Pace and Pause Experiment — Clinician dialogue

Invite and obtain permission

Offer: "Would it be useful to explore pace and pause experiment using an ordinary or fictional example? We can adapt it, observe, or stop." Ask what the person wants from the conversation.

Elicit before teaching

Ask: "How does this show up, if at all, in your own words?" Offer this idea tentatively: Changing pace can reveal preferences and limits. Ask what fits and what does not.

Guide the task

Compare one short sentence spoken or read at two chosen speeds; use text-only comparison if speaking is uncomfortable. Ask for permission before giving an example. Use this fictional illustration if useful: Rae notices more choice when a request is not rushed.

Reflect and check accuracy

Reflect only what was offered: "I heard you describe ___. What did I miss?" Ask: What pace supports useful contact for you? Avoid assigning motives or interpreting silence as agreement.

Respond to a mismatch

If the person rejects the frame, say: "Thank you for correcting it. What would be more useful?" Return to their language or choose a different approach.

Close with agency

Ask which observation, question, or support request the person wants to keep. Confirm a manageable ending and appropriate follow-up; do not turn a tentative possibility into a homework obligation.

Prompts for this resource

1. Readiness, permission, cultural context, and access needs to check:
2. What pace supports useful contact for you?
3. What would tell me to adapt, stop, or seek supervision?