Made for Counselors
Build a First-Conversation Intake Map
Also useful for: Mental Health Counselors
Organize what you know before an early counseling conversation, separate facts from assumptions, and prepare focused questions without jumping to a diagnosis or solution.
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Use this when
Use this after an initial contact, referral, intake form, or first meeting when you need to make sense of background details, current concerns, strengths, support systems, practical barriers, stated hopes, and possible immediate risks.
You'll need
- Intake source and context
- Background and current concerns
- Strengths and supports
- Practical constraints
- Safety information
- Stated priorities
You'll get
- One concise intake map that separates known facts from unknowns and interpretations
- Three justified priorities, six open questions, a visible strengths section, and a clear list of practical constraints
- Personally reviewed every safety-related item and know whether routine planning can continue or an applicable procedure must come first.
By the end of this playbook
You will have:
- One concise intake map that separates known facts from unknowns and interpretations
- Three justified priorities, six open questions, a visible strengths section, and a clear list of practical constraints
- Personally reviewed every safety-related item and know whether routine planning can continue or an applicable procedure must come first.
Sample
This is sample data, not your prompt. Pro unlocks this higher-stakes Playbook. On Free Playbooks you can still copy the assembled prompt into any AI.
Sample input
Context: I received a community-program referral after a short call. The next meeting is a 45-minute intake. Information comes from the referral note and the person's own brief statements. Background and concerns: The person reported poor sleep, difficulty arriving at work on time, and feeling overwhelmed after a recent move. A referral note mentions conflict with a sibling, but that hasn't been discussed directly. Strengths and supports: The person requested help voluntarily, remains employed, walks to manage stress, and has a supportive cousin. Constraints: Evening scheduling is best. Transportation and private phone access are unreliable. Cost may limit referrals. Safety: The person said, "Sometimes I want everything to stop." No direct assessment of intent, plan, means, timing, immediate safety, or protective factors has occurred. Priorities: The person said, "I need to get through work without falling apart." The referral source emphasized family conflict.
Sample assembled prompt
FIRST-CONVERSATION INTAKE MAP 1. What brought the person here The... A referral source also reported sibling... 2. Person-stated direction The clearest stated... 3. Current concerns and effects -... - Difficulty arriving at work on... - Feeling overwhelmed after a move:... - Sibling conflict: referral information only. 4. Strengths and supports Voluntary help-seeking,... 5. Practical constraints Evening availability, unreliable... 6. Immediate review item Direct statement:... Review directly using applicable policy and... Pause routine intake planning if direct... 7. Priorities for the next conversation... Direct safety clarification, because a concerning... 2. The person's meaning of "getting... 3. Sleep, overwhelm, and practical effects... 8. Open questions - Before we... - When you said you sometimes... - What does "getting through work"... - Which part of the past... - What has helped, even a... - What would make support easier... 9. Topics to hold in reserve...