5.2 Intake & Assessment Session

90–Minute Initial Session Structure

Opening (20 minutes)

• Welcome and orientation to the work
• Explain scope and boundaries
• Establish confidentiality and consent
• Initial somatic settling

Assessment (40 minutes)

• Life story arc (brief)
• Current challenges-opportunities
• Spiritual-consciousness history
• Support systems inventory
• Territory indicators checklist

Orientation (20 minutes)

• Introduction to Seven Territories model
• Normalize non-ordinary experiences
• Discuss arc of potential work
• Identify starting point

Closing (10 minutes)

• Resource installation
• Between-session practice
• Questions and concerns
• Scheduling and logistics

Key Assessment Questions

General Orientation

• “What brings you to this work now?”
• “What’s shifting in your inner or outer world?”
• “What are you hoping for from our work together?”

Territory Assessment

• “How would you describe your current relationship with reality?”
• “Have you experienced any unusual perceptions or states?”
• “What’s happening with your sense of identity?”
• “What supports you when things feel uncertain?”

Risk Assessment

• “How are you sleeping and eating?”
• “Do you have thoughts of harming yourself or others?”
• “What’s your history with mental health?”
• “Who else knows about what you’re experiencing?”