ABSTRACT
Socratic questioning employed to aid clients to 'open up' their maladaptive thinking in order to develop alternative interpretations of problematic situations that better fit the facts. As Beck et al. observe: Questioning leads patients to generate options and solutions that they have not considered this approach puts patients in the "questioning mode" so that they will start to evaluate more objectively their various attitudes and beliefs. Also, through such questioning clients are enabled to provide their own replies to their NATs rather than accept any interpretations that might be offered by the therapist. Padesky suggests that Socratic questioning consists of four stages: asking informational questions; listening attentively and reflecting back; summarizing newly acquired information; and asking analytical or synthesizing questions to apply the new information to the client's original problem or thought. Modelling Socratic questioning for clients helps them to observe and practise this skill as part of their developing role as a self-therapist.
