Module 7: Professionalism, Communication and Scope of Practice

Clients almost always respond well to a coach who says "I'm not the right person for this." They respect it far more than a coach who pretends.

Three parts to every referral

1. Honour the question. They raised something real, so acknowledge it directly.
2. State the boundary. Honestly: this is outside what you're trained to coach.
3. Hand off. Name the type of professional, recommend one if you can, and suggest what to ask them.

"This is a real question and I want you to get a real answer to it. It's outside what I'm trained to coach on, so I don't want to half-answer it. The right person for this is [type of professional]. Here's what I'd ask them: [the specific question]."

That isn't "I don't know." It's "this is outside my scope, and here's who you need."

Example 1: a question about steroids

A client, seven months in, asks: "I've been thinking about starting on testosterone. What dose would you recommend, and how should we adjust the plan?"

"Honestly, I'm not the right person for that one. Performance-enhancing drugs sit outside what I'm trained to advise on, and I won't half-answer something where getting it wrong costs this much. The right person is a doctor or specialist clinic who can run your bloods and look at the actual medical picture.

From the coaching side: you've made strong progress over seven months. Your back, shoulders and arms are visibly bigger and your lifts have moved well. There's still real progress available naturally if you want to keep going. But that's a separate decision from the medical one, and the medical one needs a doctor."

It refuses to pretend, names the right resource, validates their progress, and holds the boundary without closing the door.

Example 2: a client who's struggling

A client, four months in, writes in her check-in: "I've been having a really hard time the last couple of weeks. Feeling really low, struggling to get out of bed some mornings, not wanting to see anyone. I don't know if this is just life or something more."

"Thank you for trusting me with this. I want to respond to it directly rather than just carry on with the check-in.

What you're describing is outside what coaching is the right tool for. Persistent low mood, not wanting to see people, struggling to get out of bed: those are things a health professional should look at, and I don't want to under-respond to something that deserves a proper read.

Please book in with your GP this week and tell them what you've told me. They can point you to the right support. On my side, I'm going to ease your plan for now. I'll send a simpler version of this week that takes the pressure off without losing your routine. Your goals will still be here when things feel clearer.

You're not alone in this, and you've done the right thing by saying it. Please book that appointment."

It names the boundary and the right resource, eases the pressure without abandoning her, and closes warm. The coach hasn't tried to counsel, and that helps her far more than amateur counselling would.