Coaching is a relationship built on trust and candor, which is exactly why it needs a written agreement. Clients arrive with different expectations: some want accountability, some want a sounding board, some are hoping for something closer to therapy. A coaching agreement sets out what the program is, how sessions work, what you will and will not do, and what the client is responsible for.
This template works for life, career, business, wellness, and executive coaches running packages of one-to-one sessions. It includes a clear boundary clause stating that coaching is not therapy, counseling, or medical advice, along with a referral commitment if something outside your scope comes up.
TL;DR
The coaching agreement template sets the program length and number of sessions, session format, between-session messaging limits, fees and payment plans, a 24–48 hour reschedule policy, confidentiality and its exceptions, client responsibility for decisions, and a boundary clause stating coaching is not therapy, counseling, or medical advice. Have the client sign it before the first paid session, alongside an intake form.
What's inside
- The coaching relationship — what coaching is, and what it is not.
- Not therapy or medical advice — a boundary clause with a referral commitment.
- Program and sessions — package length, number and length of sessions, format, and expiry.
- Between-session support — messaging channel, response times, and limits.
- Fees and payment plans — paid in full or installments, and what happens if a payment is missed.
- Rescheduling, no-shows, and pauses — notice periods and how sessions are counted.
- Confidentiality and its limits — including sponsor reporting for executive coaching.
- Client responsibilities — commitment, honesty, and ownership of decisions and results.
- Refunds, termination, and general terms — with placeholders for governing law.
When to use it
Use this agreement for any paid coaching relationship, from a three-session career sprint to a 12-month executive program. Send it after the client accepts your coaching proposal, and pair it with a client intake form so you understand goals before the first session.
For organizational advisory work such as strategy, operations, or team design, use a consulting agreement. If you are a licensed therapist or counselor, your professional body's own consent and practice documents apply; this template is not a substitute for them.
Consumer, privacy, and health-related rules vary by country and state. Ask a lawyer to review your filled-in version, and keep the not-therapy clause in every copy.
The boundary clause, and why it matters
Coaching sits next to therapy, and clients do not always see the line. Someone coaching on career change may disclose depression, grief, or a crisis. A good agreement handles this in three ways.
It says what coaching is. A forward-looking, goal-oriented partnership focused on the client's choices and actions. It is not diagnosis, treatment, or a replacement for professional mental health, medical, legal, or financial care.
It asks the client to disclose relevant care. If the client is in treatment for a mental health condition, the agreement can ask them to tell you, and to confirm their provider is aware they are working with a coach.
It commits you to refer. If a topic falls outside coaching, you will say so and suggest the client seek a qualified professional. You may pause the coaching until they have.
Packages, payment plans, and no-shows
Package expiry. Sessions that can be used "whenever" drift on for a year. Set a window, for example eight sessions to be used within four months, with one extension for illness.
Payment plans. Installments make higher-priced programs accessible, but they also create collection work. Say that the full program fee is owed whether paid in full or in installments, and that coaching pauses if an installment is more than a set number of days late.
No-shows. A 24–48 hour reschedule window is common. Late cancellations and no-shows count as a used session; one courtesy exception per program is a generous middle ground.
Customize it in your COLO workspace
Keep this agreement as a contract template in COLO Contracts and send it through the client portal, where the client can sign with a typed name or signature image. Invoice the program fee or each installment from invoicing and payments; invoices support partial payments, and clients can pay by card or PayPal from the portal.
Use a project per client for session notes you choose to share, worksheets, and files, and keep between-session messages in chat so they sit with the coaching record.
Common mistakes
- Unlimited messaging. Set a channel, response window, and what is in scope between sessions.
- No package expiry. Give sessions a use-by date.
- Skipping the boundary clause. It protects the client as much as you.
- Vague confidentiality in executive coaching. Agree with the sponsor in writing what is reported, usually themes and attendance only.
- Promising outcomes. Coaches can promise effort and structure, not a promotion or a revenue target.
FAQ
Q: What should a coaching agreement include?
The program and number of sessions, session length and format, between-session support, fees and payment plans, the rescheduling and no-show policy, confidentiality and its limits, the client's responsibility for their own decisions, and a statement that coaching is not therapy or medical advice.
Q: Why does a coaching agreement need a not-therapy clause?
Coaching and therapy can feel similar to clients, but coaches are usually not licensed to diagnose or treat mental health conditions. The clause sets expectations, encourages clients to seek qualified help where needed, and keeps you within your scope.
Q: Are coaching packages refundable?
Many coaches make packages non-refundable once started but allow a pause or transfer. Some offer a refund in the first week or after the first session. Whatever you choose, say it plainly before the client pays.
Q: What is a typical coaching cancellation policy?
A common approach is 24–48 hours' notice to reschedule, with late cancellations and no-shows counted as a used session.
Q: Is coaching confidential?
Coaches usually keep session content confidential, with exceptions for risk of serious harm, legal obligations, and, in executive coaching, any reporting the sponsor and client agree to in advance.
Related
- Coaches and the client onboarding guide.
- Client Feedback Form for the end of a program.