Coaching Policies, Terms, and Conditions

Updated: February 19, 2025

Transparency is a key element of trauma-informed care, and for that reason I want to be clear and up front about what you can expect of me as your coach, and what I expect of you as my client.

As your Coach, I’m here to provide you with the support and strategies to achieve your personal and professional goals. This document is designed to help you understand my practices and procedures, and the policies, terms and conditions for our coaching relationship.

Coaching Approach and Relationship

Coaching is a collaborative process that amplifies self-awareness and authenticity, and accelerates self-actualization. The purpose is to inspire your personal, professional, or business goals, and to support you in developing and carrying out a plan for achieving those goals.
I use a trauma-informed, client-led approach which integrates coaching, mentoring, educating, and resourcing. A coach is not a licensed medical professional, therapist or counsellor, and coaching is not intended as a replacement for, nor should it be construed as, counselling, psychiatric interventions, treatment for mental illness, or professional medical advice.
As your coach, I am on this journey with you as a peer and equal, and our relationship will evolve through ongoing feedback and growth of your coaching goals. We will jointly set the agenda for each session, and you will be asked to define goals and try new approaches. I commit to being 100% present and focused on you during our sessions, and to compassionately encourage you on your journey.
Ultimately you are solely responsible for making your own decisions, choices, actions, and results throughout the process. Accordingly, you agree that I, as the Coach, am not and will not be liable or responsible for any actions or inaction, or for any direct or indirect result of any coaching services provided.

Coach and Client Expectations

As your coach, you can expect me to:

Be on time for sessions and 100% focused on you for its entirety;
Be honest and direct, ask straightforward questions, and offer ideas to help you keep moving forward;
Be knowledgeable about trauma, and share evidence-based research and resources about trauma with you;
Honour your voice, choice, and agency throughout our time together. I will share tools and exercises that I believe could help you reach your goals, but these are always options, not requirements. You know yourself best, and have the power to choose what resonates most for you.

As my client, I expect you to:

Be on time for sessions and 100% focused for its entirety;
Fully commit to working on your goals and action steps;
Be open to trying new ideas and challenging old ways of doing things;
Communicate openly and respectfully about your needs, wants, triggers, and what is or isn’t working well for you in our coaching relationship.

General Coaching Expectations

Coaching may result in changes in the way you interact with your family, friends, and colleagues. This may lead to unexpected termination of some existing relationships, as well as healthy changes in the types of relationships you form moving forward.
Third parties (e.g. partner, family, friends) should not be invited to a coaching session without my express agreement. We first need to discuss your goals, purpose, and confidentiality before a third party is included in any way.
Please do not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs during our coaching sessions. If you are struggling with any substance abuse issues I welcome you to let me know so we can talk about it and work to get you any help that you might need. Because sessions are difficult and ineffective (for both of us) if you are under the influence, I will cancel any session that you attend while under the influence, and no refund will be provided. If you repeatedly come to sessions under the influence, and/or fail to acknowledge that you are impaired if I ask you whether you are, this may result in my ending our coaching relationship.

Coaching Scope and Limitations

I believe in a collaborative and multidisciplinary team approach to meeting your personal, professional, and mental health needs. As a coach, there are certain areas which are outside my scope of expertise to work with you on in your journey, including:

treating or diagnosing mental illness;
giving advice or information about medication, including psychotropics;
working with minors, families, or couples.

If you choose to also see a therapist or other health practitioners, we can discuss how to integrate our respective services so that you receive the holistic care you deserve.

Session Appointments, Cancellations, and Protocols

Coaching sessions take place virtually (e.g. through video/teleconference). In between scheduled appointments, I may email you with follow up resources relevant to our discussions. You may also email me in between appointments with follow up questions and clarifications. Please be aware that I use Gmail which is not HIPAA/PIPEDA/PHIPA compliant, and I can’t guarantee the privacy or confidentiality of communications sent via email. Also, due to time constraints, I may not be able to respond to every email before we meet again. Any outstanding questions can be addressed in our live coaching sessions.
Single session bookings must be completed within one month of the purchase date.
Multi-session packages must be completed within three months of the purchase date.
Session dates and times will be scheduled by our mutual agreement through such means as online calendar bookings, email, or other communications. My regular coaching hours are Mondays 2:00 to 6:00 pm, and Tuesdays to Thursdays 11:00 am to 6:00 pm (all Eastern Standard Time). If you require appointments outside regular hours, please let me know and I will do my best to meet your scheduling needs.
Every effort should be made to join all sessions as scheduled. I understand that last minute things come up, and ask that you provide at least 48 hours notice if you do need to cancel or reschedule a session. I will do my best to accommodate unexpected circumstances via make-up appointments (see next paragraph).
Upon my agreement, you can schedule a make-up appointment within two weeks from the original missed appointment date. If you don’t reschedule within that time, the coaching session is considered complete, and no refund will be issued.

Fees, Payments, and Refunds

Current session and package fees are provided to you in your online client portal in Appendix B: Coaching Fees. Any applicable sales taxes will be added at time of invoicing.
These fees are subject to change at any time. You will be notified of any fee increases at least 30 days prior to the change. Notification will be made in writing via email.
You are responsible for the payment of all fees for the full duration of this Agreement regardless of whether you complete all the sessions. Payment is due at the time of booking for single sessions, and at the time of booking the first session for multi-session packages. Session dates are not confirmed until payment is received. By signing the Agreement or booking a session or package, you authorize me to retain your credit or debit card information and charge the card provided as the ongoing payment method.
All payments are final and non-refundable. No refunds are provided for cancelled or missed Coaching Sessions. Cancelled sessions may be rescheduled subject to the terms under "Session Appointments, Cancellations, and Protocols".
Late Payment Fees. Non-compounding late fees of 8% will be charged on any unpaid balance beginning the day after the due date, and then each month thereafter.

Client Safety Protocols

Your safety is of utmost importance to me. If you are in a place where there are risks to your health and/or safety (such as suicidal thinking, self-harm, addiction or substance abuse, or criminal activity), we will immediately implement the client safety protocols which I’ll explain to you. My professional standards also require that I help you find someone who is competent to deal with the particular safety issues you’re experiencing. We can continue our coaching sessions, but we must also bring in another professional who has the expertise to help you with those issues.

Confidentiality and Data Privacy

Please be aware that the Coach-Client relationship is not considered a legally confidential relationship (unlike medical or legal professions) and thus communications are not subject to the protection of any legally recognized privilege.
That being said, I do respect and protect your privacy and confidentiality at all times. Anything you share with me (written, verbal or otherwise) as part of our coaching relationship (“Confidential Information”) is kept strictly between us, unless I have your prior informed and written consent to share it with a third party. There are a few exceptions when I am required to break confidentiality, including but not limited to:
- If I have been issued a court order, subpoena, or other legal mandate;
- If I have reason to believe you are at imminent risk of harming yourself or another person;
- If I become aware that a minor, elderly person, or person with disabilities is currently being abused, or may be in danger of being abused, I am mandated to report the abuse to the appropriate governing agency (i.e. I act as a Mandatory Reporter).
  
  Please be aware that Confidential Information does not include information that:
- Was already in my possession before you shared it with me;
- Is generally known to the public or in your industry;
- Was obtained by me from a third party, without breach of any obligation to you;
- Is independently developed by me without use of or reference to your Confidential Information; or
- Involves illegal activity.
All virtual coaching sessions take place via Zoom. I use a paid version of Zoom which is covered by a Personal Health Information Annex that complies with Canadian Data Protection regulations, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and (in Ontario) the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). For more information, please refer to this document (also accessible from Zoom’s Privacy Page).
Coaching files, forms, contracts, and notes on client sessions are stored on a cloud software platform that is compliant with United States' HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act). I retain client data for two years after the coaching agreement has terminated. You may request a copy of your files at any time up to two years after the termination date of our coaching agreement. You may be required to pay any costs associated with providing this data.
I use the Zoom live transcription function which captures our discussion in written form, and Fathom AI software to take meeting notes. Fathom is HIPAA compliant and records video and audio of our meeting as part of transcribing and summarizing meeting notes. By accepting the Zoom notification of the recording and proceeding with our coaching session, you agree to being recorded. If at any time you wish to stop the recording, I will do so immediately at your request. I do not share the video and audio recordings with anyone, and I delete the recording files from Fathom within 30 days after termination of the Agreement.
I may also use other AI software (e.g. Perplexity, ChatGPT) to review, analyze, and summarize the transcript for my files only. Copies of our Zoom live transcript will be deleted from all AI platforms within 30 days after termination of our coaching agreement.
I cannot guarantee the security, privacy or confidentiality of any third party service providers such as but not limited to Zoom, Fathom, and Perplexity.
From time to time, I may consult with other coaches or mental health professionals in peer or supervisory capacities, without revealing personally identifiable information, to improve the quality of your care.
Testimonies, stories and feedback given during our coaching sessions may be anonymized and shared publicly for advocacy, educational and promotional purposes.

Limited Liability

I make no guarantees, representations, or warranties of any kind or nature, express or implied, with respect to the coaching services provided. In no event shall I be liable to you for any indirect, consequential, or special damages.

Professional Code of Ethics and Complaint Protocols

I am a Certified Trauma Recovery Coach credentialed by The International Association of Trauma Recovery Coaching. As part of my certification, I am bound to uphold the Association’s Code of Ethics.

If at any time you feel I have failed to abide by the Association’s Code of Ethics or wronged you in another way you are welcome to contact the Chairperson of the Association’s Professional Standards Committee by e-mailing grievance@iaotrc.com. The Chairperson can send you a grievance form to complete and submit, as well as let you know the process that will take place after they receive your grievance. All reports and grievance actions are held confidential by the Professional Standards Committee.

Changes to these Policies, Terms, and Conditions

Coaching policies, terms and conditions may be updated periodically. The most recent version of these policies, terms and conditions including any updates will be posted on my website. If you purchased a package of coaching sessions, you will be notified via email when an updated version is available. By continuing your coaching sessions, you acknowledge that you have read and accept all updates to the policies, terms and conditions.

Applicable Law

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada, and the applicable federal laws of Canada. Any actions or proceedings arising in connection with these Terms and Conditions will be conducted in the courts of Ontario, which will have exclusive jurisdiction over such proceedings.

Client Acceptance

By booking and paying for a coaching session, you acknowledge that you have read and accept these policies, terms, and conditions in their entirety.

Questions?

If you have any questions about these policies, terms, and conditions, please contact me.