Lecture 6 -Socratic questioning II

Question 1

What is a negative automatic thought (nAT)?

Answer 1

It is a thought that occurs without effort or choice and that leads to an emotional response. It gives an insight about core beliefs.

Question 2

Example of probing questions to elicit nATs

Answer 2

I noticed your negative emotion/action

What went through your mind at that point in time?
At that moment, what was running through your mind?
You said (summarise the event), so I was wondering, what were you thinking of back then?
At that point, what images did you see?

Question 3

What are the different techniques to probe?

Answer 3

Use of Metaphors

Downward Arrow (Burns, 1980)

Question 4

How do we use Metaphors to probe?

Answer 4

Step 1 
We say the client’s negative thought 
Step 2 
We suggest the opposite using a metaphor
Step 3
We discuss what the opposing metaphor means

Question 5

When do we use Downward Arrow technique?

Answer 5

We use it to Explore deeper beliefs and meanings asking repeatedly questions

Focus more on the implications of specific thoughts (Wells, 1997)