Privacy and Confidentiality

Purpose of Coaching

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Coaching is a collaborative partnership (an alliance, not a legal business partnership) between the Coach and the Client. The purpose of coaching is to support the creation, development, and achievement of personal, professional, or career goals through guidance, accountability, and structured conversation.

Coaching is not therapy, counselling, or advice giving. It does not diagnose or treat medical or mental health conditions, nor replace professional care such as psychotherapy, psychiatry, legal, or financial advice. The Client is solely responsible for seeking independent professional assistance as needed.

No guarantees or warranties—expressed or implied—are made regarding specific outcomes or results.


Roles and Responsibilities

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The Coach agrees to:

  • Maintain professional conduct consistent with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Code of Ethics.

  • Provide services with integrity, honesty, and respect for the client’s autonomy.

  • Respect confidentiality within the limits of law (see Section 4).

  • Clearly communicate scheduling, fees, and boundaries.

The Client agrees to:

  • Take full responsibility for their personal, mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

  • Make their own decisions and take action based on personal insight, not direction from the coach.

  • Inform the coach of any past or current mental health or substance use concerns, or concurrent treatment with other professionals.

Acknowledge that results depend on their own effort, motivation, and openness to change.


Nature and Scope of Coaching

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Coaching sessions are designed to:

  • Clarify values, goals, and desired outcomes.

  • Explore beliefs and patterns that influence decision-making.

  • Create practical strategies and accountability structures to support progress.

Coaching sessions are typically 60 minutes and held weekly or biweekly.        
Payment is due at the time of booking.


Confidentiality, Data Storage, and AI Privacy

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All information shared during coaching sessions is confidential and will not be disclosed without the Client’s written consent, except as required or permitted by law, including:

·        If the Client is at risk of harming themselves or others;

·        If there is suspected child or elder abuse or neglect;

·        If the Coach is compelled by court order or subpoena;

·        If information is shared with an instructor or mentor coach (in which case identifying information will be removed, and the mentor is bound by equivalent confidentiality standards).

Use of AI Tools & Enterprise Privacy Protections (Google Meet & Gemini):

To support your coaching program, maintain accurate internal records, and prepare client summary emails:

·        Recording & AI Processing: Sessions held via Google Meet may be recorded and transcribed, with transcripts processed using Google Gemini.

·        Google Workspace Business Security: These tools operate under a paid Google Workspace Business account featuring enterprise-grade security and strict data privacy controls.

·        No Public Model Training: Your private conversation, audio, and session transcripts remain strictly within the Coach’s private account domain and are never used by Google to train public generative AI models.

·        No Data Selling or Human Review: Your information is never sold to third parties, shared externally, or reviewed by human annotators.

·        Regulatory Compliance: Session recordings, transcripts, and AI-assisted notes are stored securely in full compliance with Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

Note: Email, text messages, and video conferencing tools are transmitted over the internet. While enterprise-grade security precautions are taken, absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed for digital communication.


Cancellation, Refunds, and Termination

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  • Cancellation: A $50 late cancellation fee will be charged for cancellations made with less than 24 hours notice.

  • Refunds: Refunds are available for unused prepaid packages within 48 hours of purchase. No refunds are issued for completed sessions, monthly retainers, or packages that have been partially redeemed.

  • Coach Cancellation: If the coach cancels a session the client may reschedule or, at the discretion of the coach, receive a full refund for that session.

  • Termination: Either party may end the coaching relationship at any time with clear written notice. The client remains responsible for payment of all completed sessions.


Communication and Boundaries

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  • Coaching communication is limited to scheduled sessions unless otherwise agreed.

  • Text and email may be used for administrative purposes and scheduling.

  • The coach will typically respond to all messages within 1-2 business days.

  • Coaching support between sessions (e.g., brief check-ins) is at the coach’s discretion.  This can be by phone or the free Marco Polo app.


Limitation of Liability

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The Client acknowledges that:

  • Coaching involves personal exploration that may bring up strong emotions.

  • The Coach is not liable for any actions or inactions, or for any direct or indirect consequences resulting from coaching.

  • Under Alberta law, this agreement does not limit any rights that cannot be waived by contract, but it does exclude liability for foreseeable losses arising from the Client’s own choices and actions.

The Client releases the Coach from any claims, demands, or damages arising from participation in coaching, except to the extent caused by the Coach’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.


Ethical Standards and Professional Conduct

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The Coach adheres to the ICF Code of Ethics.  The Coach commits to maintaining confidentiality, professional boundaries, and cultural sensitivity in all interactions.

If the Client feels at any time that the Coach has acted unethically or breached this agreement, they may address the concern directly or contact the ICF for complaint procedures.