Worksheet
Cognitive Restructuring: Socratic Questioning
This Socratic Questioning Worksheet helps clients challenge cognitive distortions and unhelpful beliefs using structured, open-ended questions. Therapists can use this valuable tool to deepen reflection and promote personal growth in sessions or as homework.
How to Use This Worksheet
This worksheet offers a cognitive restructuring approach to help clients examine automatic thoughts, unhelpful beliefs, and unhelpful thought patterns. Through guided Socratic questioning, clients learn to reflect on their underlying beliefs and evaluate how well these beliefs are supported by evidence, fostering greater self-awareness and emotional clarity. This CBT therapy tool can be used during sessions or as a reflective homework exercise.
Who It’s For
This worksheet is ideal for clients dealing with negative thoughts, depression, anxiety and disorders. It’s especially effective for clients who benefit from critical thinking, enjoy structured reflection, or are working on identifying and shifting distorted thought patterns in therapy.
Expected Outcomes
- Greater self-awareness of negative emotions and cognitive distortions
- Improved ability to generate alternative explanations and challenge unhelpful beliefs
- Deeper insights into personal beliefs, thought triggers, and their emotional impact
- More balanced thinking and emotional responses in daily life and challenging situations
Related Topics
References
Clark, G. I., & Egan, S. J. (2018). Clarifying the Role of the Socratic Method in CBT: a Survey of Expert Opinion. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 11(2), 184–199. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-018-0016-y
Frequently Asked Questions About Cognitive Restructuring: Socratic Questioning Resources
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