Informed Consent for Professional Coaching Services

Informed Consent for Professional Coaching Services

Your coaching experience depends upon trust and understanding between you and your coach. This document has been prepared to inform you about what to expect from your coach, Jim Shaw.  I have a professional coaching certification from the Fowler International Agency of Professional Coaches.

Understanding Coaching
Coaching is a process of understanding your concerns more clearly and working towards accomplishing your desired goals. The benefit to participating in coaching is the ability to enhance personal growth, such as gaining insight into your concerns, clarifying your personal goals and values and improving your coping skills.

What to Expect in Your Therapy Sessions
Your first visit, will involve an evaluation, which is an opportunity to gain an understanding of your life, concerns,and desired areas for improvement. Following the evaluation, your coaching sessions will mainly consist of having open discussions on the following topics: 1) Progress pertaining to your personal growth and personal goals and 2) Increasing and improving your coping skills in order to manage your daily concerns.

Children and pets
No children under the age of 18 years or pets are allowed in the therapy session or in the waiting room for individual or couples therapy.  It is your responsibility to make sure you have made arrangements for child care ahead of time.

Confidentiality
In accordance with the professional ethic codes, the information revealed in therapy is confidential, and it will not be revealed to anyone without your written permission, except as required by law. Some of the circumstances where disclosure is required by law are: 1) Where there is a reasonable suspicion of child, dependent or elder abuse or neglect. 2) When a client presents a danger to self, to others or is gravely disabled.

Emergencies
You may contact us via telephone (512) 800-0222. Please note I may not be available immediately to handle emergency situations. In emergency situations, please call 911 or go to the closest hospital emergency room for a psychological evaluation. Please do not contact us via e-mail in an emergency situation.

No Show / Cancelation
It is your responsibility to attend all scheduled appointments and to arrive to your appointments on-time. If you need to cancel your appointment, please do so 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointments in order to avoid being charged. Any late cancellations (not canceling within the 24 hour policy), no-shows or late arrivals  may be subject to dismissal from the practice.

Acknowledgement

I acknowledge that I have read, understand and agree to the information provided in the Informed Consent for Psychotherapy, and that I have had my questions answered thoroughly. I do hereby seek and consent to take part in psychotherapy with a therapist at Psychological Services of Chicago, Ltd. I am aware that I may terminate psychotherapy at any time.