While I'm At It - Another New Link

Just found what looks like another great link...

In The Room is a blog focusing on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques. The title is suggestive of the blog's focus on clinical techniques rather than theories. Mark's recent post on therapists' favorite questions has me thinking of some things I've been learning recently about 'purposeful' questioning and 'circular' questioning, both of which suggest that there is more to asking a question than simply asking a question.

What I mean is that a question may be used as an indirect suggestion. For example, asking a client "How do you think you might manage to get out of that power struggle with your wife?" may be an effective way to introduce the notion that he is in a power struggle.

In the case of circular questioning, the therapist asks questions which call attention to the interactive processes going on in a family or relationship. An example might be asking a daughter "Who in the family seems to notice first when Mom and Dad are in a power struggle?" This type of question invites any family members present to consider the recursive nature of their relationships.