Life Coaching Coaching Ethics and Professional Standards 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What should a coach do if a client discloses they are experiencing suicidal ideation?
- Continue the coaching session normally
- Immediately end the relationship
- Express care, take it seriously, provide crisis resources, and refer to a mental health professional (Correct answer)
- Tell the client to think more positively
Correct answer: Express care, take it seriously, provide crisis resources, and refer to a mental health professional
Coaches are ethically and legally obligated to take suicidal disclosures seriously, provide crisis resources, and refer to qualified mental health professionals.
Question 2: What is 'informed consent' in life coaching?
- The client agrees to pay the coach's fees
- The client is fully informed about the coaching process, boundaries, confidentiality, and their rights before starting (Correct answer)
- The coach informs the client about their credentials
- The client consents to sharing their data with third parties
Correct answer: The client is fully informed about the coaching process, boundaries, confidentiality, and their rights before starting
Informed consent ensures clients understand what coaching is, what to expect, confidentiality limits, and their right to end the relationship, before work begins.
Question 3: Which ICF core competency involves the coach being fully present and focused on the client?
- Direct communication
- Active listening
- Being present (presence) (Correct answer)
- Evoking awareness
Correct answer: Being present (presence)
'Being present' is the ICF core competency that describes the coach's ability to be fully conscious and create a spontaneous, flexible relationship with the client.
Question 4: What ethical principle requires coaches to avoid placing their own interests above those of their clients?
- Non-maleficence
- Non-solicitation
- Client-centered practice (Correct answer)
- Competency standards
Correct answer: Client-centered practice
Client-centered practice requires coaches to prioritize the client's wellbeing and agenda over any personal gain or preference of the coach.
Question 5: When is it ethically appropriate for a life coach to break confidentiality?
- When a family member requests information
- When the client misses several sessions
- When there is a risk of serious harm to the client or others, or when required by law (Correct answer)
- When the coach believes the information would help another client
Correct answer: When there is a risk of serious harm to the client or others, or when required by law
Confidentiality may only be broken to prevent serious harm or to comply with legal requirements, such as mandatory reporting obligations.
Question 6: What does 'coaching presence' mean according to the ICF competency framework?
- The coach's physical appearance and dress
- The coach's ability to be fully conscious, flexible, and grounded during sessions (Correct answer)
- The coach's social media presence
- The coach's years of professional experience
Correct answer: The coach's ability to be fully conscious, flexible, and grounded during sessions
Coaching presence describes the coach's state of being fully aware, open, and adaptable in the moment, creating a safe space for the client to explore.
Life Coaching Coaching Ethics and Professional Standards 2
What should a coach do if a client discloses they are experiencing suicidal ideation?