Challenging Irrational Thinking Using Socratic Questioning

A person who struggles with irrational thinking can become overwhelmed with thoughts that can interfere with everyday life. Cognitive therapy in Longview, Washington focuses on assisting individuals in changing their negative and irrational thought processes. Therapists at Longview Christian Counseling in Washington use cognitive restructuring techniques to help you remove unhealthy thoughts.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. – Philippians 4:8, NASB

How does a therapist challenge irrational thinking?

When a therapist guides you through a series of questions that challenge your thought it is termed cognitive restructuring. Cognitive therapy uses this to help you identify harmful and irrational thoughts. Restructuring your thoughts can help you develop coping strategies that create healthy reactions to situations. One popular technique is Socratic questioning.

Socratic questioning stems from a process used by Socrates, a Greek philosopher. In this process, he questioned students in a way that encouraged them to evaluate the validity of the truth of their thoughts. Socratic questioning is used in cognitive therapy to help individuals reflect on their thoughts and whether those thoughts are valid.

Using Socratic questioning, individuals can remove or change their thought process in an attempt to understand the truth of what they believe. It can help the person understand what they know versus what they believe. Some beliefs are based on irrational thoughts which can lead to anxiety and depression.

The Process of Socratic Questions for Irrational Thinking

Because thoughts are continually happening in our minds, we rarely understand each of them to their fullness. This means that we probably fail to address them as we should. When this happens, we can find ourselves struggling with anxiety or depression. We may not have to address every thought, but we do need to apply this to those thoughts that are occurring quite often.

The idea behind the use of Socratic questioning is to help individuals understand their thought processes in a way that will create better mental health. The technique of Socratic questioning in cognitive therapy starts with a guided discovery by the therapist that takes place in four stages. During this discovery, the therapist will ask questions that will generate information to assist in challenging irrational thinking.

• Stage one is centered around asking questions that gather information.
• Stage two focuses on listening and reflecting on what is heard.
• Stage three involves creating a summary of the information.
• Stage four goes back to asking questions with the intent of applying them to the answers regarding the original thought.

Socratic questioning focuses on challenging harmful thinking through an outline of six different types of questions.

1. Clarification Question: Is this a realistic thought?

Asking this question will help determine why the thought is present and if it relates to the situation.

2. Question to produce assumption: Is this thought based on facts or my feelings?

Determining the basis of the thought can lead to understanding whether the thought is based on truth.

3. Question to define reason or evidence: Is there any evidence for this thought?

By weighing the evidence for the thought we can determine if we have all the information we need to prove a point.

4. Perspective Question: Is there a chance I have misinterpreted the evidence?

This question helps identify whether there is another view about the thought.

5. Question to calculate the consequences: Do I see the situation as black and white when it is more complex?

Examining how a thought is connected to a situation can help us understand its consequences on us or those around us.

6. Questioning the question: Do facts support this thought or is it because of my thinking habits?

By challenging the question, we can determine whether we have evidence for or against the rationality of the thought.

Benefits and Challenges of Socratic Questioning

Since there are a variety of uses for Socratic questioning, it stands to reason that there are many benefits. When it comes to benefits in cognitive therapy, Socratic questioning can help individuals develop the mindset or attitude needed to challenge negative thinking. Discovering new perspectives gives individuals the ability to see themselves in a positive light as well as develop strong coping strategies.

One of the most common challenges with Socratic questioning is that it relies on the individual’s ability to clearly express their thoughts and feelings. The next challenge that is common is timing and overall perception of the question. A person may feel as though they are not ready to divulge the information when the question is asked. For Socratic questioning to be a useful tool, it must be used in the right situation at the right time.

Next Steps

Cognitive therapy in Longview, Washington is used to assist individuals who struggle with irrational thinking. Socratic questioning is one tool that can be beneficial in these treatment plans. If you or a loved one currently struggles with irrational thoughts, contact us at Longview Christian Counseling to meet with a Christian counselor in Longview, Washington and set up an intake appointment. They will provide information about their cognitive therapy treatment plans.