Daniel: April 12, 2020, 6:23pm
When we make our Sa’Am discernments, we can categorise different ways to tease the information out of the
patient . . .
Let’s say we want to find out about their level of impatience / frustration and the degree to which the Tyson in them
is triggered and how easily . . . .
1. Direct Question. Just ask them directly . . . “So, how are you with impatience?” or “What is your frustration
level like and how do you show it?”
2. Scenario Question. “Imagine you are at a stoplight. The light turns Green. The person in front of you is very
slow to get going. What is your typical reaction?”
3. Opportunity – Creating One (the setup). You are on schedule in the clinic but you strongly suspect GB
Excess is an issue for this patient so you intentionally tell them you are running late and don’t see them until
15 minutes past their appointment time just to observe how they react.
4. Opportunity – Serendipity. You just allow things to happen in clinic, trusting that an opportunity for their
patience / impatience level / triggers / reactions / responses will show up in the right time and the right way
Do you use all of these categories of inquiry to gather insights on your patient? Pros and cons of each? Quality of
insight from each? Preferences? Are there others?
KristinWisgirda: April 13, 2020, 1:11pm
My general MO is the Opportunity- Serendipity method but is not passive. I actively keep the conversation rolling
in the direction of finding out what what the patient’s life is like. So much is revealed just being curious about what
they are actually saying. I just try to meet people where they are.
Direct and scenario questions can pop up organically as extensions of seed questions that I use if there is a lull in
the conversation. “When was your last vacation?” can lead to “What kind of vacation would you have preferred to
go on?” I don’t remember ever having created a set up.
This feels like it generates more reliable information than forcing the conversation/interaction, even if reliable
information sometimes comes in the form of the patient telling me a story I can’t really believe.
The risk of direct questions or scenario questions is that you might take the answers at face value and/or you might
not have asked the right question. Maybe they are zen about driving but go ballistic on their wife every night.
Maybe a Heart excess doesn’t have kids to be gaga over but is totally in love with birds or their pets.23/01/2024, 12:16Direct Question, Scenario Question, Created Opportunity, Serendipitous Opportunity? – Sa’am Clinical Questions – Qiological Co…
https://forum.qiological.com/t/direct-question-scenario-question-created-opportunity-serendipitous-opportunity/982/print2/2
So much depends on the personality of the patient. With Kidney excess, I just sit back and let them be on stage and
provide occasional direction. Combine Kidney and Liver excess and they may never stop talking about themselves
and their projects. You might have to gently thaw out a frozen/shut down UB excess to get them to actually talk.
This reminds me of a quote from George Washington Carver that I believe Toby has paraphrased:
“Anything will give up its secrets if you love it enough. Not only have I found that when I talk to the little flower
or to the little peanut they will give up their secrets, but I have found that when I silently commune with people
they give up their secrets also – if you love them enough.”
Oh boy, do I miss clinic! Clinic is FUN! (and hard)
I am really interested to learn which methods you all find work best for you.
michaelmax: May 12, 2020, 6:27am
I find the direct questioning to be less helpful, as patients like to present their ‘good’ side.(don’t we all)
The scenario question… I’ve adopted Toby’s slant on this. He’ll ask, “Would your partner say you were impatient
at stop lights if the person ahead was not paying attention when the light turned green?” Giving them a little space
so it’s “not them” answering can be helpful.
Opportunity… I would not say that I’d set someone up, like making the potential GB wait. But once I get kind of a
hit on them, I start to interact with them as if that is what they are.
So like Kirstin pointed out, let the KD+ showboat and even encourage them. If a person is LI+ then we talk about
projects and plans. If they are TB+ dig into the meticulous detail on something they love.
I’ve found people light up when they are interacted with according to their excess trait.
Likewise, sometimes I’ll speak to the opposite side just to see what response I get.
I think this is a good way to “disprove” my hypothesis of what I think is excess in my patients. I like to try to prove
to myself they are “not” something, instead of lean on my confirmation bias to prove I’m right. You can get more
information and perspective this way.