. In this article, we discuss some of the practical and legal issues around note-taking that apply here in the UK, where EFTi is based. The legal details will differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but it is worth understanding the principles so that you can adjust and apply them to your situation. Please check the specific requirements and expectations that apply to you.
In the UK and Europe, there is a legal framework that applies to all businesses known as the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations), which describes the rights and responsibilities of how businesses handle the data of the customers—in this case, clients and trainees.
One of the provisions of this legislation is that the client/trainee has a legal right to access the information you hold about them, and this includes session notes in the case of clients.
A client can ask for a copy of their notes as a Subject Access Request (SAR) through the UK GDPR / Data Protection Act 2018.
Practical Matters
Respond quickly: If you receive such a request, you need to respond quickly, acknowledging that you have received the request. You then have one month to provide the information requested. (If the case is particularly complex, that may be extended to two months, but you need to explain why).
Check if they are asking for all their notes or just for specific sessions or timeframes. If they are asking for everything, it will take significantly longer to provide the information.
Reflect: Think about what is included in your notes, which will include your professional reflections.
Rigour: Check for the confidentiality rights of others. If your notes mention anyone else (family, partner, etc.), you’ll need to remove or anonymise that information unless you have explicit permission to include them. If you feel disclosure could cause serious harm, you may have to withhold or carefully redact.
Security: If sending electronically, the ICO (Information Commissioners Office) advises you to use encrypted or password-protected files (e.g., a password-protected PDF) and share the password by a separate channel (text or phone call, not in the same email). For example, you might want to make sure you use the email you have on record for the person—and check that it works and the client successfully receives the email from you, or passes a security question from you—before you send them the information. Always avoid sending sensitive information through unencrypted email.
If posting paper copies, use recorded delivery and mark the envelope “Confidential.” Ensure that you've checked the address with your records and that this is your client’s current address.
Support: Clients can sometimes find reading their notes triggering or confusing, so it’s good practice to offer a follow-up session to go through them together.
Record-keeping: Make notes of what was requested and when, how you responded, and the method of sharing. This helps if there are ever queries later.
Following these guidelines will help you meet your GDPR duties, protect client confidentiality, and also support your client’s well-being if a request is made.
Data protection is a complex topic. Please check out the suggested links; we encourage you to read more widely about GDPR and SAR through online searches, speaking to colleagues, and checking with your insurance company—and, if necessary, to take further training.
Suggested Links
Learn more about data security
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Andy Hunt is an EFT advanced practitioner based in the United Kingdom, and serves as a volunteer on the EFTi Ethics Committee. He is the creator of the Identity Healing advanced EFT techniques. He specialises in complex issues, inner child work, and self-esteem.
Image credit: Unseen Studio on Unsplash
Andy Hunt says
You are both very welcome, I’m glad you find it useful.
Fiona says
This is so useful. Thanks very much Andy.
Marie Holliday says
Thank you Andy for this important article which is very helpful to myself as a trainer . Whilst my trainee students are international it offers clear information and the resource links are useful also.