Practice management
"I Don't Know" Pattern Log
Track when and how a client says 'I don't know' across sessions until the type — protective, access, or performative — becomes identifiable.
A client’s “I don’t know” is rarely just the absence of information. Three clinically distinct types look identical on the surface and require different clinical responses. This log captures the context, quality, and surrounding material of each “I don’t know” response until the pattern identifies which type is operating.
Complete an entry within thirty minutes of any session where “I don’t know” was a significant feature. After three or four entries, review all of them together. The pattern of contexts and delivery usually identifies the type.
"I Don't Know" Pattern Log
Client (initials or identifier):
Entry 1
Session date / Session number:
The question or topic that produced “I don’t know”:
What was being discussed in the two minutes before:
Quality of the response:
( ) Flat — said without apparent effort or feeling
( ) Apologetic — client seemed uncomfortable with not knowing
( ) Deflecting — followed quickly by a topic change or different question
( ) Genuinely uncertain — client seemed to be actually trying to access the information
( ) Other:
What happened in the minute after:
Entry 2
Session date / Session number:
The question or topic:
What came just before:
Quality:
( ) Flat ( ) Apologetic ( ) Deflecting ( ) Genuinely uncertain ( ) Other:
What happened after:
Entry 3
Session date / Session number:
The question or topic:
What came just before:
Quality:
( ) Flat ( ) Apologetic ( ) Deflecting ( ) Genuinely uncertain ( ) Other:
What happened after:
Entry 4
Session date / Session number:
The question or topic:
What came just before:
Quality:
( ) Flat ( ) Apologetic ( ) Deflecting ( ) Genuinely uncertain ( ) Other:
What happened after:
Pattern Review (complete after 3 or more entries)
What topics or question types consistently produce “I don’t know”?
What topics does the client answer readily?
What is the most common delivery quality across entries?
Type hypothesis — which type appears to be operating most consistently?
( ) Protective — the client has access to the information but something about sharing it here is not safe. The “I don’t know” is most consistent around specific topics, and the client seems to know things about related topics.
( ) Access — the client genuinely cannot retrieve the information through direct introspection. The “I don’t know” is consistent across topics and accompanied by genuine effort, not deflection.
( ) Performative — the client uses “I don’t know” to mean something specific they haven’t stated. The response has a particular quality depending on the topic, and a specific meaning is discernible from context.
Supporting observations:
Recommended next clinical step based on identified type:
Generated with Rapport7 — rapport7.com