Mindful SpaceThe Mindful Space: Coaching HubFree template
A clause-by-clause coaching agreement you can copy and adapt to your own practice — written in plain English, with an example of what each section might say.
This template is a starting point for discussion, not legal advice. Check it against the law and professional standards where you practise before using it with clients.
A coaching agreement does two jobs. It protects both of you if something goes wrong — a missed session, an unpaid invoice, a disagreement about what was promised. And, more usefully, the conversation you have while agreeing it is often the first piece of real contracting: what this work is for, what is out of scope, and what confidentiality actually means in practice.
Keep it short enough that your client reads it. Twelve clear sections on two pages beats ten pages nobody opens.
Name the coach, the client, and — where an organisation is paying — the sponsor. Make clear who is being coached and who receives the invoice.
This agreement is between [Coach name], trading as [Practice name] ("the Coach"), and [Client name] ("the Client"). Invoices will be sent to [payer name and address].
Set expectations plainly. Coaching is a forward-looking, collaborative conversation. It is not therapy, counselling, medical advice, line management or supervision.
Coaching supports the Client in setting and working towards their own goals. It is not therapy, counselling or medical treatment, and the Coach does not diagnose or treat mental or physical health conditions. If something arises that would be better served elsewhere, the Coach will say so and discuss options.
State how many sessions, how long each one runs, how they take place, and how the work will be reviewed.
The initial programme is [6] sessions of [60] minutes, held [online / in person] approximately every [two] weeks. Progress will be reviewed at session [3] and at the close of the programme.
Say what stays private, what the coach records, and the narrow circumstances in which confidentiality may be broken. If you take supervision, say that case material is discussed anonymously.
What the Client shares is treated as confidential. The Coach keeps brief private session notes for professional purposes. Confidentiality may be broken only where there is a serious risk of harm to the Client or another person, or where the law requires disclosure. The Coach discusses their practice in supervision, using anonymised material.
Explain where records live, who can see them, and how long they are retained. Point to your privacy notice.
Session records, goals and messages are held in a private coaching workspace accessible only to the Coach and the Client. Records are kept for [7] years after the work ends and then deleted. The Client may request a copy of their records at any time. See [link to your privacy notice].
Give the fee, what it covers, when payment is due, and how it is paid.
The fee is [£X] per session, or [£X] for the full programme. Invoices are payable within [14] days of issue. Any agreed travel or room costs will be invoiced separately.
State your notice period and what happens either side of it. Be specific — this is the clause most often tested.
Sessions may be rescheduled with at least [48] hours' notice at no charge. With less notice, or if the Client does not attend, the session is chargeable in full. If the Coach must cancel, an alternative time is offered at no additional cost.
Coaching works when both people commit. Name what each of you brings.
The Coach will attend prepared, on time, and keep the work confidential as set out above. The Client is responsible for the decisions and actions they take, and agrees to attend as arranged and to be candid about what is and is not working.
Say how the client can reach you between sessions and what response time is realistic.
The Client may send messages between sessions through the coaching workspace. The Coach usually replies within [two working days]. This is not a crisis service; in an emergency the Client should contact [emergency services / their GP].
Allow either person to end the arrangement, and say what happens to remaining sessions and fees.
Either party may end this agreement with [two weeks'] written notice. Sessions already delivered remain payable; prepaid sessions not yet delivered will be refunded.
Reference the code of ethics you work to and how a concern can be raised. Only name a body you are genuinely a member of.
The Coach works to the code of ethics of [professional body], if applicable. If the Client is unhappy with any aspect of the work, they are encouraged to raise it directly with the Coach in the first instance.
Both people sign and date. Keep a copy each — a signed record matters if a question arises later.
Signed by the Coach: ____________ Date: ________ Signed by the Client: ____________ Date: ________
For a supervision agreement, replace the scope clause with the supervisory arrangement — frequency, whether hours are logged for accreditation, and that case material is discussed anonymously. For personal training, add clauses on health screening, informed consent to exercise, and what happens if the client is injured or unwell.
See The Mindful Space for coaching supervisors and for personal trainers.
A template only helps once it is agreed and on record. In The Mindful Space you can hold your agreement as a reusable template, send it to a client for signature in the app, and keep the signed version with that client's file — alongside session records, goals, forms, appointments and invoices.
Ready-made agreement and form templates are included on every plan, starting free for up to 3 clients. Our guide on coaching software and client engagement covers what happens after the agreement is signed.