Welcome to coaching!
I value your privacy and comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). I retain coaching agreements, intake information, and relevant records according to our documented retention schedule, applicable legal requirements, and legitimate business needs. Records are securely deleted or destroyed when they are no longer required.
Financial records are generally retained for six years following the end of the last tax year to which they relate, as required by the Canada Revenue Agency.
You may contact me at any time to ask about your personal information, request access or correction, or discuss its retention and deletion, subject to applicable legal requirements.
Session recordings: Sessions will not be recorded without your knowledge and explicit consent. Any recording for professional development, supervision, or credentialing will require a separate agreement explaining its intended use.
6. Wellbeing, Safety, and Crisis Situations
Your wellbeing matters.
Coaching can involve difficult emotions, personal challenges, and sensitive experiences. You are welcome to discuss these topics, and we can consider whether coaching is an appropriate space to explore them.
However, coaching is not an emergency or crisis service, and I cannot provide continuous monitoring or immediate responses outside scheduled sessions.
If a serious safety concern arises during a session, we will pause our regular coaching conversation to discuss your immediate safety and what additional support may be needed.
Depending on the circumstances, this may involve encouraging you to contact a crisis service, healthcare professional, trusted support person, or emergency services. I may also need to take reasonable steps consistent with my professional obligations and applicable law.
If you are experiencing an immediate emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number. In Canada, you can call or text 988 for suicide crisis support.
We can revisit whether coaching remains appropriate and what additional support may be helpful.
7. Sessions and Scheduling
Coaching sessions are available in 30, 45, and 60 minute lengths, depending on your purchased arrangement and our agreed approach.
Sessions are generally held virtually through Zoom, unless we agree otherwise.
You are responsible for booking your sessions using the scheduling link provided.
Rescheduling and cancellations
Cancellation or rescheduling requires at least 24 hours notice.
Sessions cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours' notice will retain their coaching time.
Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice, or missed without notice, will generally be deducted from the client's purchased coaching time.
I recognize that illness, disability, emergencies, and unexpected circumstances can make advance notice difficult. Exceptions may be made on a case by case basis, with consideration for accessibility and individual circumstances.
If I need to cancel a session, your coaching time will not be deducted, and we will arrange another appointment.
8. Coaching Fees and Payment
Coaching fees are agreed upon before paid coaching begins.
Prepaid coaching packages
If you purchase a package of coaching hours:
Payment is due according to the invoice terms.
Your purchased time can be used across available session lengths.
Your remaining coaching time will be tracked.
Unused hours carry forward and remain available according to the package terms agreed upon at purchase.
Monthly coaching arrangements
If you choose monthly coaching:
You purchase an agreed number of coaching hours each billing period.
Your monthly fee reflects that agreed amount of coaching time, not necessarily the number of appointments completed during that calendar month.
Unused coaching time can carry forward.
If sessions are skipped or postponed, we may mutually agree to adjust your next billing date to reflect the coaching time remaining.
Any changes to the monthly arrangement will be confirmed in writing.
Monthly coaching arrangements will be reviewed periodically to ensure the number of hours purchased continues to reflect the client's needs and availability. Either party may request adjustments to the arrangement.
Fees and refunds
Termination and Refund Policy
Either Party may terminate this Agreement at any time, for any reason, by providing written notice to the other Party.
• Completed Sessions: All coaching sessions that have already been conducted are non-refundable.
• Unused hours: If this Agreement is terminated by either party, the Client will receive a pro-rated refund for all prepaid, unused hours remaining in the package.
• Refund Processing: Approved refunds will be processed back to the original payment method within 10 business days of the written termination notice.
9. Communication Between Sessions
You are welcome to contact me between sessions for scheduling, administrative questions, or brief updates related to our coaching work.
I will generally respond during my regular business hours.
Email and messaging are not intended for urgent situations, ongoing coaching conversations, or crisis support.
If you would like additional coaching support between scheduled appointments, we can discuss booking another session.
10. Accessibility and Accommodations
I aim to make coaching accessible, flexible, and responsive to your individual needs.
We can adapt our approach to support your communication preferences, processing style, sensory needs, executive functioning, energy levels, and other accessibility considerations.
This might include written prompts, additional processing time, alternative ways of reflecting, movement breaks, or changes to session structure.
You do not need to disclose a diagnosis or provide medical documentation to request an adjustment to our coaching process.
Please share what would be helpful, and we can work together to identify an approach that meets your needs.
11. Results and Personal Responsibility
Coaching can support meaningful growth, but specific outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
You remain responsible for the decisions you make and actions you take during and after coaching.
I will support your learning and decision making, but I will not make decisions on your behalf or guarantee particular personal, professional, financial, or health outcomes.
Nothing in this agreement removes rights or protections you have under applicable law.
12. Ending or Pausing Coaching
You can choose to pause or end our coaching relationship at any time.
I may also recommend pausing or ending coaching if I believe your needs would be better served by another professional, if coaching is no longer appropriate, or if continuing would conflict with my ethical or professional responsibilities.
Whenever reasonably possible, we will discuss this openly and consider appropriate next steps.
Any remaining prepaid coaching time will be handled according to our agreed refund and payment terms and applicable law.
13. Feedback and Concerns
I welcome your feedback throughout our work together.
If something feels uncomfortable, unclear, unhelpful, or inconsistent with what you need, I encourage you to raise it with me.
We can discuss your concerns, revisit our agreements, and make adjustments where appropriate.
As an ICF credentialed coach, I am also accountable to the ICF Code of Ethics.
You can learn more about ICF ethical standards and its ethical review process at coachingfederation.org.
14. Agreement and Consent
By signing below, we acknowledge that:
- We have reviewed and understand the purpose and boundaries of coaching.
- We understand our respective responsibilities.
- We understand the confidentiality provisions and their limitations.
- We agree to the scheduling, payment, and cancellation terms.
- We understand that coaching is voluntary and may be ended according to this agreement.
- We agree to participate in this coaching relationship in good faith.