Ethics, Boundaries & Professional Conduct Flashcards

A life coach markets themselves as a 'certified psychotherapist-coach.' If they hold only a coaching credential, this is ethically problematic because:

Answer: It constitutes misrepresentation of qualifications, misleading potential clients

Misrepresenting credentials misleads clients about the coach's scope and qualifications, which is a core ethics violation.

A coach wants to use a client's case as an anonymized example in a workshop. Which step is ethically required?

Answer: Obtain the client's informed consent even for anonymized use

Anonymization alone does not satisfy ethical requirements; the client must consent to any use of their information for teaching purposes.

When a coach disagrees with a client's decision but the decision poses no safety risk, the coach's ethical obligation is to:

Answer: Respect the client's autonomy and support their chosen path

Client autonomy is a foundational coaching principle; coaches support client-driven choices even when those differ from the coach's preferences.

A coach discovers that a client lied on their intake form about a prior psychiatric hospitalization. The ethical response is to:

Answer: Explore the disclosure with the client and reassess whether coaching is appropriate given the full picture

New information about a client's history warrants a coaching scope reassessment, not automatic termination.

Which best describes the principle of 'informed consent' in coaching?

Answer: The client receives and understands complete information about the coaching process, fees, and limits of confidentiality before agreeing to engage

Informed consent requires clients to understand the full nature of the coaching relationship before it begins, enabling autonomous decision-making.

A coach is subpoenaed to testify about a client in a divorce proceeding. The FIRST action should be to:

Answer: Consult with a legal professional and notify the client before responding

Legal consultation and client notification are the first steps when a subpoena threatens coaching confidentiality.

A coach offering group coaching must address confidentiality by:

Answer: Having all group members agree to a confidentiality agreement and discussing its limits at the outset

In group settings, all members must be informed of and agree to confidentiality expectations since the coach cannot control peer disclosures.