Compassionate Coaching Agreement

Welcome

Thank you for choosing to work with me. This agreement clearly sets out the terms of our coaching relationship, so we can focus on what matters most — the work itself.

Please read it carefully before completing your intake form. By ticking the confirmation checkbox on the intake form, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to everything here. That confirmation is your signature.

What Coaching Is

Compassionate Coaching is a personal development process that supports you in exploring your inner world, understanding your patterns and moving toward meaningful change. It draws on executive coaching methodology, a Compassionate Inquiry Approach and a mental health-informed understanding of how people experience challenge, growth and transition.

Coaching is not therapy, counselling or clinical treatment. It is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If at any point I believe you would benefit from a different kind of support, I will tell you honestly and help you find it.

What Coaching Is Not

I am not your therapist, your doctor or your crisis worker. While our work may go into personal and emotionally significant territory, it does so within the boundaries of a coaching relationship.

If you are in crisis or feel unsafe at any point — during or between sessions — please contact the emergency services (999), Samaritans (116 123) or text SHOUT to 85258.

Our Sessions

Session length is usually between 60 and 90 minutes and will be agreed during your introductory call. Sessions take place online via video call. The link will be sent to you in advance of each session.

We will agree the number of sessions at the outset — typically 3, 6 or 12 sessions — with the flexibility to extend by mutual agreement at any point.

Your Kajabi Coaching Space

Once our agreement is in place, you will be given access to a private coaching space on Kajabi. This space holds your session notes, between-session reflection prompts and any resources I share with you throughout our work. It is private — only you and I have access to it.

Cancellation and Rescheduling

I understand that life is unpredictable. If you need to cancel or reschedule a session, please give me at least 48 hours’ notice wherever possible.

• Sessions cancelled or rescheduled with more than 48 hours’ notice: no charge

• Sessions cancelled or rescheduled with less than 48 hours’ notice: charged at 50% of the session fee

• Sessions missed without notice: charged at the full session fee

If you need to cancel at short notice due to a genuine emergency, please let me know and we will handle it with common sense and kindness.

Payment

Payment is made by invoice, issued before our first session begins. The invoice is to be paid in full before coaching begins.

If your coaching is being funded by an organisation or sponsor, the invoice will be sent directly to them for payment in full before our engagement begins. The same cancellation policy applies and will be communicated to your sponsor at the outset.

Invoices are payable within 7 days of issue.

Confidentiality

Everything you share in our sessions is confidential. I will not discuss our work with anyone without your explicit permission.

There are two exceptions to this:

First, if I have serious concerns about your safety or the safety of another person, I may need to take action to keep you safe. I will always tell you if this is the case, unless doing so would put you or someone else at risk.

Second, I work within the ethical guidelines of the International Coaching Federation (ICF). In the unlikely event that I seek clinical supervision or peer support, any discussion of our work would be fully anonymised.

Emergency Contact

For clients where there may be a risk to safety, I ask for the details of one emergency contact — someone I can reach in the event of a serious concern about your wellbeing. You will be asked to provide this as part of your intake form.

I will only contact your emergency contact in exceptional circumstances, and I will always seek to speak with you first unless this is not possible.

Your Responsibilities

To get the most from our work together, I ask that you:

• Arrive to sessions on time and as prepared as you are able
• Engage honestly — with me and with yourself
• Complete any between-session reflection tasks you have agreed to
• Let me know if something isn't working, so we can adjust
• Reach out to appropriate support services if you are in crisis between sessions

My Responsibilities

In return, I commit to:

• Holding everything you share with care and in confidence
• Preparing for and showing up fully to each session
• Being honest with you — even when that's uncomfortable
• Telling you clearly if I feel you need a different kind of support
• Working within the ethical guidelines of the ICF at all times

Ending the Coaching Relationship

Either of us may end the coaching relationship at any time by giving reasonable notice. If sessions have been paid for in advance and the relationship ends early, any unused sessions will be refunded in full.

If I have serious concerns about your safety or wellbeing, I reserve the right to pause or end our coaching relationship and refer you to more appropriate support.

Your Confirmation

By ticking the checkbox on your intake form marked "I confirm I have read and agreed to the coaching agreement", you are confirming that you have read and understood this agreement in full and agree to its terms. This confirmation is legally binding and serves as your signature.

A copy of this agreement will be sent to you by email for your records.

 

Matt Loftus is an ICF-accredited Executive Coach, Compassionate Inquiry trained and Mental Health Consultant.