Here I outline my boundaries when working with coaching clients. This is important for a few reasons: to set expectations, to create transparency and accountability, and to ensure all clients can give informed consent to the work we do together.
What Intimacy Coaching Is
I am trained in Psychosexual Somatics Therapy (PST) coaching, which is an integrative modality. Sessions may involve cognitive, emotional, somatic, energetic, and sexual aspects.
During sessions clients may experience emotions they have repressed for many years, or have experiences that evoke past experiences via memories stored in the body. The intention of this work is to gently bring awareness while supporting the client to hold and integrate these parts.
What Intimacy Coaching Is Not
Intimacy Coaching is not psychotherapy or counselling. I am certified as a coach, and my practice is designed to be a short-term engagement focused on a specific intention.
I am not qualified to work with everyone, especially those with specific personality disorders or mental health diagnoses (including depression), and those taking anti-depressants or anti-psychotics. I happily refer people on when I feel they would benefit from a different kind of support.
If I feel at any time that I am no longer the best person to support a client, I will refer them on to another practitioner and refund any unused sessions. Similarly, if a client decides they’d be better supported by someone else, I will always refund unused sessions (bearing in mind that I have a 24h cancellation policy).
Client Responsibility
The client may experience strong emotions both during and after each session, and it’s recommended to allow several days to integrate whatever may come up. Alcohol and drugs are not advised the day before or immediately afterwards, and if the client arrives under the influence then I will not give treatment and no refund will be given.
All of the work done is client-led, and the client is responsible for their experience and actions both during and after each session. The client may stop or pause a session at any time, and I request that clients inform me straight away if they wish to proceed differently.
Sessions take place online and it’s important that clients have a private, quiet space for sessions, ideally with a little space around them in case we use movement. It’s also the client’s responsibility to make sure they have a suitable device; tablets and laptops are preferred, as phone screens can be a little small.
Client Confidentiality
Anything shared in a session will be kept confidential, unless I have explicit consent from the client. If we encounter each other outside of a session, I will not disclose the nature of our professional relationship. While I may acknowledge them, I will take their lead in how we interact.
There are two exceptions to this where I will discuss material that a client brings to a session:
- If you share that you are going to physically harm yourself or another person, then I will take appropriate action and pass this on.
- I attend regular supervision calls with my mentors and peers, where I can bring any questions or challenges I’m having in my practice. This is important for my growth as a coach, and any client material I share is always done anonymously.
Client/Coach Relationships
I do not engage in romantic or sexual relationships with clients. Anyone I had previously had a romantic or sexual relationship with would only be considered as a client after at least 12 months had passed since the end of the relationship.
I consider working with existing friends on a case-by-case basis; this involves a discussion about how embarking on work together may impact our friendship, other mutual connections we may have, and how we interact with each other socially.
When working with people with whom I have an existing friendship, we agree not to engage in social interaction either during or immediately after each session. Session-related material would only be discussed during session time. This protects the container of each session, keeping roles and boundaries clear, and ultimately supporting the work we do.
Your Feedback is Welcome
If you are interested to work with me and you have any questions or feedback about anything I’ve mentioned here (or anything I haven’t), you are welcome to contact me.