Dear Client, Welcome to West Loop Life Coaching! Thank you for choosing me as your coach. I consider your choice a great privilege to me and I have great respect for the relationship that we have already started to build. I am globally recognized as a life coach with a focus on helping people live well, by inspiring reflection, that moves into action, and results in significant transformation, whatever the goal or issue may be. I have enjoyed a successful career as a psychologist. Now, I dedicate my focus towards providing an opportunity for everyone to experience what a strong, positive, empathic relationship can do for creating success, relief, joy, and greater life satisfaction. I am determined to use my skills in human connection, and masterful listening, to support life-changing experiences in everyone. I believe that evaluating my practice is an important part of my professional growth. I have collected a number evaluations and testimonials. Here is a little of what my clients are saying about me My expectations were met beyond my wildest dreams! Doukessa s background enhances her ability to coach as if she s been coaching for decades She exuded a calm confidence with positively energized acknowledgment as a powerful listener. Larry Wooters Doukessa gave me excellent support in thinking through the challenges which faced me Doukessa is a pure coach... She offers no opinions but makes it all about the client. Eric Ludeke Doukessa is forthright and completely unafraid to broach difficult subjects, I think for me this was an invaluable strength. Mark Johnson I very much look forward to our first meeting and discovery session on at pm EST. Yours faithfully Doukessa Lerias, ACC-ICF, MAP Director & Principal Coach West Loop Life Coaching Page 1 of 5
What is Coaching? The international Coach Federation is a global professional body that oversees the professional standards and development of the Coaching profession and industry. ICF defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential, which is particularly important in today s uncertain and complex environment. Coaches honor the client as the expert in his or her life and work and believe every client is creative, resourceful and whole. Standing on this foundation, the coach's responsibility is to: Discover, clarify, and align with what the client wants to achieve Encourage client self-discovery Elicit client-generated solutions and strategies Hold the client responsible and accountable This process helps clients dramatically improve their outlook on work and life, while improving their leadership skills and unlocking their potential. (https://www.coachfederation.org/need/coachingfaqs/what is professional coaching? Accessed August 25,2016). As your coach, I will be supporting you by: Being client-centered in a manner that highlights you as the expert and you as the generator of insights, strategies and solutions. Understanding your needs Actively listening and validating your experience Asking thought-provoking questions Assisting you in the organization of information Facilitating the development of your ideas Helping you stay accountable, motivated and focused on your action plans Celebrating your successes Maintaining your confidentiality Being easily accessible to you by phone, Skype or, in person What is NOT Coaching? Coaching is not psychological counseling, psychotherapy, treatment or a clinical intervention of any kind. Clients are responsible for their own mental health and should not see their coach for difficulties that are specific to their mental health and psychiatric wellbeing. Coaching is not advice-giving or an expert consultation. Although many professional coaches have expertise in other areas and even in psychology and psychotherapy, this process does not promote the coach as an expert of any kind. However, observations and information can be offered within the boundaries of coaching technique. Clients seeking coaching completely understand that they are generating their own plans based on self-exploration, and are responsible for their decisions and the outcomes of their coaching sessions. Page 2 of 5
Who Am I? What is my Background? I am a certified professional coach with an ACC Credential from the ICF. I completed two years of Advanced Training in Professional Coaching. My skills and experience have predominantly been in the field of psychology, psychiatry and mental health. In Chicago, I have enjoyed my time as a professor of psychology and a research professional for psychiatry. I am also an early childhood education professional and teach Modern Greek as a second language to school-aged children. I was a qualified Clinical Psychologist in Australia. My focus was in inpatient psychiatry, suicide prevention, major mental illness and community mental health, clinical supervision and training. I was a successful entrepreneur and director of DLS Psychological Interventions, in Sydney Australia. I worked on a number of government initiatives, and was a regional mental health advisor for strategic mental health service planning, in the Sydney metropolitan area. For further information on my experience and qualifications, I welcome you to look at my LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doukessa-lerias My Code of Ethics As your coach, I aspire to conduct myself in a manner that reflects positively upon the coaching profession. I am respectful of the different approaches to coaching and recognize that I am bound by applicable laws and regulations. Please refer to the attached document titled ICF Code Of Ethics, as an essential part of your introduction to working with me as your coach. Policies and Procedures Please know that the policies and procedures below are designed to help you get the maximum benefit from our working relationship. Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have regarding the following issues. Client Agreement A Client agreement has been attached as part of this welcome packet. We will get a chance to discuss this agreement in the first 15 minutes of our first meeting. Please also feel free to contact me in advance with any questions. You will be required to sign the agreement during our first session and return a signed copy to me before the commencement of our second meeting. I will also sign the agreement and return a completed, signed copy to you as well. Individual sessions Individual sessions will be up to 60 minutes in duration and will be conducted in a format that benefits the working relationship that we have. This will always include an agenda for the session, set at the beginning of each appointment and a wrap-up to the session, articulating the end result. Clients are encouraged to prepare for the session with a progress report and a proposal for the session agenda. Page 3 of 5
When you consider scheduling your appointment, please consider a time and day when you will have no other distractions or significant responsibilities that may cause you to cancel the appointment. Also consider a time and place where you will be able to source a quiet, comfortable space with little distraction. During the session, please do not multitask or place yourself in a space filled with visual or auditory distractions. Find a comfortable space where you enjoy productive moments. Methods of communication This may include in-person communication where possible, or through telephone or Skype. Appointments will be confirmed at least 24 hours in advance. Outside of our appointments, email or LinkedIn messaging are the preferred methods of communication. When emailing me, you should expect a response within 24 hours. If this does not occur, please follow-up in case the message was not received. Cancellations 24 hours notice is required for a session to be cancelled or rescheduled at no cost. Your session cannot be rescheduled with less that 24 hours notice. Non-attendance to a scheduled session will incur the full cost of the session. In the event that I need to reschedule an appointment, I will also give you at least 24 hours notice and communicate this to you in writing (most likely by email) as well as verbally (either talking to you directly or leaving a voicemail). Confidentiality and Record Keeping The nature of our relationship will require the exchange of personal and professional information. Unless express permission is granted, all information exchanged during our coaching sessions and written communication, will be completely confidential and handled in a secure manner both online and in hardcopy format, as indicated in the ICF Code of Ethics. I do reserve the right to break confidentiality if I feel your safety or the safety of others around you is in jeopardy or, if the law requires me to do so. If this needs to occur, I will always act in your best interest and will inform you of any decision to break confidentiality. The ICF is the professional body that supports my performance as a coach. As part of the ICF s requirements, I must report my activities to them in the form of; Client names and email addresses, the start and end date of the coaching relationship and the number of hours dedicated to coaching the client. If you do not want this information provided to the ICF, please indicate so on the client agreement. Page 4 of 5
Fee and Payment The fee is an hourly charge that has been agreed upon by both you and I as the Coach and Client. The agreed upon amount is articulated in your coaching agreement. Payment for each session is received before the commencement of each scheduled session. This can be a monthly or a single-session fee option. The preferred payment method is by PayPal or credit card. Checks are also welcome but should be received prior to the commencement of the session. Page 5 of 5