As an NLP trainer and also as a trained lawyer I am often asked questions about how to legally cover yourself offering NLP services. Is it the same as coaching? Should I use a standard contract? What about the laws in my geographic region, etc?
The number 1 way to stay out of legal trouble is common sense, don’t pretend to be able to do something you can’t, keep confidentiality, know where your limits are, and refer on any client with presenting problems beyond your capability and skill. And especially in the case of pathology and mental illness, you refer on. The rule of thumb being “when in doubt, refer out!” Stick to it, it will serve you well. When a former student asks me “should I work with a client who…..?” In 99% of the cases I find that given the student has to ask me, they probably should refer on the client. Because if they were capable of handling the client, they wouldn’t have to ask their NLP trainer that question.
There are many contracts and agreements online for sale, until now only for coaching. Given the question was so frequently asked, I had some concern for my former students properly covering themselves for NLP legally, stating clearly what it is that they do and don’t do. Being fully and completely transparent to the client, and transferring some of the responsibilities to the client instead of keeping it as a coach. In that sense, it is odd that service providers of NLP use contracts that do not mention the word NLP even once. And clearly state, what NLP is for, and what it clearly isn’t. You would be perfectly fine to work with a good coaching contract using NLP, but be sure to check that the application of your NLP services and the nature of it is clearly covered.
Students increasingly asked me for my contracts. But my own contracts fit my work, not theirs. Given that that I do not have any expertise in US based law, I hired an American lawyer to draw up the contracts that specifically do mention and cover NLP. In this way making sure that my students have the opportunity to obtain their contracts from a source I can trust. I hired a US based attorney in the state of California to draw up the contracts. To make them generic enough for them to be used USA wide, and possibly globally. After he was done, I read them based on my knowledge which is European based. I am proud to say the agreement form an excellent base to start operating from.
After purchase, these contracts are to be taken to a local lawyer for evaluation and amendment. The laws in Germany are different from the ones in California, or Singapore. However, with this foundation it will save you a lot of fees having a local lawyer create the contracts from scratch, and long expensive interviews between parties. In addition, the contracts are based on my expertise operating in the NLP world for a long time.
We created several contracts that specifically mention cover NLP:
- General NLP Services & Coaching contract
- Liability Agreement for one-on-one work
- Liability Agreement for group sessions or workshops
- Confidentiality (non-disclosure) agreement for one-on-one work.
- And confidentiality (non-disclosure) agreement for group sessions or workshops.
For more information or to purchase the agreements visit the Global NLP Store
