Tragedy struck in the wake of a storm-related power outage a month ago on a Saturday night. But I didn’t know it yet.

I bet you are asking yourselves: Doorknob bombshells? Doorknob bombshells in therapy? What is that?

A doorknob bombshell, also known as a doorknob moment, is a clinical phenomenon that occurs in a wide variety of settings. That’s when a patient drops distressing personal information critical to the treatment on their way out the door, hand on the doorknob, and then breaks down.                                 

What should a caring clinician do when a patient does that? It’s a near universal dilemma for clinicians.

Ideas are everywhere, with two caveats. First, you have to notice them. Second, they’re not all good. By that I mean, worth developing.

What is a good idea?