Privacy notice

Who is responsible

Skates Armstrong, trading as SKA Synergy, is responsible for the personal information described here. You can contact me at skasynergy@gmail.com. My services are for adults aged 18 and over.

Visiting this website

This website has no contact forms, accounts, cookies, analytics or embedded services. Fonts and images are hosted with the website, so visiting it sends information only to my hosting provider.

The website runs on a server provided by Hostinger, located in Manchester, United Kingdom. Hostinger handles it as a data processor under its data processing terms.

The web server is set up not to keep a record of visits (it has no access logging). It does keep a short technical log of its own operation, such as renewing its security certificate. If a request to the site causes an error, that log entry can include the visitor's IP address and the address requested. The log is limited to 2 MB in total, and older entries are deleted automatically as it fills. Hostinger's weekly backups of the server can include this log. Hostinger keeps the two most recent weekly backups and replaces the oldest each time a new one is made, so older copies of the log are removed as the backups rotate. I keep this log so the site stays secure and working (my legitimate interests).

Hostinger may also process network information, such as IP addresses, to protect its servers from attack.

Contacting me

If you email me, I receive your email address and whatever you choose to include. Email is handled through Gmail (Google), under Google's own terms. If you phone me, I see your number and note what you tell me. I use this information to reply to your enquiry and to discuss the work you are interested in.

A short first message is plenty. There's no need to share personal or health details until we've spoken. If you do share health details before we agree to work together, I use them only to reply to you. I delete them with the rest of the enquiry when it closes.

If an enquiry does not lead to work together, I delete the enquiry emails and your contact details when the enquiry closes. For clients, I keep email correspondence and contact details while we work together and delete them when that work ends.

Emails I delete go to Gmail's Bin, where they stay for up to 30 days unless I empty it sooner; Gmail then removes them permanently. Even after that, Google says copies usually stay on its systems for about two more months, and in its secure backups for up to six months.

Why I can use your information

Enquiries: to take the steps you have asked for before we agree to work together.
Client work, including online sessions: to carry out our agreement to work together.
Health and other sensitive information: only with your explicit consent. Before we work together, I ask you to confirm in writing that you agree to me using health or other sensitive information you choose to share. I use it only for our sessions. Sending an email is not treated as consent to use sensitive information. You can withdraw your consent at any time by emailing me. If you do, I stop using that information. This may affect whether we can continue working together.
Case studies: only with your consent, given separately for each use.
Agreements, invoices and payment records: because tax law requires me to keep them (legal obligation).
The website's technical log: to keep the site secure and working (legitimate interests).

You don't have to give me any information. But I can't reply to you or work with you without your contact details. I don't make automated decisions about you.

Sessions and session records

Online sessions take place on Zoom, under Zoom's own terms. Zoom processes the connection and meeting information needed to run the call. I do not record sessions.

Appointments are arranged directly with me. I do not use an online booking service.

While I prepare your session records, they are stored on a password-protected computer that only I use. They are not synced or backed up online. After a session, I email you a copy of your records using Gmail. I then delete my copy, including the sent email and its copy in the Bin. As explained under "Contacting me", Google can keep copies of deleted email in its systems and backups for a limited time under its own terms. I do not keep session records for possible future case studies.

In relational work with couples, families or groups, you may tell me about other people. I handle what you tell me about them in the same way as your own information.

If I would like to use material in a case study later, I ask you to provide it again, at your convenience, and ask for your consent for that use. I keep any material you provide only for the case study you have agreed to. I delete it when it is no longer needed for that purpose.

Agreements, invoices and payment records

Financial records are kept separately from correspondence and session records, because the law requires them to be kept for longer. I keep agreements, invoices and payment records for as long as tax law requires. For a sole trader, that is at least five years after the 31 January Self Assessment deadline for the tax year they relate to. I then delete them. These records contain only what is needed for accounting, such as your name, contact details, dates, fees and payments. They do not include session content.

The website links to Being Human on Substack. Substack handles newsletter subscriptions on its own service, and its own privacy information applies: Substack privacy policy.

Information handled outside the UK

Google (Gmail), Zoom and Substack may handle information outside the UK, including in the United States. UK law only allows this with legal safeguards in place, such as the UK Extension to the EU–US Data Privacy Framework or approved contract clauses. Each provider explains which safeguards it uses in its own privacy information:

If you would like more detail, email me and I'll point you to it.

Your rights

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

access your information;
correct it;
ask me to delete it;
restrict its use;
receive a portable copy.

You can also object where I rely on my legitimate interests. Where I rely on your consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To make a request or raise a concern, email skasynergy@gmail.com. I will reply within one month. If you are unhappy with how I handle your information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.

Last updated

10 October 2026.