Socratic questioning originated from the early Greek philosopher/teacher

Socrates. He believed that humans had innate knowledge and that this knowledge
could be revealed by another person asking specific questions. He also contended
Socratic
questioning
Format of
each session
THERAPIST’S MANUAL—Cognitive Processing Therapy: Veteran/Military Version Page 8
that humans who came into knowledge, versus being told, were more likely to
retain the information and build on that knowledge to acquire more knowledge.
Socratic questioning is routinely used in American law schools, in some forms of
cognitive therapy, and specifically in CPT.

Socratic questioning consists of six main categories: clarification, probing

. Clarification
Patients often accept their automatic thought about an event as the only option.
Clarification questions help patients examine their beliefs or assumptions at a
deeper level, which can help to elicit more possible reactions from which to
choose. These questions often fall into the ―tell me more‖ category and are
typified by the following:
Clarification
questions
THERAPIST’S MANUAL—Cognitive Processing Therapy: Veteran/Military Version Page 9
- What do you mean when you say…?
- How do you understand this?
- Why do you say that?
- What exactly does this mean?
- What do we already know about this?
- Can you give me an example?
- Are you saying…or…?
- Can you say that another way?
2. Probing Assumptions
Probing questions challenge the patient’s presuppositions and unquestioned
beliefs on which her argument is founded. Often patients have never questioned
the ―why‖ or ―how‖ of their beliefs, and once the beliefs are held up to further
inspection, the patient can see the tenuous bedrock that the beliefs are built on.
- How did you come to this conclusion?
- What else could we assume?
- Is this thought based on certain assumptions?
- How did you choose those assumptions?
- How did you come up with these assumptions that…?
- How can you verify or disprove that assumption?
- What would happen if…?
- Do you agree or disagree with…?
- If this happened to a friend/sibling, would you have the same
thoughts about them?
3. Probing Reasons and Evidence
Probing reasons and evidence is a similar process to probing assumptions. When
the therapist helps patients look at the actual evidence behind their beliefs, they
often find that the rationale in support of their arguments is rudimentary at best.
- How do you know this?
- Show me…?
- Can you give me an example of that?
- What do you think causes…?
- Are these the only explanations?
- Are these reasons good enough?
- How might it be refuted in court?
- Would these reasons stand up in a reputable newspaper?
- Why is…happening?
- Why?
- What evidence is there to support what you are saying?
- Has anyone in your life expressed a different opinion?
- Would _________ stand up in a court of law as evidence?
Probing
assumptions
Probing
reasons and
evidence
THERAPIST’S MANUAL—Cognitive Processing Therapy: Veteran/Military Version Page 10
4. Questioning Viewpoints and Perspectives
Often the patient has never considered other viewpoints but instead adopted a
perspective that fits his needs for safety and control most readily. By questioning
alternative viewpoints or perspectives, the therapist is in effect ―challenging‖ the
position. This will help the patient see that that there are other, equally valid,
viewpoints that still allow the patient to feel appropriately safe and in control.
- What alternative ways of looking at this are there?
- What does it do for you to continue to think this way?
- Who benefits from this?
- What is the difference between…and…?
- Why is it better than…?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of…?
- How are…and…similar?
- What would…say about it?
- What if you compared…and…?
- How could you look at this another way?
5. Analyzing Implications and Consequences
Often patients are not aware that the beliefs that they hold lead to predictable and
often unpleasant logical implications. By helping the patient examine the
potential outcomes to see if they make sense, or are even desirable, the patient
may realize that their entrenched beliefs are creating a large part of their distress.
- Then what would happen?
- What are the consequences of that assumption?
- How could…be used to…?
- What are the implications of…?
- How does…affect…?
- How does…fit with what we learned in session before?
- Why is…important?
- What can we assume will happen?
- What would it mean if you gave up that belief?
6. Questions About the Question
Patients may sometimes ―challenge the therapist‖ or push therapist-patient
boundaries by directly inquiring whether the therapist has experienced a specific
traumatic event. For example, patients may ask the therapist directly, ―Have you
ever been to war?‖ or ―Have you ever been raped?‖ In this often difficult
situation, therapists may rely both on their good clinical judgment, as well as
CPT-specific skills, to inquire why the patient might be interested in this
information. It is up to each therapist’s discretion about how much information
s/he is willing to disclose. It is also important to consider, as always, the effect
Questioning
viewpoints
and
perspectives
Analyzing
implications
and
consequences
Questions
about the
question
THERAPIST’S MANUAL—Cognitive Processing Therapy: Veteran/Military Version Page 11
that any disclosure would have on the patient and to use that information to guide
your response.
We believe that it might be most useful at these points in therapy to gently
question the question. By putting the focus back on the patient and his intentions,
the patient can more thoroughly examine his reasons for asking these types of
questions. It might be that the patient is attempting to find out whether the
therapist can truly understand what he went through, or he may be avoiding
discussing his own experience in detail by putting the focus on the therapist.
Here are some possible ways to address these types of questions if they arise:
- Are you wondering whether I will be able to handle hearing about
your experience?
- Why is this information important to you? What would it mean to
you if I did or did not share your experience?
- What would my answer either way mean to you?
- Are you concerned that I don‘t understand? Please tell me what
you think I am missing. I would like to understand what the
experience was like for you