Coaching Agreement

I invite you to take a few minutes to read through this coaching agreement as a foundation for the coaching relationship we are about to begin. I hope you will find it worthwhile to read carefully as it can be highly relevant in supporting a successful outcome. This agreement aims to establish the context necessary to achieve breakthrough results for you as an outcome of coaching.

The aim of any coaching relationship is to have the client shift the way they see and thus act in their personal and/or professional world. The desired outcomes vary from client to client, given their own personal goals and concerns. Possible outcomes of coaching can include a better understanding of your impact on others and the results you are trying to attain, better relationships with others, more effective coordination of action, practices for being a more effective leader, greater well-being and personal satisfaction/empowerment, and increased sense of meaning and purpose, just to name a few.

New learning can be uncomfortable and it is normal to expect that the most effective coaching will sometimes include navigating difficult emotional terrain. We may encounter obstacles that seem insurmountable to you at first, giving rise to difficult emotions. We may question your deeply held assumptions and beliefs about yourself and the world which can be experienced as confusing, threatening or humbling. It is important to understand that entering into a coaching relationship requires the willingness to leave familiar shores and venture into uncharted waters. At times, the rewards can far exceed your expectations, but so can the challenges. As your coach I will partner to support and guide you through this, but the process and the results belong to you.

The coaching relationship between a coach and client is a partnership founded upon mutual respect and trust. While I may sometimes offer observations or suggest ideas, it is up to you to be forthcoming about what does or doesn’t resonate with you. As your coach, it is best to treat me as a thinking partner who can help you to tap into your innate wisdom, rather than looking to me for advice.

As a professional coach certified by the ICF (International Coach Federation), I am committed to adhering to the ICF ethical guidelines. I will hold the coaching conversations to be confidential and will not reveal any aspect of the coaching relationship to any other party without your permission. The only exceptions to this is are in the case of a court order, suspected child or elder abuse, or if I believe there to be imminent danger presenting a risk of harm to you or to another person, in which case I must adhere to any laws requiring me to disclose details to the appropriate authorities.

As part of this coaching agreement, I request your permission to record your name, contact information and dates of coaching sessions in a coaching log which is kept secure and will be shared only with the ICF for accreditation purposes. In the case that the ICF audits me, the clients listed in my coaching log (including you) may be contacted by an ICF representative to confirm the coaching relationship. In so doing, the ICF will uphold confidentiality of your identity and will not use the disclosed information for any other purpose.

I accept payment for sessions through PayPal or Venmo, or by cash or check for in-person sessions. Details for payment will be provided by email. I ask that you pay for each session either in advance, or promptly after the session ends. My current rates are as indicated on the Rates and Scheduling page.

If you decide to purchase a package of pre-paid sessions, no refunds are issued if you decide to terminate our coaching engagement before your pre-paid sessions have been used up. My sliding scale is offered for the purpose of accommodating those with more limited financial means and I trust in good faith that you’ll take this into consideration in choosing the amount to pay.

If we have agreed to trade coaching services in exchange for goods or services in return (barter), then either of us may terminate that barter agreement at any time, pending any goods or services owed in accordance with the barter agreement. Any such pending goods or services owed at the time of termination may be paid for monetarily instead of by barter. After such a termination of the barter agreement, you may choose to continue coaching with me according to the monetary payment terms described above.

To achieve a successful coaching relationship, by signing this agreement you agree to: