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Code of Ethical Conduct for Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, LLC

Mission


A Tarot Professional, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach strives to uphold the highest ethical standards in all services rendered and to act affirmatively toward maintaining public trust in the tarot profession.  A tarot professional, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach’s practice is grounded on use of the tarot as a tool to assist clients with tapping into their own intuitions, spirituality, or creativity.


Article One – Professionalism


Adherence to Applicable Laws.


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach will take the initiative to be knowledgeable of all applicable laws including but not limited to fortune telling statutes and local municipal codes that may cover my business or the practice of tarot.


Scope of Profession.


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach applies tarot in a way that falls outside the scope of occult sciences and is not reading tarot in a manner that claims or purports to tell fortunes, or with the ability to foretell with any certainty future events, or disclose in unequivocal terms the the mental faculties of any person.


Role of the Tarot Professional, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach. 


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach, provides a client with spiritual guidance and serves to empower the client toward making more spiritually empowered decisions for him or herself within the framework of the client’s own spiritual beliefs or practices.


  Limitations.    


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach, shall never claim the ability to cure another of ailments outside the lawful practice of medicine or provide financial benefits outside the lawful practice of financial analysis and management.  I shall not purport to offer legal, medical, or financial advice.  Unless I also possess the applicable educational/background, licensures, certifications, and/or qualifications to be a psychologist, therapist, counselor, or other mental health professional, I shall not purport to be one.


  Duty to Reject Subsequent Reading Requests .


If at any time I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach, believes or has reason to believe that a client is using tarot or any other kind of readings to substitute, and not merely supplement, counseling from a qualified mental health professional, then I have the right to reject subsequent reading requests from the client and to refer the client to seek a qualified mental health professional support.  However, tarot readings may be used as a supplemental to qualified counseling or serve the function of life coaching or general spiritual guidance.


No Dishonesty, Fraud, Deceit, or Misrepresentations.  


I, Sharon Downie,  Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach, shall not use tarot or any other kind of reading in a way that purports definitive and absolute knowledge of the future of matters that are otherwise hidden or occult.  I shall not represent myself as matter-of-factly having communication, access to, or knowledge of any supernatural phenomena.  I shall never guarantee any one outcome, positive or negative.  I shall never engage in deceptive business or unfair trade practices.  I shall make no misrepresentations about my competency, certifications, qualifications, or abilities.


Third Party Consent.


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach, discourages from providing reading services on inquiries into personal affairs, business, intentions, mental faculties, or activities of third parties who are not present for the reading, unless the client represents and warrants to the me that such third party’s express consent has been obtained.  I may reasonably rely on such a representation made by the client, though best practices would include noting the reliance in writing in my professional notes.  However, I may provide reading services on inquiries about the client’s affairs, business, intentions, mental faculties, or activities might be affected by that third party.


Article Two – Communications


The Reading and Coaching Process.  


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach, am encouraged to make reasonable efforts to communicate my reading or interpretive process and analytical or intuitive methods, particular traditions, or the interpretive framework utilized.  I will refrain from communicating to a client about curses or the manifestation of malicious intentions through supernatural or occult means.


  Disclosures.  


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach, shall make reasonable efforts to disclose to all clients that tarot readings, or any other readings, cannot replace the counseling services of a mental health professional, and I can never guarantee my accuracy in the interpretation of a reading.  Also, if and when tarot practice would be explicitly barred by a jurisdiction’s applicable laws, then I must communicate to the client in clear, unambiguous terms that such readings are to be for entertainment purposes.  See also, Article Five, Disclosures.


No Duty to Retain Records.   


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach does not owe a client any duty to retain the client’s readings records.  I may, at the discretion of my customary practice, retain records or files on client readings.


Records Retention.  


If I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, does not elect to retain client records, then I must develop and maintain appropriate record-keeping systems for storing my clients’ personal information in a manner that will reasonably preserve the clients’ confidentiality and privacy.


Article Three – Fees


Statement of  Fees. 


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach shall state my fees before the start of a reading and cannot later raise or increase the stated fee unless prior contractual terms allow for the increase.  I must clearly communicate my fee schedule and payment terms prior to the commencement of any reading.  A fee for any service that is $500.00 USD or more must be contractually agreed upon in writing.


No Pressure for Additional Services. 


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach, shall never pressure, compel, or even imply to clients that additional paid services from me are needed after the reading.  I shall never purport to possess the power to manipulate the outcome of events through supernatural or occult means.


Referral Fees.  


If I, Sharon Downie Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach make a referral, then I must disclose whether any referral fees have been paid as compensation or consideration for the referral.


Article Four – Confidentiality


Duty of Confidentiality.  


Although there is not likely to be a legal evidentiary privilege between me and a client, I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach, nonetheless agree on my accord to be bound by a duty of confidentiality.  I shall not reveal personal or private information relating to a client reading unless the client has given informed consent.


Reasonable Diligence to Protect Confidentiality.  


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach, shall exercise reasonable efforts to prevent inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of or access to information relating to my clients, which includes password protection to any electronic accounts, computers, or data storage units that would include client files and lock and key to any physical physical storage units containing hard copy files.


Exceptions.  


However I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach, may reveal personal or otherwise private information relating to a client reading if I reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent substantial bodily harm or death, or a court order overrides the confidentiality.  Partial information from me may be disclosed under the client’s anonymity for academic, civic census, survey, or research purposes.


Article Five – Disclosures


General Practice Disclosures.  


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant , Spiritual Law Coach and Law-of-Attraction Coach shall post a disclosure statement prominently at office locations, storefronts, on websites, reading venues, or commercial marketing materials that state essentially as follows:

  • Disclosure Statement:  I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Law Coach, and Law-of-Attraction Coach cannot predict the future with certainty, and you should not rely on a tarot or any other kind of reading to make a decision that would affect your legal, financial, or medical condition.  If your inquiry involves the law, finance, or medicine, then you should seek the advice of a licensed or qualified legal, financial, or medical professional.  Also, a tarot reading or any other kind of reading cannot replace a qualified mental health care.  A reading can only facilitate how you cope spiritually with a given situation.  In certain jurisdictions, a tarot professional is required to disclose to you that tarot readings should be for entertainment purposes only, and if such a law applies to your reading, then you are hereby on notice thereof.  I am bound by a self-imposed code of ethics, which can be provided to you upon request.
 


Article Six – Public Service


I am dedicated to offering a percentage of my practice per year to public service, such as offering reading services to support fundraisers for non-profit organizations or charitable causes, free readings to persons of limited financial means, or participating in activities with the mission of improving the practice of tarot or the tarot profession.


Article Seven – Continuing Education


I, Sharon Downie, Tarot Consultant, Spiritual Life Coach, and Law-of-Attraction Coach shall take the initiative to continue my tarot education for the full duration of and throughout my professional practice.  I am encouraged to take classes or workshops on tarot, attend tarot conferences, symposia, or conventions, meet and collaborate with other tarot professionals, regularly read on the practice of tarot and exercise diligent efforts to hone the tarot professional’s craft and skill.