The Socratic Method—often described as the cornerstone of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy gets right to the heart of irrational, fixated thinking that drives unhelpful and harmful behaviours.
Socratic questioning is a skill of structured enquiry that targets conscious and unconscious ideas. Put simply, we are able to open up secretly held issues and problems, to uncover assumptions and the deeper beliefs that clients bring to treatment.
Everyone with an overwhelming and repetitive problem or pattern if behaviour benefits from changing their thinking and – wonderfully – doing so in a way that doesn’t involve argument. When a person thinks differently, it is as if they become a different person. Altered thinking changes the difficult emotions of anxiety, sadness and anger, allowing new behaviours to be installed.
Therapists benefit from learning the skills of Socratic enquiry since too often we focus on feelings rather than the “distorted thinking” that keeps people trapped in their symptoms.
The socratic enquiry is a structured and targeted skill, that is deeply collaborative; helping both parties to make the best use of their time in sessions and unpack beliefs that so often get in the way of change.
Socratic questions are focused and clear questions that are not intended to provide specific answers; instead, they provide an opportunity for self-reflection and understanding. Delivered in a quiet and unhurried manner, clients find themselves able to come up smoothly with their own solutions to intractable problems and rigid defensive ideas. The Socratic Method is non-threatening to clients and at the same time gives a clear direction for any counsellor, coach or teacher who is able to use these skills.
To be the ideal companion for Socratic questioning, you will learn how to be genuinely curious, willing to take the time and energy to unpack beliefs, and able to logically and dispassionately review contradictions and inconsistencies. When used effectively, Socratic questioning is a compelling technique for exploring issues, ideas, core beliefs, values and thoughts. It allows for misconceptions to be addressed and transformed at a far deeper level than routine questioning.
Course Content
Presenter
Bridin is accredited by the UKCP as a clinical psychotherapist with a post-graduate diploma in Neurolinguistic Psychotherapy. Founder & lead therapist at Life Therapies Clinic in Belfast, she is a leading eating disorder clinician, obesity specialist, trainer, speaker, & consultant. As an advocate for persons who struggle to manage their weight, she is driving awareness of obesity-related stigma & weight phobia in order to educate & inform health professionals & public health campaigns about the consequences of this bias.
She is a frequent expert guest speaker on local media, at health & wellness events & conferences, where she educates & informs on a wide range of subjects such as food & mood for mental health, a trauma-informed approach to addiction, eating disorders & body esteem, & obesity-related topics.
Bridin is an alumnus of the 2018 Train the Trainer in Obesity Prevention & Management with the European Association for the Study of Obesity; & as an affiliate trainer for the National Centre for Eating Disorders, she is honoured to deliver their Master Practitioner Programme for Eating Disorders & Obesity in Ireland.
