Christian Coaching Agreement and Informed Consent

Welcome to the Coaching Agreement and Informed Consent for Abundant Life Center (ALC), a Christian coaching practice. This document is a formal agreement between you (the Client) and your Coach, outlining the terms of your coaching relationship with ALC. Our coaching practice is rooted in Christian principles, and our goal is to support you in your journey toward personal growth and spiritual well-being, as guided by biblical truths.

This agreement establishes a clear understanding of the coaching process, the roles and responsibilities of both parties, and the expectations for your journey toward living the Abundant Life promised in John 10:10.

As a Client, you can expect a supportive and prayerful environment where your goals are prioritized and your unique needs are addressed in light of God’s Word. Our coaching sessions will focus on enhancing your self-awareness, fostering personal development, and guiding you toward fulfilling the purpose God has for your life. We encourage open communication and feedback throughout this process to ensure that your coaching experience is both meaningful and aligned with your faith.

This Agreement constitutes a mutual understanding of the terms between you (the Client) and your Coach at Abundant Life Center.

COACHING: Coaching is a professional partnership that helps individuals achieve meaningful results in their personal and spiritual lives. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life. Specifically, the ALC Coach assists with matters pertaining to Well-Being, also referred to as Soul Care, which leads to living more in the promise of an Abundant Life (John 10:10). Although this practice is Christian, non-Christians are also welcome.

CLARIFICATION: Coaching is NOT Counseling, and it is NOT Therapy. You will not receive counseling or therapy. If you need professional or emergency care, please seek it. If you are suicidal, please seek appropriate help. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or text 988 (in the USA).

SERVICES: The services provided include Coaching for Well-Being (Soul Care).

WELL-BEING COACHING (Soul Care): This practice differs from typical Life Coaching. The soul encompasses the mind, will, and emotions and 'Soul Care' addresses the body, soul, and spirit of an individual.

This practice identifies areas in life where deceptions or misconceptions exist and replaces them with Truth according to the Word of God. It addresses cycles manifesting in life, reveals judgments, identifies where deep forgiveness may be beneficial, and uncovers unhealthy open doors. Its primary focus is to identify areas that may hinder a person from living the life God intended and to connect you more fully to the Godhead, seeking to reveal Truth for reconciliation, restoration, healing, and prospering. Although these services are primarily geared toward helping Christians, you are not required to share the same faith or religion as the Coach. Clients are free to discontinue services if they disagree with the manner of practice. After experiencing an Evaluation + Session service, Clients will know whether they wish to continue. You are free to ask questions about your Coach's faith at any time.

CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES: As a Client, you are responsible for being open, honest, and actively participating in sessions. This includes sharing your thoughts and feelings about the coaching process and providing constructive feedback on your progress. Being open and honest means sharing your thoughts, feelings, and any concerns you may have about the coaching process.

THE RESULTS: Both you and your Coach acknowledge that the outcomes of coaching depend on your intentions, choices, and actions. Your Coach can provide support by leading you through the application of the coaching process.

Clients who commit to a minimum of 12 sessions significantly increase their ability to reach their intended goals and maintain lasting results. Most clients find 18-24 sessions even more helpful, especially those dealing with trauma. A smaller number may find 24-48+ sessions beneficial, particularly with more severe trauma. You are welcome to continue coaching support as needed, but you may find that you require support less frequently as your healing progresses and your self-supporting skills improve.

You can expect that your Coach will be gentle, honest, and direct, asking straightforward questions and using methods, techniques, teachings, and prayerful leading to help you move forward. You are encouraged and expected to evaluate your own progress after each session and at the end of the program. If the coaching is not working as you wish, please inform your Coach immediately so that both parties can take steps to correct what best suits your needs. As with any human endeavor, coaching can involve feelings of discomfort, frustration, or fear that may accompany the process of change. It is at these milestones where a Client may experience the biggest breakthroughs if they choose to pursue continuation.

While coaching does not guarantee success, many Clients find significant growth and improvement through their commitment to the process.

IN EACH APPOINTMENT: In each session, you have the opportunity to choose the focus of our target, aligned with your established goal.

The Coach will listen, provide observations, ask questions, and guide the Client through a prayerful healing step-by-step process. Coaching accelerates the Client’s progress by enhancing focus and awareness of choices, concentrating on the Client's current situation and their willingness to take steps toward their desired outcomes. If you are unable to identify a topic for discussion during any appointment, be encouraged that your Coach can assist you in doing so.

COACH REFERRALS: At times, the best way for the Coach to assist the Client may be to refer them to another professional or suggest seeking additional care that better meets the Client's needs.

FREQUENCY AND TIMEFRAMES: The specific frequency of sessions will be determined during the initial consultation or evaluation. Weekly sessions are recommended, but some Clients may choose: twice a month, twice a week, or even twice a day, or 1-5 times a week until they choose otherwise. Each Client can set their own pace based on their desired results, scheduling availability, and personal capacity.
 
APPOINTMENT DATE/TIME, TIMELINESS: To ensure a full session, please arrive on time. A tardiness of 10 minutes or more will be considered a no-show, and the Client will be charged the full session fee.
 
APPOINTMENT SIGN-IN PROCEDURE: Please disregard any appointment email stating that you will be called at the appointment time. Instead, the Client should sign in to attend sessions via the provided Zoom Video Link at the scheduled time. Neither party may record the sessions, either audio or video, without express written consent. For additional session preparation instructions, tips for maximizing your session and the Zoom meeting link and Zoom App download, please visit: https://abundantlifecoaches.com/sessions

CANCELLATIONS, RESCHEDULING: To avoid being charged the full session fee, please cancel or reschedule your appointment at least 48 hours in advance, of the scheduled session. The Coach will make reasonable efforts to reschedule sessions in a timely manner or in the case of a genuine emergency. Repeated rescheduling is not permitted.

PAYMENT, FEES, REFUNDS: Entering into a coaching relationship is a valuable investment in your personal and spiritual growth. This Agreement will commence on the date of signing. Refunds: The only refund option available is the limited-time Money-Back Guarantee for the first appointment (Evaluation + Session). If there is no noticeable improvement on the identified target issue during that session, a refund will be issued. For details, see https://abundantlifecoaches.com/faqs. Fees: Sessions must be prepaid, and fees are listed on the website. Inquiries are welcome.

HEALTHY BOUNDARIES: To ensure healthy boundaries, please note that the Coach is not available on an on-call basis. We encourage you to refrain from sending emails, texts, or voicemails detailing issues between appointments. However, scheduling an additional appointment for non-emergency crises is acceptable. Clients may develop a close connection with the Coach due to the nature of the services; however, it is important to maintain a professional relationship and not view the Coach as a new close friend, or family member, or romantic interest. The focus should remain on healing the identified issues.

INSIGHTS & FEEDBACK FORM: Completing the Insights & Feedback Form after each session is essential for your self-reflection and growth. By signing this agreement, the Client agrees to complete the form on the same day as the session. It takes only 5 minutes or less to complete. The Client is responsible for reminding themselves to complete this form and keeping the link accessible. If uncomfortable with the online format, printing and mailing the form is an option. Setting a reminder is advisable.

If at any time the Client feels their coaching needs are not being met, they should communicate this to the Coach for possible adjustments. The Insights & Feedback Form can also be used for this purpose. Parents or guardians of minors may be asked periodically to complete a Feedback Form regarding observed changes. 

CONFIDENTIALITY: Your Coach is dedicated to maintaining the confidentiality of all communications and information shared during sessions. Any support staff at Abundant Life Center are trained in HIPAA confidentiality requirements. Information will be released only with the Client's written permission or if required by court order. There are specific situations where confidentiality may be breached to protect others from harm, including:

(1). If there is evidence of abuse of a child, elderly, or disabled person, it must be reported to the appropriate state agency.

(2). If a Client poses an imminent risk to themselves or threatens imminent violence against another person, protective actions will be taken.

These situations are rare in coaching practices, but if such a situation does occur, the Coach will make every effort to discuss it with the Client before taking any action.

Note: By using this service, the Client gives permission for their case to be used as a testimonial without revealing their identity. Examples can be found on the Testimonies page of the website. If the Client wishes to provide a testimony with their identity revealed (name, background, photo, voice recording, or video) to help encourage others, they should inform the Coach.

MUTUAL NON-DISCLOSURE: The Coach and the Client mutually acknowledge that they may discuss various aspects of the Client’s life, including but not limited to their future, business affairs, customer information, financial details, job-related matters, goals, personal information, and other private matters, at the Client's discretion.

The Coach agrees to:

- Not disclose the Client's information to any third party, except as necessary for secure payment processing or for maintaining the Coach's email list.
- Use testimonial-type information without identifying the Client unless written consent is provided to reveal the Client's identity.

The Client agrees to:

- Protect the Coach's intellectual property by Not disclosing or communicating any proprietary information regarding the Coach's practice, materials, or methods to any third parties.
- Keep confidential any private personal experiences shared by the Coach that are relevant to the Client's journey.

Both parties agree to be bound by this mutual non-disclosure agreement during and after the termination of the coaching relationship.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY: Your Coach will always exercise their best professional efforts, skills, and care to help the Client meet their coaching goals. You acknowledge that the Coach and their representatives are not liable for any actions you take as a result of the coaching sessions.

The methods and processes by which direction, education, or facilitation are provided—whether written or verbal—do not constitute an agreement or liability on the part of the Coach and are understood to differ significantly from clinical and medical counseling.

The Client acknowledges that while every effort is made to protect confidentiality, it is impossible to guarantee complete security of information transmitted electronically. Our online forms are HIPAA compliant.

The Client acknowledges that using any of the provided coaching or ministry services is entirely at their own risk. Any actions or lack of actions taken by the Client based on such advice are solely the choice and responsibility of the Client and are neither the responsibility nor liability of Abundant Life Center (ALC) nor its representatives. The Client takes full responsibility for the decisions they make after receiving coaching or ministry services, as well as the consequences.

The Coach will provide support in good faith to the best of their ability, utilizing the skills and ministry gifts available and applicable.

Periodically, ALC or its representatives (the Coach) may provide links to other websites or written materials that may be of value, interest, and convenience to the Client. This does not constitute an endorsement of the material at those sites or any associated organization, product, or service. It is the responsibility of the user to make their own informed decisions about the accuracy of the information at those sites and print materials, including their privacy policies. In no event shall ALC nor its representatives be liable for any incident or consequential damages resulting from the use of the material, services, or otherwise.

DISCLAIMER: Coaching is an alternative personal service provided to specific individuals and/or groups. The Client understands that coaching is not to be construed as psychological counseling, licensed professional counseling, therapy, or medical advice.

Coaching is neither counseling nor therapy. The Client acknowledges that they are aware of this distinction.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION: Any claims or disputes arising from this agreement will be resolved through mediation and, if necessary, binding arbitration in accordance with the Rules of Procedure for Christian Conciliation of the Institute for Christian Conciliation (formerly Peacemaker® Ministries).

(See instituteforchristianconciliation.com, Frequently Asked Questions, and Rules of Procedure for Christian Conciliation). Judgment upon an arbitration decision may be entered in any court otherwise having jurisdiction. The parties understand that these methods shall be the sole remedy for any controversy or claim arising out of this agreement and expressly waive their right to file a lawsuit in any civil court against one another for such disputes, except to enforce an arbitration decision.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT: I, the Client, have read and understood this agreement. I have had the opportunity to ask questions and to review the Frequently Asked Questions at https://abundantlifecoaches.com/faqs. I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I can withdraw at any time without providing a reason. I acknowledge that I will receive a copy of this agreement upon my request.

By signing below, I confirm that I have carefully read and fully understand all aspects of this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon me, as well as my heirs and legal representatives.

Version: 2024-11-07