Welcome to The Athlete's Academy coaching practice. This document and attachments (hereafter referred to as “The Agreement”) constitute a contract between yourself (hereafter referred to as “The Client”) and The Athlete's Academy (hereafter referred to as “The Coach”). As The Client, please read it carefully and raise any questions and/or concerns that you have before you sign it.
SERVICES
The services provided by The Athlete's Academy include coaching and/or tele-coaching as designed jointly with The Client. The purpose of coaching is to develop and implement strategies to help The Client reach personally identified goals of enhanced performance within a particular realm including, but not limited to: athletics, academics, creative endeavors, and/or professional career. Coaching utilizes goal setting, skills acquisition, values clarification, and other counseling and consulting techniques.
ABOUT THE COACHING PROCESS
The coaching process begins with an initial consultation to determine the specific needs and goals of The Client and to assess The Client’s appropriateness for beginning a coaching relationship. If it is deemed appropriate to begin a coaching relationship, an individualized plan will be created to provide support, guidance, and training for The Client as they progress towards accomplishing their goals. As each client has their own goals, different strengths/weaknesses, and move at different paces, the length and intensity of the coaching relationship will vary. If the coaching is not working as The Client wishes, The Client should immediately inform The Coach so that steps can be taken to adjust the coaching plan and correct the problem.
FEES AND CANCELLATION POLICY
Any fees associated with coaching/consultation services will be invoiced directly to the responsible party, Kennesaw State University Department of Athletics. Please remember to cancel or reschedule appointments at least 24 hours in advance. The financially responsible party (Kennesaw State University Department of Athletics) will be responsible for the entire fee if the Client does not show for an appointment or if the cancellation is less than 24 hours. Cancellations will be subject to a full charge if NOT RECEIVED AT LEAST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE. This is necessary because a time commitment is made to The Client and is held exclusively for The Client. Please keep in mind this “24-hour notice” policy applies regardless of reason unless it is determined that The Client was unable to attend due to circumstances beyond their control. If The Client is late for a session, they may lose some of that session time as the session will stop at the end of The Client’s scheduled time. For sessions conducted via phone and videoconference, The Coach is not responsible for technical difficulties that occur within the call. If calls cannot proceed due to technical difficulties, The Client is still responsible for The Coach’s time.
COACHING VS. PSYCHOTHERAPY
In addition to being coaches, The Athlete's Academy providers are also licensed psychologists in the state of Georgia with training and experience in diagnosing and treating emotional problems. While there are some similarities between coaching and psychotherapy, they are very different activities and it is important that you, as the client, understand the differences between them. Psychotherapy is a health care service and is usually reimbursable through health insurance policies. This is not true for coaching. Both coaching and psychotherapy utilize knowledge of human behavior, motivation and behavioral change, and interactive counseling techniques. The major differences are in the goals, focus, and level of professional responsibility.
Professional coaching is an ongoing professional relationship that focuses on the development and implementation of strategies to reach client-identified goals of enhanced performance and personal satisfaction. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life. In each meeting, the client chooses the focus of conversation, while the coach listens and contributes observations and questions. This interaction creates clarity and moves the client into action. Coaching accelerates the client’s progress by providing greater focus and awareness of choice. Coaching concentrates on where clients are now and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be in the future. Coaches recognize that results are a matter of the client’s intentions, choices, and actions, supported by the coach’s efforts and application of the coaching process. As with any human endeavor, coaching can involve feelings of discomfort and frustration which may accompany the process of change.
In contrast, the primary focus of psychotherapy is to identify, diagnose, and treat mental and nervous disorders. The goals of psychotherapy include alleviating symptoms, understanding the underlying dynamics which create symptoms, changing dysfunctional behaviors which are the result of these disorders, and developing new strategies for successfully coping with the psychological challenges which we all face. Most research on psychotherapy outcomes indicates that the quality of the relationship is most closely correlated with therapeutic progress. Psychotherapy clients are often emotionally vulnerable. This vulnerability is increased by the expectation that they will discuss very intimate personal data and expose feelings about themselves about which they are understandably sensitive. As a result, there is a power differential between psychotherapists and their psychotherapy clients wherein the psychotherapist is held responsible for the safety and well-being of their clients.
The relationship between the coach and client is specifically designed to avoid the power differentials that occur in the psychotherapy relationship. The client sets the agenda and the success of the enterprise depends on the client’s willingness to take risks and try new approaches outside of the time with the coach. The relationship is designed to be more direct and challenging, as the client is well-functioning and not emotionally vulnerable. Coaches are honest and straightforward, asking powerful questions and using challenging techniques to move clients forward. Clients are expected to evaluate progress, ensure that the focus of the coaching relationship is on their identified goals, change goals as necessary, and inform the coach when coaching is not working as they wish so that steps can be taken to correct the problem.
Because of these differences, the roles of coach and psychotherapist are often in potential conflict and The Athletes Academy believes that, under most circumstances, it is ethically inappropriate for an individual to play both roles with a client, whether concurrently or sequentially. Positive change is difficult enough without having to worry about role confusion. This means that if either the client or the coach recognizes that you have a problem that would benefit from psychotherapeutic intervention, the coach will refer you to appropriate resources. In some situations, the coach may insist that you initiate psychotherapy and that your coach has access to your psychotherapist as a condition of continuing the coaching process.
It is also important to understand that coaching is a professional relationship. While it may often feel like a close personal relationship, it is not one that can extend beyond professional boundaries both during and after our work together. Considerable experience shows that when boundaries blur, the benefits gained from the coaching relationship are endangered.
CONFIDENTIALITY
As licensed psychologists, The Athlete's Academy is ethically and legally bound to protect the confidentiality of our communications. The Athlete's Academy will only release information about our work to others with your written permission or in response to a court order. There are some situations in which the coach is legally obligated by Federal and State laws to breach confidentiality in order to protect you or others from harm, including the following:
- If the coach information which indicates that a child, elderly, or disabled person is being abused, the coach must report that to the appropriate state agency.
- If a client is an imminent risk to him/herself or makes threats of imminent violence against another, the coach is required to take protective actions.
These situations are quite rare in coaching practices. If such a situation occurs in our relationship, the coach will make every effort to discuss it with you before taking any action. However, in order to protect you or others from harm, the coach may be required to take action immediately.
Confidentiality and Minors – Parents and/or legal guardians of minors (individuals under the age of 18) may be legally entitled to certain information about the consultation sessions. Additionally, The Client may benefit from some involvement by parents and/or legal guardians to assist in enhancing their performance. However, it is important for The Client to maintain responsibility for developing their mental skills and guiding the consultation process. Therefore, The Coach will discuss with The Client and parents/legal guardians what information is appropriate to be shared and what information is more appropriately kept private. Please feel free to ask The Coach any questions or discuss any concerns regarding the limits of confidentiality and the importance of privacy in these situations.
Confidentiality and Other Collateral Resources – Consultation sessions between The Coach and The Client are kept confidential. However, there may be instances in which it would be beneficial for The Client to have an athletic coach, trainer, performance instructor, or another individual involved in their process of improving their mental skills and enhancing their performance. If this situation arises, The Coach and The Client will discuss who should be involved in their consultation process and what information should be shared. Only the information discussed and authorized in a Consent to Release Form will be shared.
It is impossible to protect the confidentiality of information that is transmitted electronically. This is particularly true of e-mail and information stored on computers that are connected to the internet, which do not utilize encryption and other forms of security protection.
Confidentiality and Other Situations – Occasionally the coach may need to consult with other professionals in their areas of expertise in order to provide the best treatment for the client. Information about the client may be shared in this context without using their name.
If we see each other accidentally outside of the coaching meetings, the coach will not acknowledge you first. Your right to privacy and confidentiality is of the utmost importance to me, and The Athlete's Academy does not wish to jeopardize your privacy. However, if you acknowledge the coach first, the coach will be more than happy to speak briefly with you, but feel it appropriate not to engage in any lengthy discussions in public or outside of the office.
Confidentiality and Communication – Although all attempts will be made to provide confidential means of communicating, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed if sessions are conducted via phone or videoconference. Additionally, both text messaging and emailing are not secure means of communication and may compromise your confidentiality. However, many people prefer to text and/or email because it is a quick way to convey information. Furthermore, throughout the coaching relationship, The Coach may use email, fax, or other electronic forms of transmission to communicate with The Client and those with whom The Client authorizes. These methods are generally not known as confidential means of communication. In lieu of this, The Client’s signature below authorizes such forms to be transmitted including but not limited to, information related to scheduling, billing, invoicing payments, and other clinical or administrative needs.
CALL/VIDEO CONFERENCE PROCEDURE
If The Client opts to attend sessions by phone or videoconference, The Coach will call The Client at the pre-arranged time and telephone number as scheduled. If there is a fee associated with the call, this fee is the responsibility of The Client. The Coach is not responsible for technical difficulties that occur within the call. If calls cannot proceed due to technical difficulties, The Client is still responsible for The Coach’s time.
TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY
If you need to contact your coach between sessions, please leave a message on their voicemail. As the coach does not answer phones while they are with clients, the coach is often not immediately available; however, they will attempt to return your call within 24 hours. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, do not wait for a call back but do one or more of the following:
- Call the Georgia Crisis and Access Line 800-715-4225
- Call 911
- Go to your nearest emergency room and ask for the psychiatrist on call
TECHNOLOGY STATEMENT
In our ever-changing technological society, there are several ways we could potentially communicate and/or follow each other electronically. It is of utmost importance to The Athlete's Academy to maintain your confidentiality, respect your boundaries, and ascertain that our relationship remains professional. Therefore, The Athlete's Academy have developed the following policies:
Facebook, LinkedIn – Due to the importance of your confidentiality, The coach does not accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any social networking site such as Facebook or LinkedIn. However, it is still your prerogative to view and/or share any content on my professional page.
Instagram – The Athlete's Academy posts motivational quotes, mental health and sport/performance psychology news, and other insights. Please use your own discretion in choosing whether to follow The Athlete's Academy. Please note that The Athlete's Academy does not follow current or former clients. Please do not use Instagram as a way to contact the coach or engage with the coach online.
Google – The Athlete's Academy does not search for clients on Google. Your coach respects your privacy and make it a policy to allow you to share information about yourself to the coach as you feel appropriate.
Business Review Sites – You may find our psychology practice on sites such as Yelp, Healthgrades, Yahoo Local, Bing, or other places which list businesses. Some of these sites include forums in which users rate their providers and add reviews. Many of these sites comb search engines for business listings and automatically add listings regardless of whether the business has added itself to the site. If you should find our listing on any of these sites, please know that our listing is NOT a request for a testimonial, rating, or endorsement from you as my client. While you do have a right to express yourself on any site you wish, please note that, due to confidentiality, The Athlete's Academy cannot respond to any review on any of these sites whether it is positive or negative. If you do choose to write something on a business review site, keep in mind that you may be sharing personally revealing information in a public forum.
TERMINATION AND REFUND POLICY
Both The Client and The Coach may terminate the coaching relationship at any time and for any reason with a written notice, which may be transmitted by email. Please note, refunds on packages will not be given.
OUTCOMES
The Coach provides guidance, training, and support based on The Coach’s experience, knowledge, and background. The Coach will make every effort to assist The Client in obtaining their goals, but cannot personally guarantee coaching outcomes.
LIABILITY
This agreement is for coaching, not therapy. While coaching can work with issues such as identifying and reaching life goals, and can be conducted via phone or videoconference, coaching is not designed and cannot deal with issues such as depression and anxiety. For issues such as these, The Client must see a Physician or Licensed Mental Health Professional in their physical location. Although The Client may have a diagnosis, such as ADHD, coaching is not intended as a treatment or cure for that condition. By signing this agreement, The Client agrees that they understand the difference in these two functions and will get appropriate professional help for mental health issues if necessary.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
The Athlete's Academy assures you that our services will be rendered in a professional manner consistent with the ethical standards of the American Psychological Association. If, at any time, you feel that we are not performing in an ethical or professional manner, we ask that you please let us know immediately. If we are unable to resolve your concern, The Athlete's Academy will provide you with information to contact the Georgia professional licensing board that governs our profession to voice your concern.
It is agreed between The Client, his/her assigns, family and estate and The Coach that any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to The Agreement, or the breach of this agreement, shall be settled by arbitration by an accredited individual or organization with an arbitrator whom we mutually agreed upon. This arbitration may occur via telephone.
ABOUT THE ATHLETE'S ACADEMY
The Athlete's Academy is owned and operated by Lindsey Swanson Schriefer, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist in the state of Georgia. The Athlete's Academy provides sport psychology services to elite-level athletes through courses, individual consultation, team workshops, and ongoing maintenance programs. All coaches are overseen by Dr. Lindsey Swanson Schriefer and adhere to her Mental Mobility approach to enhancing athlete's performance in the training and competition arenas.
BY MY SIGNATURE BELOW I AM AGREEING THAT I HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREE TO THE ITEMS CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT.