Why Are You Really Here?

Open by asking. "Before I tell you anything about your brain, you tell me something. Why are you actually here?" Most people reach for the textbook answer, "I just want better focus," "some productivity tips." That's the deflection. The real reason is almost always a specific recent moment, a deadline blown, a partner's look, a bill forgotten again, and the quiet thought underneath it: I can't keep doing this. For a lot of people this is the first time anyone's asked them to say it plainly. Give them the room.