ABSTRACT
Ray DiGiuseppe argued that there are two ways of helping clients to identify irrational beliefs: an open-ended method where you ask your clients open-ended questions like 'What are you telling yourself?' and using their responses to guide them towards irrational beliefs and a theory-driven method where you ask them theory-driven questions like 'What are you demanding?' to identify their irrational beliefs. The choice-based method of assessing irrational and rational beliefs involves presenting clients a choice between these two full sets of beliefs when helping them to identify the set that underpinned their disturbed reaction while at the same time teaching them the other set and helping them to see the more healthy consequences that stem from the latter set. Sarah came to therapy for public speaking anxiety. She chose an example when she got very anxious when giving a PowerPoint presentation at work. Assessment shows that her two main 'As' were 'my mind going blank'.
