Ethics & Professional Standards in Relationship Coaching Flashcards

A relationship coach discovers that a client's partner, who is not a client, has been contacting the coach directly for information about sessions. What is the most appropriate response?

Answer: Decline to share any information and inform the client about the contact

Coaches must protect client confidentiality and inform the client of third-party contact attempts, as the non-client has no rights to session information.

Which situation most clearly represents a dual relationship that a CRC-certified coach should avoid?

Answer: Coaching a personal friend while also receiving payment for services

Coaching a personal friend creates a dual relationship because the pre-existing personal bond compromises objectivity and professional boundaries.

A coach suspects a client may be in a psychologically abusive relationship. Under ethical professional standards, the coach should first:

Answer: Explore the client's perception of safety and wellbeing using coaching questions

Coaches should explore the client's experience and safety through coaching-appropriate questions before determining whether referral or other action is warranted.

When a client requests that the coach keep a secret from any future mediator or assessor reviewing the coaching file, the coach should:

Answer: Decline and explain that such agreements may conflict with professional obligations

Agreeing to hide information from legitimate oversight can violate professional standards and the coach's ethical obligations to their credentialing body.

A CRC coach completes a successful engagement with a client. Six months later, the coach and client develop a romantic interest in each other. According to ethical standards, the coach should:

Answer: Carefully evaluate potential conflicts and consult ethics guidelines before proceeding

Post-engagement romantic relationships require careful ethical reflection because power dynamics and intimate knowledge from coaching can persist beyond formal termination.

Informed consent in relationship coaching primarily serves to:

Answer: Ensure the client fully understands the coaching process, scope, and limitations before committing

Informed consent ensures clients make autonomous, knowledgeable decisions about engaging in coaching by clarifying what coaching is and is not.

A coach notices they feel strong personal judgment about a client's relationship choices. The most ethical course of action is to:

Answer: Reflect on the judgment privately and seek supervision if it may be affecting the coaching

Ethical coaches engage in self-reflection and supervision when personal reactions arise, to ensure they do not impair the client's process.