Imagine a couple books a first session, but only one partner completes the form. A client onboarding form for relationship coaching needs each partner’s contact details, personal goals, privacy choices, and consent, plus a goal they choose together. Separate answers let you hear both perspectives before agreeing on the work.
You also need clear arrangements for scheduling, payment, and any information shared during joint or individual sessions. One partner may organize the booking, but each person still needs space to ask questions and decide whether to participate. The Client Onboarding Form Template for Relationship Coaches provides prompts you can copy and adapt to the way your practice works.
TL;DR
A relationship coach needs separate answers from each partner and a clear record of the agreements they make together. Use an onboarding form for contact details, personal goals, a shared goal, session preferences, previous coaching, boundaries, payment policies, and relevant extra context. Explain who can see individual responses before either person writes anything private. Give both partners the proposed terms and collect consent from each, even when only one person handles booking or payment. Review the answers before the first joint session and clarify differences rather than guessing what either person meant. Use the completed form as preparation for a conversation about what both partners are agreeing to.
What Is a Client Onboarding Form?
A client onboarding form collects the information a coach needs before beginning a new working relationship with a client. An intake form asks about background and goals, while an onboarding form can also record practical arrangements and consent.
- Contact Details: The client’s name and agreed ways to contact them.
- Starting Goals: Reasons for coaching and topics the client wants to discuss.
- Session Preferences: Availability, meeting format, session length, and frequency.
- Working Agreements: Confidentiality, payment, cancellation terms, and consent.
- Relevant Background: Previous coaching, useful context, and an emergency contact where needed.
For work with one person, the life coach version of the onboarding form centers on the individual client’s goals and arrangements. The template below adds space for separate partner responses and agreements made together.
The Importance of a Client Onboarding Form
A client onboarding form gives you a written starting point for discussing goals, expectations, and working arrangements with each partner. Review the answers together where sharing is agreed, and ask questions before you assume the couple wants the same things.
- Clear Communication: Use both sets of answers to ask what each person wants and explain the proposed coaching arrangements.
- Efficiency: Use the same core prompts for both partners, then add questions that serve the couple’s agreed coaching goals.
- Professionalism: Tell clients why you request information, who can see it, and what happens after the form is returned.
What Changes When You Onboard a Couple?
Couples onboarding needs a response from each partner, plus agreements both partners make about the work they share. Send individual questions to Partner A and Partner B separately, so each person can describe priorities in their own words. Partner A and Partner B are labels for organizing the form, not roles within the relationship.
Suppose one partner wants more time together while the other wants clearer agreements about personal time. Record both aims before asking the couple to choose a shared goal, such as planning a weekly conversation. A shared goal must be something both partners choose, rather than an average of their individual answers.
A couples coaching onboarding form needs consent from each person before joint coaching begins. One partner’s completed form cannot stand in for the other person’s agreement. Give each person time to ask questions and decide whether to participate.
Decide what stays private to one partner and what can enter the joint conversation before collecting sensitive answers. State whether you accept private disclosures, how permission to share is recorded, and any limits on confidentiality.
If you keep individual answers private, use separate records and share only an agreed summary with both partners. If your practice requires joint disclosure, explain that rule first so each person can decide what to submit. Do not assume a shared account or email address gives you permission to disclose a partner’s answers.
Ask each partner for availability, time zone, contact preference, and whether individual sessions are part of the proposed arrangement. Confirm a time and format both can use for joint sessions, then record any separate appointments explicitly.
Relationship coaching is not therapy, and your form should explain the scope of the service you offer. If either partner asks for counseling or raises safety concerns, pause planning for a joint session and explain coaching’s limits. Point them toward qualified professional support appropriate to their needs rather than collecting more details through the form.
The ICF Core Competencies call for explaining coaching’s scope and referring clients to other support professionals when appropriate. Build those limits into your agreement so each partner can decide whether coaching fits the support they want.
The Client Onboarding Form Template for Relationship Coaches
Use the following new client onboarding form template to collect separate partner responses and document the couple’s shared agreements. The field prompts are ready to copy, with Partner A and Partner B completing their own entries wherever the form requests separate responses. Replace the labels with each person’s chosen name, and explain which fields are optional before sending the form.
Present your fees, cancellation terms, and privacy boundaries alongside the relevant prompts so both partners can review them. A relationship coaching intake form can collect background information, but use the agreement fields below to record consent as well.
1. Personal Information
Personal information identifies each participant and gives you a contact route that each partner has agreed you can use. Explain why you ask for a date of birth, and make it optional unless you have a clear reason to collect it.
- Full Name: Partner A and Partner B each provide a full name and preferred name.
- Date of Birth: Partner A and Partner B each provide a date of birth if needed for the stated purpose.
- Contact Information: Partner A and Partner B each provide a phone number, email address, and address for agreed use.
2. Coaching Goals
Coaching goals need room for each person’s priorities before the couple decides what they want to work on together. Ask both partners to describe what a useful change would look like in daily life.
- Primary Goals: Partner A and Partner B each describe their goals and reasons for seeking relationship coaching.
- Specific Challenges: Partner A and Partner B each name the challenges or topics they would like to address.
- Shared Goal: Both partners choose a goal they want to work on together and describe how they would recognize progress.
3. Availability and Preferred Contact
Availability and contact preferences tell you which arrangements are workable for each partner before you suggest any meeting times. Use the separate answers to agree on joint sessions and any individual appointments.
- Session Availability: Partner A and Partner B each list available days, times, and time zones for coaching sessions.
- Preferred Contact: Partner A and Partner B each select phone, email, or video call and state which contact details to use.
- Joint and Individual Sessions: Both partners confirm availability for joint sessions and record any agreed individual session times.
4. Previous Coaching Experience
Previous coaching experience gives each partner a place to describe approaches they liked or would prefer you to avoid. Keep the questions focused on coaching, and allow either person to say that no previous experience applies.
- Past Relationship Coaching: Partner A and Partner B each state whether they have worked with a relationship coach and provide relevant details.
- Useful Approaches: Partner A and Partner B each describe what they found most useful in previous coaching experiences, if any.
5. Confidentiality and Boundaries
Confidentiality and boundaries need an agreement about what you can collect, keep private, and share between Partner A and Partner B. Discuss those terms before either partner submits answers intended only for you.
The ICF Code of Ethics calls for clear agreements about what information is exchanged and how it is exchanged. Explain confidentiality limits, record access, and any circumstances that require disclosure before asking each partner to confirm consent.
- Confidentiality Concerns: Partner A and Partner B each name privacy concerns and boundaries they want to discuss or establish.
- Session Preferences: Partner A and Partner B each state preferences for session length, frequency, and location.
- Information Sharing: Both partners agree which answers stay private, which information may be shared, and how sharing permission is recorded.
- Coaching Scope: Partner A and Partner B each confirm understanding of coaching’s purpose, limits, and the option of other professional support.
- Participation Consent: Partner A and Partner B each confirm voluntary participation with a separate signature or agreed confirmation and date.
- Individual Sessions: Both partners confirm whether individual meetings are included and how information from those meetings will be handled.
Consent records should identify each partner and the date of confirmation, with space to ask questions before agreeing. Store answers securely and follow the privacy rules that apply where you and your clients live.
6. Payment and Policies
Payment and policies need clear written terms that each partner can review before agreeing to begin coaching together. Fill in your own fees, notice periods, and refund terms without assuming one partner speaks for the other.
- Payment Arrangements: Both partners confirm the payment method, payment frequency, and who is responsible for payment under the proposed terms.
- Cancellation Policy: Partner A and Partner B each confirm the stated notice period, request method, rescheduling terms, and any cancellation charges.
- Terms and Conditions: Partner A and Partner B each confirm acceptance of the stated terms and conditions with a separate signature and date.
- Ending Coaching: Both partners confirm how either person can end the coaching agreement and what happens to remaining sessions and payments.
An onboarding form can record acknowledgment of a policy, but it does not explain terms that clients have never received. Give both partners the agreement to review and answer their questions before collecting signatures.
7. Emergency Contact
Emergency contact details need a stated purpose and an explanation of the circumstances in which you would use them. Ask each partner to choose a contact person and confirm whether that person knows their details are being provided.
- Emergency Contact Details: Partner A and Partner B each provide an emergency contact person’s name and agreed contact information.
- Contact Permission: Partner A and Partner B each confirm when the coach may contact that person under the explained arrangements.
Explain the limits of the service you offer and where clients can seek urgent help. Explain what clients should do if they need urgent help from qualified professionals.
8. Additional Information
Additional information gives each partner a place to mention relevant context that the other prompts did not cover. Allow a request to discuss something privately without asking for sensitive details on a shared form.
- Other Relevant Context: Partner A and Partner B each note anything else they would like to share or discuss before coaching begins.
- Discussion Preference: Partner A and Partner B each indicate whether an additional topic is intended for an individual conversation or a joint session.
Implementing the Client Onboarding Form
Implement the form by deciding which answers each partner submits privately and which agreements the couple reviews together. Keep individual responses separate until the sharing arrangements give you permission to use them in a joint discussion.
Use general intake form questions to add only background prompts that fit the couple’s stated coaching goals. Keep the onboarding form focused on information you need for preparation and agreement, rather than a long question bank.
| Section | Ask Partner A and B separately? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Information | Yes | Names and permitted contact routes belong to each person. |
| Coaching Goals | Yes, then agree together | Individual priorities may differ from the shared goal. |
| Availability and Preferred Contact | Yes, then confirm joint times | Both partners need arrangements they can attend. |
| Confidentiality and Boundaries | Yes, then confirm shared terms | Personal concerns need space before agreeing on information access. |
| Payment and Policies | Give terms to both and confirm separately | Each partner needs to acknowledge the terms, even if one pays. |
Send each partner their individual copy or link, with a separate place to record answers completed together. Check response visibility before inviting the couple to use a shared space, and set a completion date you agree on.
Simply.Coach lets you create forms online, share them as links with nudges, and keep responses in one place. Check the access settings you intend to use before collecting separate partner answers through any online tool.
For on brand coaching experiences, keep the practice name, form wording, and session instructions consistent. Explain the same contact and privacy arrangements wherever partners receive information from your practice.
Apply the same privacy checks to remote team coaching tools before using a shared workspace for a couple. Confirm what each participant can see, and test where responses appear before sending real client details.
Read each completed form against your stated service and ask about anything unclear before the first joint session. A missing answer is a prompt for clarification, rather than a reason to guess what either partner meant.
The Larger Client Onboarding Process
The form connects the couple’s initial inquiry and agreement to the practical preparation for their first joint coaching session. In the full client onboarding workflow, the form sits alongside the agreement, payment arrangements, and session preparation.
Set expectations for inquiries through your coaching website by explaining how prospective clients can reach you. Describe the type of coaching you offer and avoid asking for private relationship details in a public contact form.
1. Initial Inquiry and Contact
Respond to the inquiry, answer basic questions, and arrange a conversation about whether the requested work fits your service. Confirm whether both partners want to explore joint coaching and how you may contact each person.
2. Initial Consultation or Discovery Session
Introduce your coaching approach and give each partner space to describe goals, challenges, and expectations. Discuss together whether the arrangement fits the work they want, before sending terms for review.
3. Contract and Agreement
Put the proposed roles, session arrangements, fees, confidentiality, and ending terms into an agreement for both partners. Answer questions and obtain each person’s consent before starting the agreed coaching work.
4. Client Onboarding Form
Send Partner A and Partner B each a form through the contact route each person agreed to, with personal answers separated from shared agreements. Review both sets of responses privately and confirm which details can be discussed together. Flag differing goals or unclear answers for a conversation without forwarding one partner’s full response to the other.
5. Payment Setup
Confirm who will pay, which payment method will be used, and when payments are due under the agreed terms. Record the payment schedule without assuming both partners share responsibility for the bill.
6. Welcome Package
Send a short welcome package with joining instructions, what to expect, and any materials needed before the session. Keep personal responses out of shared documents unless the sharing agreement permits their inclusion.
7. The First Coaching Session
At the first joint coaching session, confirm the shared goal and check any arrangements that remain unclear. Ask each person what matters today before choosing where to begin together.
8. Ongoing Communication
Agree how the couple can contact you between sessions and how future appointments will be scheduled. Keep messages, next steps, and feedback within the communication and privacy boundaries both partners accepted.
Use the completed form to prepare for the first joint session, including checking the agreed goal and joining details. Revisit arrangements when either partner’s needs change so the written record still matches the work you have agreed.
Conclusion
The right form for a couple is one that both partners can complete and understand before deciding to begin coaching. Keep each person’s answers identifiable, and make the shared agreement something both partners can review. Use the completed pages to start the conversation about the proposed work.
Adapt the template to the service you offer, explain how individual information will be handled, and give both partners time to ask questions. Use the first joint session to confirm the goal they have chosen together. When the request falls outside coaching, point the person toward qualified professional help.
Key Takeaways
- Separate Partner Responses: Give both people their own space for personal details, goals, previous coaching, and privacy concerns.
- Shared Goal Choice: Ask the couple to choose a focus together after each person has described individual priorities.
- Consent From Both: Record each partner’s voluntary agreement and date of confirmation before starting joint coaching.
- Clear Privacy Terms: Explain what you keep private, what you can share, and the limits that apply to confidentiality.
- Practical Session Arrangements: Collect individual availability and confirm joint times, contact routes, and any separate meetings.
- Written Payment Policies: Present payment, cancellation, and ending terms before asking each partner to acknowledge them.
- Appropriate Professional Support: Explain coaching’s boundaries and direct requests for counseling or safety support to qualified professionals.
When you are collecting responses from two partners, decide how the answers will be shared before sending your form. Simply.Coach’s client management tools for coaches let you create forms online, send links with nudges, and keep responses in one place. Use your agreed privacy boundaries when organizing those records.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What documents are required for onboarding?
Coaching onboarding can include a completed form, a coaching agreement, policy acknowledgments, and payment arrangements. For a couple, give both partners the terms and record each person's consent. Decide which documents your practice needs for the proposed service, and explain their purpose before requesting personal information.
What does client onboarding entail?
Client onboarding is the preparation for starting an agreed coaching relationship. It includes discussing fit, explaining roles and terms, collecting the form, arranging payment, and preparing for the first session. Couples onboarding also needs consent from both partners and a clear agreement about individual and shared information.
What should a client onboarding form include?
Use fields for contact details, goals, availability, previous coaching experience, boundaries, payment and cancellation terms, relevant additional information, and an emergency contact where needed. For relationship coaching, collect individual answers from both partners and add their shared goal, separate consent, and agreed rules for sharing information.
How do you adapt a new client onboarding form template for couples coaching?
Keep the template's sections, but give Partner A and Partner B separate spaces for personal details, goals, preferences, and previous coaching. Add a shared goal and record consent from each person. Explain what stays private, what can be discussed jointly, and how any individual sessions fit the agreement.
How do you use a client onboarding form for online relationship coaching?
Send each partner a separate copy or link through an agreed contact route. Confirm who can see responses before collecting private details, and give both people a way to complete shared agreements. Review the answers before the joint session, store them securely, and follow the privacy rules that apply locally.
What cancellation terms belong in a client onboarding form?
State the notice required, how a cancellation or rescheduling request should be sent, and any charges under your policy. Give both partners the terms before collecting their acknowledgments. Record who handles payment and what happens if either partner chooses to end coaching, using your practice's stated arrangements.