How to Handle Doorknob Statements

What is a Door Knob Statement?

• When a client waits until the last minutes of a session to share something, usually important, as they are about to leave and open the door handle

Common Doorknob Statements, Themes & Topics

• Suicidality

• Homidicality

• Disclosing traumatic experiences/events

• Client saying they have nothing to talk about, but then sharing something that is substantial and meaningful

• Wanting to bring up a difficult/challenging topic, but unsure how to do so

• Not ready to end the session so prolonging it unconsciously or consciously

• Those with a history of attachment trauma and fear being left and have difficulties with endings and saying goodbye

• And more

Why Do Clients Engage in Door Knob Statements?

• Takes about 30-40 minutes to become comfortable and drop their psychological defenses and thus get more in touch with themselves

• Avoidance of difficult/challenging/painful topics/events/stories/experiences

• Attachment and relational issues such as having difficulties with endings/goodbyes/closures

• Internal conflict between wanting to share their internal world (vulnerable) and conflict between employing defenses/survival strategies/protective mechanisms (safety)

• And more

Things To Consider

• Letting clients know they have 10-15 minutes before a session ends

• Offering longer sessions for trauma processing (75-minutes, 90-minutes)

• Clients who use door knob statements might also procrastinate/prolong in other areas of their life

• Normalizing and validating the client

Sample Ways To Reply

• I’m glad you shared this. This is important. I’m going to write this down and we can discuss this at the beginning of our next session.

• We have about 5 minutes left and what you’re saying it’s important. I want to make sure we have time to fully explore this topic, so why don’t we pause here and talk about this at the next session?

• Why don’t you write this down and bring this up at the beginning of our next session?