01
Separate facts from conclusions
Write down the pattern using only direct observations, statements, dates, and treatment effects. Remove labels, motives, and diagnoses that haven't been established.
Made for Counselors
Check Your Opening Before You Name a Sensitive Pattern
Also useful for: people in Healthcare Professionals
15 min
Beginner
Boundaries
Communicate Better
Difficult Conversation
Use a quick check to make sure your opening is specific, respectful, within scope, and ready for a defensive response.
We'll use them to write your prompt.
Completed ✓
Make Your Play
Give us the situation. We’ll build the prompt.
A weak opening can sound accusatory, vague, or diagnostic.
Your answers save as you type.
What you'll do
This is the plan inside your prompt. Add your details first. Then follow these steps with ChatGPT or Claude.
02
Run the opening check
Use the primary prompt to test your wording for neutrality, purpose, scope, timing, safety, and room for the client to respond.
03
Rehearse the first minute
Read the opening and likely defensive responses aloud. Shorten anything that sounds blaming, vague, argumentative, or difficult to say naturally.
Make Your Play
Check Your Opening Before You Name a Sensitive Pattern
Tell us what the prompt needs to know
Start with the questions below. Each answer personalizes the playbook and builds the prompt you’ll use at the end.
Your situation
Select the sensitive pattern you need to address.
Describe only what you directly observed, heard, or documented, with identifying details removed.
0/10000
State what you need the conversation to clarify, protect, or move forward.
Describe any limit, treatment requirement, confidentiality limit, or next step you may need to state.
0/10000
Choose the level that best reflects the known facts and your setting's procedures.
Enter the reaction you want to be ready to handle.
This playbook was updated. Review your inputs before copying.
What you'll do
Check a step when you finish it.
01
Separate facts from conclusions
Write down the pattern using only direct observations, statements, dates, and treatment effects. Remove labels, motives, and diagnoses that haven't been established.
02
Run the opening check
Use the primary prompt to test your wording for neutrality, purpose, scope, timing, safety, and room for the client to respond.
03
Rehearse the first minute
Read the opening and likely defensive responses aloud. Shorten anything that sounds blaming, vague, argumentative, or difficult to say naturally.
Fill in the fields above to generate your prompt preview.
Assembled prompt
Beginner instructions
Use de-identified details only. Describe what you directly observed or heard, not what you think the behavior proves. Read the revised opening aloud once before the conversation. Follow your workplace rules, supervision requirements, confidentiality limits, and emergency procedures.
Advanced instructions
Ask the AI to compare two versions of your opening if tone or timing is uncertain. You can also request separate wording for a calm response, denial, anger, or refusal to continue. Keep your final language consistent with your scope, documentation standards, and consultation requirements.
Use this when
Use this before discussing possible substance use, conflicting accounts, unsafe choices, stalled progress, or behavior affecting treatment.
You'll need
- Concern category
- Observable facts
- Conversation purpose
- Boundary or requirement
- Urgency level
- Likely defensive response
You'll get
- A neutral opening based on observable facts
- Two clarifying questions, a boundary if needed, and two responses to defensiveness
- You can identify when to pause and follow safety, consultation, supervision, or reporting procedures.
By the end of this playbook
You will have:
- A neutral opening based on observable facts
- Two clarifying questions, a boundary if needed, and two responses to defensiveness
- You can identify when to pause and follow safety, consultation, supervision, or reporting procedures.
Examples
Progress 1 of 3