Socratic Questioning for Therapists and Counselors

Clinical Topics in Psychology and Psychiatry

by Scott H. Waltman, R. Trent Codd III, Lynn M. McFarr

This book presents a framework for the use of Socratic strategies in psychotherapy and counseling. The framework has been fine-tuned in multiple large-scale cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) training initiatives and is presented and demonstrated with applied case examples. The text is rich with case examples, tips, tricks, strategies, and methods for dealing with the most entrenched of beliefs. The authors draw from diverse therapies and theoretical orientation to present a framework that is flexible and broadly applicable. The book also contains extensive guidance on troubleshooting the Socratic process. Readers will learn how to apply this framework to specialty populations such as patients with borderline personality disorder who are receiving dialectical behavior therapy. Additional chapters contain explicit guidance on how to layer intervention to bring about change in core belief and schema. This book is a must read for therapists in training, early career professionals, supervisors, trainers, and any clinician looking to refine and enhance their ability to use Socratic strategies to bring about lasting change.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

294 pages, Paperback

First published September 8, 2020

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a seasoned CBT therapist with over 20 years of experience using this approach, I was most eager to dive into this book, thinking it would be a nice review. I was floored by how much additional knowledge I gained from reading it! Socratic Questioning For Therapists and Counselors is a brilliant, essential guide for providers of cognitive-behavioral therapy; it is a nuanced, deeper dive into what CBT is and how it works, including pitfalls to look out for. Abundantly clear, this book is full of diagrams, case examples, scripts of dialogue between clinicians and clients, bullet points and a four-part approach to the Socratic technique. I was most impressed by the way Dr. Waltman and his colleagues illustrate that Socratic questioning is present across numerous evidence-based treatments, including REBT, DBT, schema therapy and ACT. The author pulls from research into cognitive science to explain what every experienced EBT therapist knows - that the best approach to therapy is to do what works, often integrating different modalities, with Socratic questioning the thread that ties it all together. This book is excellent for novices and even better for seasoned clinicians looking to improve their skills. I have read many guides to CBT, and this is by far one of the best out there. As a clinical supervisor who teaches psychology doctoral students and psychiatry residents, I will be enthusiastically recommending this book to all of my trainees! -Terri Bacow, Ph.D.

[Matvii · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t finish the book, but the core framework is gold. Socratic questioning helped me challenge assumptions and clarify beliefs in a structured way. Even partial exposure to the method improved my decision-making.

I picked up these questions to use if stuck or uncertain:
What is the core belief/thought driving this concern?
What exactly do I mean by that?
What’s the evidence for this belief? Against it?
What am I assuming must be true?
What are other possible explanations?
What would a neutral outsider say?
What would I tell a close friend thinking this?
What’s a way to test this belief in action?
What new insight emerges from this process?
What action or change will I take based on that?

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for developing the skills to work with automatic thoughts, assumptions and core beliefs. It is good to see a CBT manual that encourages a flexible approach to therapy that adapts to the needs of the patient rather than following a generic structure. A book that will need to be read more than once due to to its complexity. I did find the therapist-client dialogues to run a bit too smoothly to be believeable at times, but these are still useful examples on how to use the socratic approach.

Some very interesting chapters on DBT and ACT which I found very useful as someone who is hoping to learn more about the 'third waves' of CBT

[Katey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was incredibly helpful. It would be a good primer if you're new to CBT and Socratic questioning, but more experienced therapists could definitely learn from it as well. It walks through the Socratic process step by step and uses great case examples. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Nicholas Hatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did an excellent job breaking down the socratic method in a way that promotes ease of implementation in practice. Best breakdown of the process I've read. Also has a few great chapters on integrating socratic questioning in the framework of ACT/DBT.

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, very helpful. It has illustrative examples and practical tools to apply the model. Recommended.

[Sara Bennetts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. This book Really allowed me to better understand socratic questioning and then to apply it directly to my work.