Made for Counselors
Run a Follow-Up That Finds Out What Really Happened
Also useful for: Mental Health Counselors
Prepare a neutral follow-up conversation that gets beyond "I didn't do it" and helps you understand what changed, what got in the way, and what should happen next.
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Use this when
Use this before a follow-up when someone made a plan, commitment, or referral decision but completed only part of it, took a different action, or didn't act. It also works when the reason isn't yet clear or the original plan may no longer fit.
You'll need
- Original goal or concern
- Previous plan
- Known update
- Time since last conversation
- Changed circumstances or risks
- Practice limits and requirements
You'll get
- A neutral recap, a question sequence that distinguishes progress from barriers, a clear safety checkpoint, and at least two realistic ways to revise the plan
- You can explain what changed without assigning blame
- You also have a person-owned next step, a check-in point, and a documentation outline that separates facts, reports, actions, and decisions.
By the end of this playbook
You will have:
- A neutral recap, a question sequence that distinguishes progress from barriers, a clear safety checkpoint, and at least two realistic ways to revise the plan
- You can explain what changed without assigning blame
- You also have a person-owned next step, a check-in point, and a documentation outline that separates facts, reports, actions, and decisions.
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
Original goal: I want to respond to family messages without feeling pulled into every conflict. Previous plan: I chose to draft one boundary message and review it the next morning before deciding whether to send it. Known update: I drafted two versions but sent neither. I said a new family argument happened during the week. Time since: Nine days. Changed circumstances: It is unknown whether the argument affected my living situation. No immediate danger was disclosed before. Practice limits: New safety concerns require supervisor consultation. Reports and observations must be documented separately.
Sample assembled prompt
Neutral recap: What we agreed: You... What I understand so far: You... A new family argument happened during... I don't yet know how that... Opening questions: - What did you... - Walk me through what happened... - Was there anything else you... Safety checkpoint: - Did the recent... - Is anyone threatening, monitoring, or... If the answers raise a new... Revision options: Smaller action: Choose one... Alternative route: Decide not to message... Ownership check: Which option, if either,... What would you change to make...