Health, safety & informed consent

Your wellbeing, autonomy and safety are important to me.

My work integrates nervous system education, breathwork, somatic practices, yoga, coaching and self-inquiry to support greater self-awareness, personal development and wellbeing.

Some practices involve physical movement, changes in breathing patterns, emotional exploration or experiences that may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable.

This agreement explains the nature of these practices, their potential risks, relevant health considerations and the responsibilities involved in participating.

My intention is to create an environment that supports informed, voluntary participation while respecting your individual needs, boundaries and capacity.

Please read this agreement carefully before participating in any of my services.

Legal name

Izabela Agnieszka Sokołowska

Professional name

Izabella Soko

Business status

Self-employed professional (Trabalhadora Independente)

Portuguese NIF

305458361

Business address

R. Cândido dos Reis 58, 8600-681 Lagos, Faro, Portugal

Email

info@izabellasoko.com

Website

https://izabellasoko.com

This agreement applies to relevant services and activities facilitated by Izabella Soko, online or in person, including:

• Private coaching and personal development sessions.
• Nervous system regulation and educational practices.
• RESET Breathwork and other conscious connected breathing techniques.
• Functional breathing exercises and pranayama.
• Somatic awareness, movement and embodiment practices.
• Yoga, including Hatha, Vinyasa, Kundalini-inspired and restorative practices.
• Meditation, mindfulness, Yoga Nidra and guided relaxation.
• Workshops, group programmes, retreats and immersive experiences.
• Momentum Collective live sessions, recordings and guided practice resources.

Different activities involve different levels of physical and psychological intensity.

Not every practice is appropriate for every individual. Participation in one activity does not automatically establish suitability for another.

My services are educational, coaching-based and wellbeing-oriented.

They may support personal reflection, self-awareness, behaviour change, relaxation, physical movement and the development of self-regulation skills.

They are not a substitute for appropriate medical or mental health care.

Unless expressly stated otherwise and supported by applicable professional qualifications and authorisations, I do not provide:

• Medical diagnoses or treatment.
• Psychiatric or psychological diagnoses.
• Psychotherapy or regulated mental health treatment.
• Emergency medical or crisis services.
• Medical prescriptions or medication management.
• Physical rehabilitation or other regulated healthcare services.

Although coaching or somatic work may explore emotionally significant experiences, this does not establish a psychotherapist-client or healthcare provider-patient relationship.

You should continue prescribed medical or psychological treatment unless your qualified healthcare provider advises otherwise.

I may recommend additional professional support or decline to facilitate a particular practice if it falls outside my professional scope or raises significant safety concerns.

Breathwork encompasses techniques with different purposes, levels of intensity and physiological effects.

Some involve gentle, comfortable breathing intended to support relaxation or awareness.

Others, including certain forms of RESET Breathwork and conscious connected breathing, may intentionally increase the depth, rate or volume of breathing.

Intensive breathing can alter carbon dioxide levels and produce significant physical or psychological sensations.

Potential effects include:

• Tingling, numbness or altered bodily sensations.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness.
• Changes in body temperature.
• Muscle tension, cramping or involuntary contractions.
• Nausea, headache or fatigue.
• Anxiety, panic or emotional intensity.
• Changes in perception or awareness.
• Emotional activation or the emergence of difficult memories.
• Fainting or loss of consciousness.

Serious adverse events may occur, particularly in individuals with underlying health conditions.

Some sensations may result from changes in breathing physiology and should not automatically be interpreted as therapeutic progress or emotional release.

You are never expected to intensify your breathing beyond your capacity or ignore concerning symptoms.

Intensive breathwork may be unsuitable for individuals with certain physical or psychological conditions.

Relevant conditions and circumstances include, but are not limited to:

• Pregnancy.
• Cardiovascular disease, significant cardiac conditions or previous heart attack.
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure.
• History of stroke, transient ischaemic attack or significant cerebrovascular disease.
• Epilepsy, seizure disorders or unexplained loss of consciousness.
• Significant respiratory disease or breathing difficulties.
• Conditions aggravated by changes in breathing, blood pressure or carbon dioxide levels.
• Recent major surgery, serious injury or significant medical illness.
• Certain eye conditions, including glaucoma or conditions involving increased intraocular pressure.
• History of aneurysm or other significant vascular conditions.
• History of psychosis, mania or certain presentations of bipolar disorder.
• Severe dissociation, acute psychological instability or current psychiatric crisis.
• Severe panic symptoms that may be aggravated by intensive breathing.
• Recent traumatic experiences accompanied by significant psychological instability.
• Any other condition for which a qualified healthcare professional has advised against intensive breathing practices.

This list is not exhaustive.

If you have or suspect you have a relevant contraindication, do not participate in intensive breathwork until an appropriate individual safety assessment has taken place.

Where appropriate, you may need to consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Medical clearance does not guarantee that a practice will be suitable or free from risk.

A modified breathing practice may sometimes be appropriate, but gentler breathing is not automatically safe for every condition.

I reserve the right to decline participation in intensive breathwork where reasonable safety concerns remain.

Before participating in designated intensive breathwork sessions or other activities requiring screening, you may be asked to complete a confidential health and wellbeing questionnaire.

This may include relevant questions about medical conditions, medications, psychological wellbeing, injuries or other circumstances that could affect safe participation.

You agree to provide accurate and current information necessary for an appropriate safety assessment.

Please inform me of relevant changes in your health or circumstances before participating in subsequent sessions.

You are not required to disclose sensitive personal information to other group members.

If you choose not to provide information needed to assess the safety of a particular activity, I may be unable to offer you that activity.

Health-related information will be handled according to my Privacy Policy and any additional privacy notice or consent process associated with screening.

Health screening and informed consent are separate processes. Accepting this agreement does not automatically establish that you are medically suitable for an intensive practice.

Somatic practices may involve observing bodily sensations, exploring movement, noticing emotional responses or developing awareness of patterns of tension, activation and relaxation.

These practices can sometimes bring awareness to difficult emotions, uncomfortable sensations, memories or personal experiences.

Possible responses include:

• Emotional distress or overwhelm.
• Anxiety or agitation.
• Temporary changes in bodily awareness.
• Feelings of vulnerability or discomfort.
• Dissociation or disconnection.
• Activation of memories or experiences associated with past stress or trauma.

These experiences are not required outcomes and should not be forced.

You are not expected to revisit traumatic memories, disclose personal experiences or continue exercises that feel overwhelming.

You are encouraged to communicate your boundaries, pause when needed and seek appropriate support if distress persists.

Somatic coaching is not a replacement for trauma-specific clinical treatment or psychotherapy.

Yoga and movement practices involve physical activity and may include stretching, balancing, strengthening, changes in posture and sustained positions.

Potential risks include:

• Muscle strains, sprains or joint discomfort.
• Falls or loss of balance.
• Aggravation of existing injuries.
• Dizziness or fatigue.
• Pain associated with physical exertion.
• Other movement-related injuries.

You agree to practise within your reasonable physical capacity and follow the instructions provided.

Do not force a posture, stretch or movement, or continue an exercise that causes pain or concerning symptoms.

Modifications and rest are encouraged where appropriate.

Consult an appropriately qualified healthcare professional if you are uncertain whether a movement practice is suitable for you.

Physical adjustments and touch

In-person yoga or somatic sessions may occasionally involve an invitation to receive hands-on adjustments or supportive touch.

Physical contact will not be used without your specific, informed and voluntary consent.

You may decline physical contact for any reason, at any time.

Consent to one adjustment does not constitute ongoing consent to future contact.

Silence or lack of resistance is not treated as consent.

Coaching is a collaborative process intended to support self-awareness, decision-making, personal development and aligned action.

During coaching, you may explore beliefs, behavioural patterns, emotions, relationships, professional challenges or personal experiences.

You retain responsibility for your decisions, actions and choices.

Exercises, recommendations or reflections provided during coaching are intended to support your process rather than replace independent professional judgement.

You are encouraged to seek qualified legal, medical, financial or psychological advice when relevant.

I do not guarantee specific personal, professional, emotional, health or financial outcomes.

You are not required to disclose personal information or engage in exercises that exceed your boundaries.

Your participation is voluntary.

You have the right to:

• Ask questions before or during a practice.
• Decline any exercise.
• Request an appropriate modification.
• Choose a gentler option where suitable.
• Keep your eyes open or adjust your position.
• Take a break or return to natural breathing.
• Stop participating at any time.
• Decline physical contact.
• Choose not to share personal information or experiences.

You are encouraged to communicate discomfort, uncertainty or concerns when you can safely do so.

Stop a practice immediately if you experience chest pain, severe dizziness, faintness, significant breathing difficulty, confusion or other concerning symptoms.

Seek urgent medical assistance for severe or persistent symptoms.

You are never expected to push through pain, distress or a sense of being unsafe.

Online sessions create additional limitations because I may not be physically present to observe your condition, provide hands-on assistance or respond directly to an emergency.

When participating online, you agree to take reasonable precautions, including:

• Practising in a reasonably safe and comfortable environment.
• Following instructions about positioning, equipment and space.
• Avoiding hazardous surroundings.
• Not practising breathwork while driving, swimming, bathing or operating machinery.
• Not undertaking intensive breathwork while standing or in another position where fainting could result in injury.
• Avoiding participation while impaired by alcohol or recreational intoxicants.
• Using suitable props or supports where necessary.
• Ensuring you can contact local emergency services if needed.
• Stopping an activity if concerning symptoms arise.

For intensive breathwork, additional precautions or supervision may be necessary, depending on the practice and your circumstances.

A prerecorded session cannot provide real-time supervision, health assessment or emergency assistance.

Do not use intensive breathwork recordings without completing required screening and following the practice-specific safety instructions.

I may decline to facilitate an intensive online session where the circumstances do not permit an appropriate level of safety.

Some breathwork, yoga, meditation and somatic practices may be available through recordings or on-demand educational resources.

Recorded content provides general instruction and cannot respond to your individual condition or circumstances in real time.

You should not assume that a practice is suitable for you solely because it is available in a membership library or accessible publicly.

Before following a recording, review the practice description, relevant contraindications and safety instructions.

Where a practice requires prior screening, supervised participation or additional precautions, those requirements continue to apply when accessing the recording.

If you are uncertain about your suitability, do not participate until you have sought appropriate guidance.

Some activities may involve personal reflection or emotional sharing.

You are never required to disclose private experiences to a group.

Participants are encouraged to respect one another's boundaries and privacy.

Although confidentiality is expected within group settings, it cannot be absolutely guaranteed.

Momentum Collective recordings

Momentum live sessions are recorded and may be made available to members and the public, as explained in the Privacy Policy.

Participants will be informed of recording arrangements before sessions.

Identifiable contributions will be handled according to applicable privacy requirements and the relevant recording-consent procedure.

You may decline to have your identifiable personal contributions publicly shared.

Please raise recording-related privacy concerns before contributing to a recorded discussion.

Sensitive personal disclosures are not required for participation.

Breathwork, somatic practices, meditation, yoga and coaching can affect individuals differently.

No particular physical, psychological, emotional or professional outcome is guaranteed.

Information provided during these services is not intended to diagnose, cure or treat medical or mental health conditions.

You should not stop or alter prescribed medication or professional treatment based on these services without consulting a qualified healthcare professional.

If you experience ongoing or significant adverse symptoms, seek appropriate professional support.

I reserve the right to decline, postpone, modify or discontinue an activity where reasonable concerns arise about participant safety, suitability or my ability to facilitate within my professional scope.

This may include recommending a gentler practice, requesting additional information, suggesting medical consultation or referring a participant to another qualified professional.

Such decisions are made with consideration for participant safety and applicable contractual and consumer rights.

This does not remove my duty to exercise reasonable care in providing services.

You acknowledge that the activities described in this agreement may involve physical, emotional or psychological risks, including risks that cannot always be predicted or eliminated.

By choosing to participate, you acknowledge that:

• You have received information about the nature of the relevant activities.
• You understand that practices differ in intensity and suitability.
• You understand the potential risks and contraindications described here.
• You have an opportunity to ask questions before participation.
• You understand the importance of relevant health screening and professional advice.
• You will follow reasonable safety instructions and respect your boundaries.
• You understand that online participation involves additional limitations.
• You may modify, pause or stop participation at any time.
• You understand that inherent risks may remain after appropriate screening and safety instruction.

This acknowledgement supports informed participation and does not remove the facilitator's legal or professional responsibilities.

I undertake to exercise reasonable care and professional judgement when providing my services.

You agree to take reasonable care for your own safety, provide relevant information necessary for screening and follow reasonable safety instructions.

Participation carries inherent risks that may remain even where appropriate precautions have been taken.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, responsibility for an adverse outcome will be determined by the circumstances, the duties owed and the conduct of those involved.

Nothing in this agreement excludes or limits liability for negligence, personal injury, breach of professional duties, fraud or any matter where exclusion or limitation would be unlawful.

Nothing in this agreement removes mandatory consumer protections or legal remedies.

These services do not provide emergency medical or mental health care.

If you experience a medical emergency, severe psychological crisis or symptoms requiring urgent assessment, stop participating and seek appropriate emergency assistance.

In Portugal and other EU countries, the general emergency number is 112.

Participants outside the EU should use their local emergency number.

For online sessions, I may be unable to provide immediate physical assistance or independently arrange emergency care at your location.

Personal information, including sensitive health information collected through screening or participation, is handled according to my Privacy Policy and applicable data protection law.

Where sensitive health information requires explicit consent or additional privacy disclosures, these will be addressed through a separate process.

Agreeing to this agreement does not automatically constitute consent to unrelated processing of personal information.

For privacy requests, contact info@izabellasoko.com.

This agreement may be updated to reflect changes in services, practices, professional guidance or legal requirements.

The latest version will be available through the appropriate service or website.

Where a material change affects participation or consent, an updated acknowledgement may be requested before the relevant activity.

By checking the acknowledgement box during registration or checkout, or by otherwise providing an explicit electronic acknowledgement, I confirm that:

• I am at least 18 years old.
• I have read and understood this Health, Safety & Informed Consent Agreement.
• I understand that breathwork, yoga, somatic practices and movement may involve physical or psychological risks.
• I understand that certain health conditions may make some activities unsuitable.
• I agree to complete any additional health screening required before participating in intensive breathwork or other designated practices.
• I understand that participation is voluntary and that I may decline, modify or stop an activity at any time.
• I understand that online and prerecorded sessions have limitations, including the absence of immediate physical assistance.
• I understand that these services are educational and wellbeing-oriented and do not replace medical or psychological care.
• I agree to follow reasonable safety instructions and respect my physical and psychological boundaries.
• I understand that this acknowledgement does not waive my mandatory legal rights or remove the facilitator's duty of care.

By providing my electronic acknowledgement, I confirm that I have read and understood this agreement and voluntarily consent to participate in activities for which I am appropriately screened and that are suitable for my circumstances.

This acknowledgement does not replace any separate consent required for processing sensitive health information or participating in a specific higher-risk practice.

If you have questions about a practice, potential contraindication or safety concern, please contact me before participating.

Legal name

Izabela Agnieszka Sokołowska

Professionally known as

Izabella Soko

Business status

Self-employed professional, Portugal

NIF

305458361

Address

R. Cândido dos Reis 58, 8600-681 Lagos, Faro, Portugal

Email

info@izabellasoko.com

Website

https://izabellasoko.com