My Ethics Statement
My clients are adults ( as of now only individuals) who approach me for perspective, empathy, compassion, and philosophical discussions. They may either approach me with specific problems or as a way to invest in their learning and growth.
Please find below my working statements on ethical issues (updated July 2021).
Do not hesitate to contact me if you have further questions about my ways of working.
Overall Ethos
My stance while engaging with my clients is to operate from compassion and curiosity.
I offer services to individuals as a purely voluntary, unmediated, intellectual and emotional exercise.
I am part of various professional bodies. Thus I am committed to uphold their code of conduct. I remain deeply invested in upholding my values (indeed, a fascination with ethics and justice is what drew me to philosophy and behavioral science in the first place!)
The ethical statements/ contacts of my professional institutions are linked at the bottom of the page. In the event of any unresolved grievance against my conduct, anyone is free to reach out to them.
Value of Compassion
Compassion is not just a feeling for me it is also my value. I am choosing to live that way. Not everyone will have the same value. That is fine. Having different values is not a matter of disconnection for me.
I think that there are enough promoters of productivity, success, growth etc. in today’s society. There are limited evangelist for well-being, peace, satisfaction and happiness. I found immense meaning and joy in them. We all experience them in life at various moments. I have experienced them fully in a state of compassion. Thus I also want to promote compassion.
The way I have decided to promote compassion is through living it. Completely staying away from preaching and teaching about it. Yes, I do talk about it and write about it. In my workshops and sessions, I create safe space to discuss about it. Always the endeavor is to Show and not Tell.
When I live it, there are many times I fail. Sometime I fail out of old habit and sometimes I would hit my blind spots. Blind spots are parts which are not yet visible to me but visible to others. I am open to feedback at those times. I committed to looking at myself before looking at others. There is no delusion that I have arrived in life! Or that I know everything about myself and compassion!
Also, since compassion will not be everyone’s value, I keep myself open to others feedback, judgements, criticism, blames and accusations. I am prepared for these and open to these.
Absolutely No Advice
No one can know about your experiences or life more than you. I am absolutely no one to advise you. What might work for one person in a context will never work for others. Thus I stay away from self-help, quick fixes, how-to guides, and best practices. I absolutely restrain from providing any solutions or tips. I don’t even share my perspectives or views on your situation.
Deep connection with me helps my clients to sharpen their thinking, develop newer perspectives, clarify their assumptions, identify their patterns and process emotional wounds.
I support them through their journey as a confidante. My job is to show them mirror, create a safe space for them to reflect and process their emotions. I do this by using my skills of deep listening, curiosity, asking questions and facilitating exercises.
I build deep professional relationships with my clients by constantly demonstrating my values of trust, respect and authenticity.
Agency and Responsibility
Connection is a two way street. I firmly believe in the story that, ‘You can take a horse to the water but can not make it drink it’
My responsibility is to create a safe and engaging space for conversations. These conversations lead to connection.
I often decline to work with clients who are not willing to take responsibility. Who find it difficult to take feedback and reflect. Who are just interested in venting out and not move towards solutions. Who are just interested in blame game, criticism and complain. I repeatedly ask my clients, “So, what do you want to do about this?”
Confidentiality
I always protect my clients’ confidentiality.
In writing and verbally, I never make any direct references to clients or their situations. Any indirect reference for case studies, research is only done with with their prior written consent.
I jot down notes on paper/mobile during client sessions, but these notes do not contain individually identifying information.
Billing
When beginning work with a client, we agree to payment amounts and schedules in writing.
All sessions are prepaid.
Prices and terms are subject to change. All changes will be communicated prior in writing.
In the case that an account becomes past due, I will decline to schedule additional appointments until payment has been made.
Referrals
I have no desire to “abandon” clients, as is ethically forbidden in various professions. At the same time, it makes little sense for clients to continue investing time and money in my services at a time when it does not directly address their most pressing personal needs. Clients are not aware of this at times. As they are vulnerable and want to keep seeing me.
If I have established a working relationship with a client who seems to require further professional services (in my estimation), I will communicate that directly to the client. If s/he desires, I will assist the client in locating suitable assistance (e.g. psychotherapist, psychiatrist etc.).
When a client needs assistance in excess of my capacity to provide it, we may either end/pause our sessions until those separate needs are reasonably well-satisfied or we continue to work as a secondary modality along with their primary mode. This is to support client fulfillment and well-being.
Professional Institutions I am part of and their Ethical statements
Siddharth Shah
Facilitator and Life Coach
My Ethics Statement
I care deeply about facilitating meaningful conversations and empathy.
Dialogues are the doorway into newer perspectives. Empathy is at the heart of relationships and healing. Perspectives, relationships, and healing are at the foundation of fulfillment and change.
My clients are adults ( individuals or dyads) who approach me for perspective, empathy, life coaching, and philosophical discussions. They may either approach me with specific problems or as a way to invest in their learning and growth. Their problems are usually around relationships, leadership, habits, decision making, creativity, finance, studying, or career.
They bypass more-credentialed practitioners as they see a potential here that is difficult to find elsewhere (more on my eclectic background here)
As I still pursue my professional credentials, I am ungoverned by any code of professional ethics. However I remain deeply invested in ethical conduct (indeed, a fascination with ethics and justice is what drew me to philosophy and behavioral science in the first place!)
I am a member of many professional institutions in this field. Their ethical statements/ contacts are linked at the bottom of the page. I am deeply committed and accountable to them. In the event of any unresolved grievance against my conduct, anyone is free to reach out to them.
Please find below my working statements on ethical issues (updated July 2021).
Do not hesitate to contact me if you have further questions about my ways of working.
Overall Ethos
I am an individual who offers conversational and facilitation services to other individuals or dyads as a purely voluntary, unmediated, intellectual and emotional exercise.
Value of Compassion
I am accepting of that Compassion is my value. I am choosing to live that way. Not everyone will have the same value. That is fine. Having different values is not a matter of disconnection for me.
I think that there are enough promoters of Productivity, Success, Growth etc. in today’s society. There are limited evangelist for well-being, peace, satisfaction and happiness. I found immense meaning and joy in them. I do find myself living them in moments of compassion. Thus I also want to promote Compassion.
The way I have decided to promote Compassion is through living it. Completely staying away from preaching and teaching about it. Yes, I do talk about it and write about it. In my workshops and sessions, I create safe space to discuss about it. Always the endeavor is to Show and not Tell.
When I live it, there are many times I fail. Out of those, sometimes I would hit my blind spots which are not yet visible to me but visible to others. I am committed to looking at myself before looking at others. Thus, I keep myself open to others feedback, judgements, criticism and accusations. I am prepared for these and open to these. There is no delusion that I have arrived in life on topics around Compassion!
Absolutely No Advice
No one can know about your experiences or life more than you. I am absolutely no one to advise you. What might work for one person in a context will never work for others. Thus I stay away from self-help, quick fixes, how-to guides, and best practices. I absolutely restrain from providing any solutions or tips. I don’t even share my perspectives or views on your situation.
Clients come to me for sharpening their thinking, develop newer perspectives, get help clarify their assumptions, identify their patterns and process emotional wounds. Their testimonials convey that conversations with me gives them clarity and fulfillment. Professional relationship with me helps them process their emotions and thus bring in more vitality and joy.
I support them through their journey as a confidante. My job is to show them mirror, create a safe space for them to reflect and process their emotions. I do this by using my skills of deep listening, curiosity, asking questions and facilitating exercises.
I build deep professional relationships with my clients by constantly demonstrating my values of trust, respect and authenticity.
Read about my case studies and testimonials here
Agency and Responsibility
Though clients may brainstorm their alternatives and begin to make choices in my conversational presence, these interactions are in no way binding. Clients’ choices are ultimately their prerogative and responsibility. This includes not just behavioral choices, but also their philosophical beliefs and identity.
Coaching and facilitation are only made possible against this backdrop of full agency. I often decline to work with clients who do not seem willing or able to engage in this way.
Confidentiality
I always protect my clients’ confidentiality.
In writing and verbally, I never make any direct references to clients or their situations. Any indirect reference for case studies, research is only done with with their prior written consent.
I jot down notes on paper/mobile during client sessions, but these notes do not contain individually identifying information.
Billing
When beginning work with a client, we agree to payment amounts and schedules in writing.
All sessions are prepaid.
Prices and terms are subject to change. All changes will be communicated prior to writing.
In the case that an account becomes past due, I will decline to schedule additional appointments until payment has been made.
Referrals
I have no desire to “abandon” clients, as is ethically forbidden in various professions. At the same time, it makes little sense for clients to continue investing time and money in my services at a time when it does not directly address their most pressing personal needs.
If I have established a working relationship with a client who seems to require further professional services (in my estimation), I will communicate that directly to the client. If s/he desires, I will assist the client in locating suitable assistance (e.g. psychotherapist, psychiatrist etc.).
When a client needs assistance in excess of my capacity to provide it, we may either end/pause our sessions until those separate needs are reasonably well-satisfied or we continue to work as a secondary modality along with their primary mode. This is to support client fulfillment and well-being.
Professional Institutions I am part of and their Ethical statements