What is Socratic Questioning in Therapy?

What is Socratic Questioning, how does it work and how can this CBT skill improve your
life?

Socratic questioning, which is named after the ancient, classical Greek philosopher Socrates
(who lived around 400 BC, is widely recognised as a valuable skill used within the Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy (CBT) framework. Socrates used provocative questions to challenge clients
underlying (typically unhealthy) beliefs about themselves. This article aims to look at what what
this approach actually involves and why it is such a useful tool for helping mental health
sufferers and those simply wishing to improve their life or interested in personal development.

What is Socratic Questioning?

Socratic Questioning, also referred to as Socratic Enquiry or open questioning, basically

involves the patient taking on the role of a scientist. It is used to challenge negative thoughts and
unhealthy beliefs which have a negative impact upon ones feelings and subsequently may result
in unhelpful or destructive behaviour patterns as well as worsen various mental health issues
ranging from anxiety to obsessive compulsive disorder, depression and traumatic stress.

The aim is simply to help train sufferers to really begin to look at their unhealthy beliefs,
scrutinise them through looking at any evidence that is contrary to such beliefs and begin to
discover more logical, healthier perspectives.

Examples of Socratic Questioning in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Edelman (2002) provided the following useful examples of different Socratic questions: what are
facts and what are simply my perceptions, what evidence supports or contradicts my perceptions,
have I made up any thinking errors (catastrophizing, personalising, generalizing etc..) and how
else can I view or perceive this situation.
For example, say a depression sufferer believed everyone was out to get him and couldnt trust
anyone this would be generalising and getting them to answer Socratic questions such as what
evidence actually supports these unhelpful beliefs would certainly help to discredit and challenge
them.

Benefits of Socratic Questioning in CBT

The following are key benefits of using this CBT approach: helps counteract and challenge
negative thoughts/beliefs, provides a healthier perspective on problems and trains ones mind to
think differently, all of which will serve to make the client feel better and more positive about
themselves.

To conclude, this valuable skill can be used with or without the help of a therapist and is
something that can be utilised long after therapy has come to an end to enable sufferers of mental
health issue to challenge their unhelpful thoughts.

Sources:

Edelman, S. Change Your Thinking Cambridge:Marlowe 2002

Wilding, C. & Milne, A. Teach Yourself CBT London:Hodder Headline 2008