I apply a non-traditional standard regarding accountability.

Through the course of this work, it is important to enhance skills in self-determination and negotiation of shared agreements.

True accountability is to your own alignment with your values, alignment with your well-being.

True accountability is learning to trust the resistance and hesitancy you feel, to honor your gut instincts. Listen for that which your mind is not yet aware.

True accountability is not about dependency upon external sources of validation. It is about internal drivers that work for both your mind and your instincts.

I will inquire about your choices, decisions, and action steps: I do not hold you accountable via any direct measures.

This consulting is not a ‘pure coaching’ model. I do not expect you to figure out your own agenda and also figure out your own solutions. I will interrupt, redirect, present alternatives, call time-out to go back over something. My sleeves are rolled up and I am in the mix.

This consulting is not psychotherapy. While this works well integrated with therapy, counseling, rehab, or other healing work, our efforts are functional and tactical in nature. You are figuring out strategy and next actions on how to go about being who you really are. Our conversations are private, but not protected by privilege of confidentiality (as with a licensed attorney or board certified psychotherapist).

This consulting is grounded in public relations tenets. Our aim is to enhance understanding and clarity around your inherent personal identity then articulate your identity skillfully in your relationships and with stakeholders.

I DO NOT EXPECT . . .

I do not expect you to be in happy-mode. Things can get silly, cranky, quiet: that’s just the process.

Conflicts are inherent: escalation is not. We attack the puzzle on the table, not the people around the table.

I do not expect long duration commitments from you. There is no long-term contract. You choose engagement by engagement.

I do not hold you accountable. You learn to trust your own instincts and act accordingly.

I do not expect disclosure of sensitive data. Privacy remains your own right. We can work around most specifics.

I DO EXPECT . . .

I DO EXPECT your commitment to engage. You must look right at it, feel it, contemplate it. You cannot stay blind to it.

I DO EXPECT you to speak up to resolve concerns. It is important to the quality of our dialog as well as to honing your skills in negotiation to practice bringing up conditions that don’t work well for you and altering what you can adjust.

Self-care is going to matter. Energy, stamina, attention span, and cognitive function will get a workout. You will burn more fuel than you think. Anticipate that you may experience physical symptoms as ideas and emotions process. Provide care for your body just as you would for physical exercise or exertion. Hydrate, manage your blood sugar, plan for rest as needed.

Office Hours appointments are free 20-minute conversations via Zoom. Office Hours appointments are open to current active clients as well as others. Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis.

I work with clients in coaching-style dialogs with time between conversations to process, think, or work out an idea or exercise.

A ‘session’ is a one hour conversation. Sessions are pre-scheduled, and often have a cadence of weekly or every other week.

Communication outside of sessions is via email or text message.

Packages of Service, such as ‘First Impressions Collage Work’ or a ‘Sprint’, consist of a prescribed scope-of-work or a duration-of-focus priced as one item. The fixed fee purchases the package as a whole and is not hourly billing. The package of service fixed fee represents access to my consulting, coaching-style consulting, and strategic advisory services for you individually, in your personal and professional capacities. I’m not hired by your employer; I work entirely for you, on your story, your boundaries, and your choices.

When we begin our collaboration, you’ll review and electronically accept the Engagement Documents, which include the Terms of Engagement document as well as the package-specific Practical Stuff document that comes with your quote. Right after that, you’ll receive the invoice, which is to be paid in full.

Once both of these steps are complete, we’ll schedule all of the sessions together. You’ll receive confirmation emails with Zoom links for our sessions as scheduled. When you need to reschedule — and rescheduling happens all the time — just email or text me and we’ll work diligently get it fixed to a new time that works for both of us.

We’re better off rescheduling —even a few times— than letting it sit. Feel free to contact me as soon as you are aware of a conflict. Stuff happens, I can respect that. Please don’t be hesitant to reach out to me to share that things came up or went sideways for you. It’s pretty flexible. (If you ghost me, I won’t chase you far.)

As Fairfax Image does not work on long-term contracts, clients choose one engagement commitment at a time. We complete the package, then you are free to choose again. You choose when and how long to be engaged. You set your own pace. You choose when to step back and take a break.