Lecture 5 - Socratic questioning I

Question 1

What is Socratic questioning in Therapy?

Answer 1

Questions that Elicit clinically-relevant information

Requires skilful use of questioning

Requires logic

Achieve therapeutic purposes

Question 2

How do you achieve therapeutic purposes?

Answer 2

1. Exploring issues from different angles
2. Creating cognitive dissonance - perception of contradictory information
3. Facilitating re-evaluation of beliefs
4. Building more adaptive thinking styles

Question 3

What are the different types of Socratic questions?

Answer 3

Basic level - open and closed questions

Cognitive level - Recall and process questions

Affective level - Relate to emotions, feelings, attitudes and preferences

Assessment and Formulation

Psycho-Education - Getting to become aware of the association between their emotions and motivations to their behaviours

Question 4

How do Socratic questions help to elicit unhelpful cognitions?

Answer 4

They Elicit evidence to support client’s problem

They Challenge the validity of unhelpful cognitions

They Help client generate alternative possibilities in thinking

They Highlight pros & cons of current and new beliefs

Question 5

What is Guiding discovery?

Answer 5

It is an effective Socratic questioning technique where the therapist:

Demonstrate logical flaws in client’s thought processes

Client undergoes a change of mind

Question 6

What is the purpose of Guiding discovery?

Answer 6

1. Gathers data
2. Examines data in different ways with the client
3. Invite the client to devise his/her own plans on what to do with the
   examined information.

Question 7

What are the stages of Guiding Discovery?

Answer 7

1. Concrete questioning
2. Empathic listening
3. Summarising
4. Synthesising - Encourage development and expansion of idea
5. Analysing - Refinement of key information