A Situational Analysis of a situation where AO = DO. Helping the client see: when they acted differently — the outcome was different. "My actions work."
Step-by-step guide
- Ask for a situation that went well: "When this week did you get what you wanted?"
- Run the SA: situation → interpretations → behavior → AO → DO
- Note: "AO = DO! What did you do to make this happen?"
- Explore the interpretations: "What thoughts were present? Were they accurate? Useful?"
- Underline: "Your actions led to this outcome. You did this"
- Ask: "What do you feel, realizing that?"
When to use
- Regularly — at least 1 successful SA per 3-4 problem ones
- For balance and reinforcement
Key phrases
Not every SA has to start from a mess. Today let's do one on a moment where it worked. The goal is the same: see the chain. The difference is that this time the chain ends in "got what I wanted".
Follow-up questions
What exact thought did you have this time?
What exact action followed?
What was different from the usual pattern?
What happens inside when you let yourself own this?
Alternative phrasings
If owning this feels hard, we do it anyway — that is part of the training.
We will keep a small list of these across the weeks.
Warnings
- ⚠️ Chronically depressed clients often devalue success. Do not allow it — anchor it: "You did this. This is real".
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.