Life Coaching Intake Forms & Client Questionnaires

A coaching engagement lives or dies on the clarity established in the first session. The life coaching intake form captures what you need to build a coaching plan that actually fits the person sitting across from you — not a generic program, but one shaped by their specific circumstances. It records the client’s primary areas of focus (career transition, relationship patterns, health and wellness, financial stability, creative fulfillment, spiritual growth, time management, confidence building) and asks them to rank which areas feel most urgent versus most important, because those are rarely the same.

Current challenges need specificity to be actionable. The intake form goes beyond “I feel stuck” with structured prompts: What does a typical day look like right now? What have you tried in the past twelve months to address this? What worked partially, and what failed entirely? What would have to change for you to say, six months from now, that coaching was worth it? These questions force the client to move from vague dissatisfaction to concrete descriptions that you can build a plan around.

The client questionnaire collects the logistical and relational details that shape how coaching will actually work. It asks about prior coaching or therapy experience — not to blur the boundary between coaching and therapy, but because a client who has done two years of CBT has different self-awareness tools than a client who has never worked with a professional in any capacity. The questionnaire records what was helpful about past experiences, what was not, and what the client wishes had been different.

Communication and accountability preferences are where coaching relationships either click or grind. The questionnaire asks how the client prefers to receive feedback — direct and blunt, or gentle and exploratory. It captures their preferred session format (video, phone, in-person), ideal session frequency (weekly, biweekly, monthly), and how they want to be held accountable between sessions: text check-ins, email summaries, a shared document, or no between-session contact. Some clients thrive on daily accountability texts; others find them intrusive. Knowing this upfront prevents the mismatch that leads to early dropout.

The questionnaire also includes a self-assessment section covering the client’s satisfaction across life domains — career, finances, health, relationships, personal growth, fun and recreation, physical environment, and contribution — rated on a simple scale. This creates a visual baseline that the coach and client can revisit at regular intervals to track progress. It also surfaces hidden priorities: a client who comes in asking about career coaching but rates their relationships at 2 out of 10 may need to address that first.

Why Life Coaches Need Their Own Intake Form

Life coaching is not therapy, not consulting, and not mentoring — and the intake form needs to reflect those boundaries. A therapy intake asks about diagnoses and medication; a consulting intake asks about business metrics. A life coaching intake asks about goals, values, current life satisfaction, and the client’s own readiness to change. Using a form designed for coaching signals professionalism, establishes the coaching frame from the first interaction, and collects exactly the information you need to design a meaningful engagement.

Credentialing bodies like the ICF (International Coaching Federation) emphasize clear coaching agreements and documented client assessments as part of professional standards. Having a structured intake process — not a casual conversation over coffee — demonstrates that you run a professional practice. For coaches building toward ICF credentialing, a documented intake process is part of the portfolio you submit.

Intake vs. Client Questionnaire

The intake form is your internal coaching document — filled out during the discovery session or initial consultation. It records your observations about the client’s readiness, their stated goals, and the coaching structure you propose. The client questionnaire is what you send before the first paid session. It collects the client’s self-assessment, communication preferences, accountability style, scheduling needs, and their own written description of what they want from coaching. The intake gives you the coach’s perspective; the questionnaire gives you the client’s. Together, they form the foundation of a coaching agreement both sides can reference.

Scope, Boundaries & Referrals

One of the most important functions of a coaching intake is identifying clients who need therapy, not coaching. The intake form includes screening questions about current mental health treatment, substance use concerns, and whether the client is in crisis. These are not diagnostic questions — coaches do not diagnose — but they help you recognize when a referral to a licensed therapist is the responsible next step. Documenting this screening protects both the client and your practice.

Pricing

The complete life coaching intake form and client questionnaire set is $19.99. The intake form alone is $14.99, and the client questionnaire alone is $9.99. Both are fillable PDFs that work in any PDF reader — Adobe Acrobat, Preview, or any browser.

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