SleepCoach Services Agreement and Informed Consent
LifeCoach Network, LLC, a subsidiary of LifeOptions Group, offers web-based service for the purpose of providing life coaching. This includes participating in private messaging (secure email) and phone coaching with a qualified life coach for the purpose of helping you identify and achieve personal goals and improving your well-being. Upon registration you will be assigned a coach. Your coach will communicate with you through an initial introductory phone call and by sending secure private messages that will appear in your private inbox within the web site and may also post a wall message on your home page. Your coach will assist you with navigating the web site, recommending articles found in the library, reviewing and commenting on the journal entries that you elect to make visible to the coach, and helping you develop and achieve personal goals. They may also provide you with private messages directed at helping you gain insight, manage a difficult situation, overcome barriers, focus on improving relationships, and achieving goals which will enhance your life. Additional phone coaching, after the initial introductory call, is available upon request for additional cost as outlined on the SleepCoach site. Your coach will discuss your interests in coaching with you and will provide assistance in using the web site and related resources to achieve your objectives. The coach will suggest alternative resources or referral to experts if, in their judgment, it is necessary or would benefit you. You are free to use the web site resources and the services of your coach in a manner that works best for you. For example, some users may prefer to work independently by building their own goals, tracking their progress and working independently in their journal while others would prefer to have their coach assist in setting up goals and goal trackers, comment on journal entries, etc.
Life Coach Qualification
All LifeCoach Network coaches have obtained the International Coach Federations’ ACC level certification, or equivalent, and have a graduate degree in a behavioral health-related field and have agreed to abide by the Code of Ethics established by the International Coach Federation and the policies of this service platform. In addition, they have also received training in how to assist users in accessing the programs and resources available on the web site. While our coaches use pseudonyms in their online communications, such as “coach karen” the actual name and qualifications of your coach will be provided to you at the time of registration.
Appropriate Use of this Service.
This service is intended to assist users in achieving personal goals and behavioral well-being. It is not for use as a substitute for treatment or medication under the care of a physician or other mental health professional. It is not appropriate if you feel as though you need immediate, one-to-one contact with a health care provider or are having suicidal or homicidal thoughts. Private messaging provides users with the benefit of having time to reflect on messages they send and receive, but also has the potential to result in misunderstandings that would not otherwise occur in the presence of the visual/audio cues inherent to a face-to-face meeting or the audio cues inherent to a phone conversation. Private messaging, like email, requires users and coaches to check email in order to become aware that a message has been received. While coaches are not online 24 hours a day, they will respond to all messages with 48 hours of receipt.
Telephone and Emergency Procedures
If you need to reach your coach via phone, please contact the LifeCoach Network call center via LifeOptions’ central call number 800-335-8470. If an emergency situation arises that requires immediate attention, you are encouraged to call 911 or local or national emergency hotlines, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
Confidentiality
All information disclosed within sessions and the written records pertaining to those sessions are confidential and may not be revealed to anyone other than the coach providing you with services and his or her supervisor at LifeCoach Network without your written permission, except where disclosure is required by law. Likewise, you are expected to keep your communications with your coach confidential and you understand that all records of communication between you, the client and your coach remain the property of LifeCoach Network.
LifeCoach Network oversees your coaching. Please be aware that if you should disclose potential abuse to children, disabled, or elderly persons, or intent to harm yourself or someone else to your coach, your coach may be required by ethics or law to report this information. If judged necessary, LifeCoach Network, staff may contact you for further evaluation and/or assistance such as referral to emergency services, or immediate therapy. We may also elect to contact the emergency contact person you listed in order to assist your safety, or assist you in other ways such as contacting law enforcement within the limits of the law to assure you receive proper emergency care. This informed consent is considered your agreement to such an emergency procedure.
Coaching email is delivered via private messaging. You agree to work with us online using our secure private messaging system. We will not respond to personal and coaching concerns via regular email. If you call us, please be aware that unless we are both on land line phones, the conversation is not confidential. Any computer files referencing our communication are maintained using secure and encrypted measures.
We make every effort to keep all information confidential. Likewise, if we are working online together, we ask that you determine who has access to your computer and electronic information from your location. This would include family members, co-workers, supervisors and friends. We encourage you to only communicate through a computer that you know is safe, i.e. wherein confidentiality can be ensured. Be sure to fully exit all online coaching sessions and emails.
Appropriate Professional Relationship
Your coach will not engage in any situations or online communication that might impair their objectivity, or effectiveness. Except where required by law and as needed to meet LifeCoach Network professional services supervision protocols, as outlined in this document, your coach will not disclose or acknowledge coaching you with anyone other than his or her supervisor without your permission. You are free to choose to continue coaching by mutual agreement, and at your additional cost, after your online term of coaching ends.
Termination
As in any voluntary agreement you have the right to terminate the coaching relationship at any time. In the event that your coach determines that you are not benefitting from web-enabled resources, your services may be terminated and you will be provided with referral or assistance in identifying appropriate services.
Fees
Website access and coaching services are billed to the user on a usage basis. Current fees are posted on the pre-registration information page. LifeCoach Network will not bill your insurance company.
Payments
Payments will be processed via credit or debit card prior to service activation through LifeCoach Network’s secure online checkout and in accordance with the fees published on the pre-registration information page.
Cancellation
Subscription fees are non-refundable. The site and services will remain available to the user for the entire subscription period regardless of usage. The only exception is in the event that the coach determines that the user is unlikely or unable to benefit in any way from technology-enabled services.
Mediation and Arbitration
All disputes arising out of, or in relation to this agreement to provide coaching services shall first be referred to mediation, before, and as a pre-condition of, the initiation of arbitration. The mediator shall be a neutral third party chosen by agreement of LifeCoach Network and the user. The cost of such mediation, if any, shall be split equally, unless otherwise agreed. In the event that mediation is unsuccessful in resolving the dispute, any unresolved controversy related to this agreement should be submitted to and settled by binding arbitration in the State of Michigan, with fees again shared equally unless otherwise agreed.
Agreement
By clicking “I agree” I am acknowledging that I am of at least 18 years of age, voluntarily entering into this SleepCoach Services Agreement with LifeCoach Network, and understand and accept these terms of service.
LifeCoach Network, LLC
7791 Byron Center Ave
Byron Center, MI 49315
