Welcome Letter, Client Agreement, Client Intake Checklist,

¶ … welcome letter, client agreement, client intake checklist, and new client information forms are necessary and standard in the coaching and counseling professions. When drafting these documents for a specific client base, it is important to keep in mind the demographics of the clientele and the mission and vision of the business. Clients will notice if the forms are too generic or do not reflect the tone or tenor of the counselor. For this reason, the counselor should make sure to create personalized versions of these forms and use them judiciously.

The welcome letter should be used to establish rapport and create a personal relationship with the clients. In my case, the clients are in couples counseling. Therefore, the wording of the letter needs to reflect that we are dealing with more than one person in each session and that their differential needs are as important as their collective goals. This sample welcome letter provides an excellent blueprint, and barely needs to change. It mentions my appreciation for the client, while emphasizing the client's goals.

It also suggests to the client that all attached sheets be reviewed and completed. Finally, the letter is brief and to the point. This is important, as there is no need to bombard the client with too much information. The client coaching agreement is far more specific and detailed than the letter. It serves as a contract, which clearly delineates roles. This helps not only with role clarity but also with boundaries and expectations.

The client learns how long each session will last, and how long a duration should be expected. Coaching is defined, and delineated from counseling. Costs are also mentioned in this document, again to ensure absolute clarity in communications. Other details, including policy about appointment cancellations and the responsibility of the client to work hard and apply the tools learned in sessions, help to avoid misunderstandings. I would not alter anything in this coaching agreement form.

It is critical to acquire signatures of all parties on this document, to mitigate any potential disputes. The client intake checklist is more for me as the coach than it is for the client, although it may help the client to organize thoughts and articulate goals. The checklist requests information about the client's background including information about medications. Questions about challenges, visions, and life purpose help jog the client's awareness.

I would make some changes to this document, such as by reminding the client that it is acceptable to not have a clear answer to questions like life purpose because it is highly likely many clients will be seeking coaching specifically to discover life purpose. It also might help to offer suggestions on the form, rather than expect the client to pull ideas out of thin air. For example, when asked about goals, we could specify goals related to the physical domain (nutrition, exercise, weight loss), the mental domain (peace.