97. The Spock Retreat | Using logic to solve emotional situations (and how to stop it)

Part of practicing medicine is telling patients 'no'. It’s never fun to do so and it can be a draining daily task. It doesn’t have to be that way! In this episode, we break down pitfalls and pearls in these situations as well as specific scripting to help the medicine go down, The Spock Retreat - falling back on logic to solve an emotional situation, what happens when we get pushback on our logical responses, when embracing logic is the right and wrong move, how to approach frustrating and illogical interactions, and saying 'no' in a positive way.  

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We Discuss:

• What is the Spock Retreat?
• The scenario: a patient pushes for something that they think will help but will actually harm.
• A common response when we get pushback on our logic.
• You can’t please all the people all of the time.
• When embracing our inner Spock is the right move.
• When embracing our inner Spock could be the wrong move.
• Introducing Bones McCoy.
• Why scripting is important.
• How to approach a situation that is frustrating and illogical.
• What do you want to avoid? 
• How to say “no” in a positive way: The Yes, No, Yes framework, compliments of the Harvard Program on Negotiation.
• What does Yes, No, Yes sound like in real-time?
• A script for pushback.