Skills for Exploring Thoughts and Narratives | 159 faa eer : 3 ha § Types of Questions and Probes Format of question Open (“How do you feel about that?”) Probe ("Tell me about that.”) " Closed ("Did you get an A?") Related to specific skills Thoughts (clarification, focus, explanation, meaning, example) : Feelings Insight immediacy Strategies Time frame Past (memories, childhood experiences) Present (current) Future (anticipations, expectations) Focus self Other [oa eH: rae} q Overview of Open Questions and Probes About Thoughts Definition Open questions and probes about thoughts ask clients to clarify or explore thoughts. Helpers do not request specific infor- mation and do not purposely limit the nature of the client response to a “yes,” “no,” or one- or two-word answer, even though clients may respond that way. Open questions and probes can be phrased as queries ("How do you think about i: that?") or as probes ("Tell me your thoughts about that”), as. | C long as the intent is to help the client clarify or explore. | Examples What were you thinking when you said that?" “Tell me more a about your thoughts about that.” : Typical helper intentions _To focus, to clarify, to encourage catharsis, to identify maladaptive . cognitions (see Web Form D) (Possible client reactions _Clear (see Web Form G) Desired client behaviors Recounting, cognitive-behavioral exploration (see Web Form H) | & Helpful hints Make sure your questions are open instead of closed : Vary the format of the open question and probe Avoid multiple questions Avoid “why” questions : Focus on the client rather than on others : Focus on one part of the issue rather than trying to cover everything Have an intention for every question Observe client reactions to your questions