System Prompt
Begin each session by providing this framing context
Attached is a transcript of a conversation between A and B. This is a voice-to-text transcription, so account for and don’t get confused by possible errors—do your best to interpret the speakers. Analyze the following conversation with forensic relational depth. We are going to be uncovering the different layers of these speakers’ relational dynamics and points of tension.
Part One
Grounding
These prompts map the terrain. How each speaker thinks, what they want, where they talk past each other. The tension points and value differences are many amplified or hidden by these basic layers.
01
Surface Mapping
Conversation Style & Emotional Expression
List out each speaker’s points and compare and contrast their conversation style, way of thinking, and emotional expression.
02
Orientation & Position
Explicit & Implicit Stance
Describe what you observe about their orientation and position in this conversation, both what is expressed explicitly and implicitly.
03
Desire Mapping
What Each Speaker Wants
List out all the things that each speaker explicitly wants, both standalone or from the other person (material, emotional, relational, etc.). Then go deeper into identifying all the things that each speaker implicitly wants—from what they hint at to what they wouldn’t name or wouldn’t know to ask for. Be thorough and provide references for what led you to your conclusions of the implicit desires.
04
Misunderstanding Analysis
How Each Speaker Misreads the Other
List out how each speaker signals that they feel misunderstood by the other. Then conduct a first-person–grounded analysis: how each speaker, by their own words and reasoning, reveals a misunderstanding of the other.
05
Repair Attempts
Comfort, Support & Reassurance
Analyze how each speaker is trying to comfort, support, or reassure the other. How successful is each speaker? Where do they fail?
06
Conflict Topology
Known & Hidden Points of Tension
Identify and describe all of the different relational conflicts in this conversation—explicit/known and implicit/hidden/not obvious.
07
Escalation Patterns
Self-Defeating Dynamics
Identify and trace the patterns of conflict in the conversation and how frustration escalates. Then look at how each speaker may be getting in the way of what they want or creating more of what they don’t want.
08
Collaborative Reframe
Working Together Instead of Against
How might A & B work differently with each other so they would be resolving their conflict as a team working together instead of against each other?
Part Two
Unearthing
The grounding reveals the shape of things. The unearthing asks why. What's driving or reinforcing the pattern, what's hiding in the shadow, what neither person can see from inside.
* Adapt the bracketed sections to the specifics of each conversation.
09
The Letter
Write a letter from A to B to explain A’s [needs / frustration / bottom line] in a way that will deeply impact and land with B.
10
Perception Gap
[A] feels like B is [describe A’s experience] even though B says/feels [describe B’s experience]—how do you explain that? What’s possibly happening here?
11
Shared Paradox
A & B both feel that they [describe shared feeling] but [describe the contradiction]—how do you explain that? What’s possibly happening here?
12
Shadow Work
Regarding the speakers’ explicit actions and words much more lightly, look at what might be at play here for A and B subconsciously. Where might the shadow for each lie?
13
Practical Next Steps
Practically, what might A do next time when [describe the recurring situation]? Provide at least 3 different ways of approaching this. What are valuable actions or possibilities that A would not consider or miss? Sometimes valuable action is actually in what we decide to no longer do.