WS10 – Asking “How” Questions, Making Distinctions, and Defining Targets in Brief Therapy: The Discriminating Therapist

WS10 – Asking “How” Questions, Making Distinctions, and Defining Targets in Brief Therapy: The Discriminating Therapist

Location: Grand Peninsula E-G

Difficulty: All Levels

Cognitive psychology has given rise to new understandings about how people gather and use information. This includes how people decide, usually at a level outside of awareness, what to pay attention to in a given environment and, likewise, what can be deemed irrelevant. One good “how” question can bring into sharp focus what the client doesn’t know – or knows that isn’t so – that’s working against him or her in some debilitating way. This highly practical workshop will focus on the “how” question as a vehicle for identifying the specific discriminations – key elements that distinguish good options from poor ones – that a client can learn to make that will lead to better decisions and a better quality of life.

Educational Objectives:

1. Assess the role of cognitive style in decision-making
2. Describe the role of global cognitions in client problems
3. Identify key discriminations that underlie specific clinical presentations