The Best Questions Therapists & Counselors Ask Their Clients with Examples. Everything You Need.
Top 2024 Guide on the Best Counselling Questions to Ask Client During Therapy Sessions including the 1st and 2nd Sessions.
Getting clients to open up and be their true selves is one of the greatest challenges that counselors and therapists face. Whether it’s in-person one-on-one therapy or group therapy, therapists and mental health professionals may find it challenging to come up with counseling questions that will make the clients comfortable and also keep the conversation naturally flowing.
The first and second counseling sessions are often the most challenging as it is during these two sessions that trust and rapport is developed with the patient client, and clients often have their guards up and might be resistant to.
It’s essential to know what questions do therapists ask to help clients feel at ease and open up without resistance in order to make therapy and counseling sessions as productive as possible.
Therapy Questions to Ask Clients
This Social Work Portal article will cover different types of approaches and psychological questions to ask clients during counselling sessions and if you are seeking 100 therapy questions, this guide aims to cover a lot of these questions to ask as a therapist and also outlines effective open-ended questions in counseling examples to ask clients.
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Table of Contents: Best Counselling Questions Therapists Ask Clients
Keep on scrolling down this page to read each section or click any link below to go directly to that section.
- What’s the Importance of Questions in Counselling?
- Types of Counselling Questions
- Counselling Questions Examples
- Questions to Ask on the Phone
- First Therapy Session Questions to Ask Clients
- Therapeutic Questions to Ask Clients
- Group Therapy Questions
- Family Therapy Questions to Ask Clients
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Questions to Ask Clients
- Gestalt Therapy Questions to Ask Clients
- Questions Therapists Ask Depressed Patients
- Questions to Ask a Resistant Client
- Miracle Question – What is Solution Focused Brief Therapy?
- Download Free Slides – Questions Therapists and Counselors Ask Clients PPT & PDF
- Conclusion | Best Questions Therapists Ask in Counselling
- FAQ | Questions Counselors Ask
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Counselling Questions and Answers | The Importance of Questions in Counselling
Asking the right questions in counselling is considered to be one of the basic counselling and therapy skills. Well-thought-out, mindful counselling questions allow counsellors and therapists to learn more about their clients which is of great importance in the information gathering stage of counselling.
Furthermore, good therapy questions help with guiding the counselling conversation which may enhance client’s opening up and speaking their truth. Questions counselors ask will vary depending on the scope of therapy, but regardless of the situation, they will allow you to learn more about your clients and set the tone for subsequent therapy sessions.
If you’re looking for a powerful client & case management tool to streamline your therapy and counselling practice, subscribe to our case management software to see how it can help you take your counseling to the next level.
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Types of Counselling Questions | Open and Closed Questions in Counselling
So, what questions do therapists ask? There are two main types of counseling questions to ask clients in therapy:
- Open Ended Questions in Counseling
- Closed Questions in Counselling
While both types of questions are valuable, there is a big difference between open and closed questions in counselling.
What Questions Do Therapists Ask? | Open Ended Questions in Counseling
Open ended questions in counseling cannot be answered with a simple “Yes” or “No”. This type of therapy question to ask clients will encourage them to pause, think, and reflect before they answer.
Open ended questions in counseling begin the exchange between the counselor and the client and shift the control of the conversation from the therapist to the client. If the therapist is the only one in control of the conversation, it means they’re asking closed questions in counseling.
Open ended therapeutic questions to ask clients typically begin with:
- Who
- Why
- How
- What
- Where
- When
These are essential therapy questions to ask patients as they have no set or predetermined answers and they require a full response from the client.
Open and Closed Questions in Counselling
What Questions Do Therapists Ask? | Closed Questions in Counseling
Closed questions in counseling are questions that lead to “Yes” or “No” answers or questions that have only one correct answer.
While closed questions can be used to clarify on certain aspects of conversation if therapist or counselor asks a lot of these questions, client can quickly start feeling like they’re being interrogated rather than leading a constructive conversation.
It’s up to the therapist to recognize and best determine when to use open and closed questions in counselling. However, therapists are more likely to get the constructive conversation going if they’re asking open ended questions in counselling.
Even if a therapist or counselor has a closed question in mind, they can rearrange it into a more open ended one. See the below table with some examples of open and closed questions in counselling, and how counselors can rearrange them to make the questions in counselling more engaging.
| Closed Questions in Counselling | Open Ended Questions in Counseling |
| Are you feeling better today? | What’s on your mind? |
| Do you have any siblings? | What can you tell me about your family? |
| Is everything going well at your new job? | How are you liking your new job role/position? or Why did you choose this field? |
| Is that your typical behavior? | How do you normally handle that situation? |
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Do you have any questions about what questions do therapists ask or information on the best counseling questions to ask clients PDF? Do you have feedback on key questions to ask a client in a first therapy session or other psychologist questions? If so, contact the Social Work Portal Team.
Questions Therapists Asks | Counselling Questions Examples
With so many psychological questions to ask clients, we’ve divided this section into different categories so it’s easier for you to find the exact type of therapy questions to ask clients.
- Questions to Ask on the Phone | Counselling Questions to Ask Clients
Most counsellors and therapists will offer clients a complimentary phone call so they can get a sense of each other before the first therapy session.
Here are some questions to ask on the phone:
- What made you consider therapy now?
- Have you been in therapy or counselling before?
- What has worked/not worked for you in the past counselling sessions?
- What are you looking for in a counselor or therapist?
- Do you have any questions for me?
- Do you want to schedule an in-person appointment?
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- First Therapy Session Questions to Ask | Counselling Questions Examples
While every therapist and counselor has their own unique approach, there are some common questions to ask client in first therapy as an introduction.
Typically, the majority of the first therapy session will be dedicated to clinical interview questions or therapy intake session questions to gather pertinent information about the client. Below are some of the most common questions to ask client in first counseling session:
- Why made you seek therapy/counselling now?
- What do you expect from therapy/counselling?
- How have you been coping with problems that made you seek counseling?
- Have you been in therapy/counselling ever before? What was that experience like?
- What do you hope to accomplish in therapy/counselling?
- How is your relationship with your family?
- How do you cope with stress?
- What are some of your strengths?
- Group Therapy Questions | Counselling Questions Examples
Group therapy is a form of therapy where one or more counselors or therapists will be working with several different people at the same time.
Group therapy questions will vary based on the type of group (i.e., Psychoeducational groups, Cognitive-behavioral/problem-solving groups, Support groups, etc.)
Therapy Session Questions
Keeping track of therapy session questions and answers can get quite messy without the proper therapy tools.
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Regardless of the main focus of the group, majority will revolve around discussion type of group therapy questions such as:
- Is it your personal decision to come here, or did someone else encourage or force you to do so?
- What do you like best about group therapy session?
- What coping strategies are you using to cope with and manage your addiction/behavior triggers?
- What are you grateful for in life and why?
- What are some things that make you feel stressed? How are you coping with stress?
- What are 3 things you like about yourself? Explain why.
- Discuss goals you want to achieve in group therapy.
- What are three bad habits that you’d like to replace with good ones?
- What are the good habits you can replace the bad ones with?
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- Family Therapy Questions to Ask Clients | Counselling Questions Examples
As the name itself suggests, family therapy is a type of counselling that helps families address and solve conflicts and improve communication.
While family therapy questions will vary based on each family’s history and issues, we have prepared some of the family therapy questions that therapists and counselors ask:
- Why are you seeking family therapy?
- What changes do you want to see within your family?
- What do you expect from the family therapy?
- What are you willing to do to make the changes happen?
- What have you done as a family so far to improve the situation?
- Does everyone in the family therapy session agree that changes need to happen?
- What will be different if the family decides to make the changes?
- What do you want to see improved for each family member?
- How is each family member progressing?
- How do you think you can rebuild the relationship?
These are just basic family therapy questions and the list will grow as the family progresses through counseling. Based on specific reasons the family is in counselling, therapist will determine what other family therapy questions need to be asked.
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- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Questions to Ask Clients | Counseling Questions to Ask Examples
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of therapy where therapist or counselor works on producing change by helping unlearn behaviors that don’t serve them and helping them relearn specific behaviors.
There are 3 most commonly asked cognitive behavioral therapy questions to ask clients are also known as the “Three Rational Questions” technique.
Therapist instructs the client to ask themselves the following 3 cognitive behavioral therapy questions:
- Is the thought I’m having based on fact?
- Does that thought help me achieve my goals?
- Does that thought help me feel the way I want to feel?
If the client’s response is a “No” to at least two out of these three cognitive behavioral therapy questions to ask clients, then they know the thought they’re having is irrational.
CBT counselling questions and answers examples:
Thought: I am going to lose my job if my boss finds out about my anxiety.
- Is this thought based on fact?
Answer: No. - Does this thought help me achieve my workplace goals?
Answer: No. (This way of thinking won’t help me become a better colleague or employee.) - Does this thought help me feel the way I want to feel?
Answer: No. (This way of thinking makes me feel insecure and incompetent.)
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- Gestalt Therapy Questions to Ask Clients | Counseling Interview Questions for Clients Examples
Gestalt therapy is a humanistic, individual-centered type of therapy that focuses on person’s present issues vs digging into their history of issues and experiences.
Gestalt therapy questions to ask clients will be focusing on what is currently going on in client’s life.
The point in Gestalt therapy questions to ask clients is for therapist to guide them toward better understanding of the life they’re currently living. Since this type of therapy focuses on “right now” vs “past”, Gestalt therapy questions to ask clients are “what” and “how” types.
Here are some of the best Gestalt therapy questions to ask clients:
- How are you feeling now?
- What are you thinking right now?
- How does your body feel at the present moment?
- What mood is evoked now?
- How should I support you?
- What are your body language and facial expressions saying right now?
- Therapeutic Questions for Depression | Questions Therapists Ask Depressed Patients
There are many different types of therapist questions for depression that therapist or counselor may ask their clients.
Questions therapists ask depressed patients will vary but some of the most common therapeutic questions for depression are:
- What are the issues or problems that brought you to therapy?
- What’s your family history?
- Have you attempted harming yourself?
- How is your relationship with others around you?
- Therapeutic questions for depression revolving around client’s medical history and mental state
These are just some of questions therapists ask depressed patients. Most counselors, therapists, and mental health practitioners will conduct one of many types of depression screening questionnaires to best determine what depression symptoms client has been experiencing.
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- Questions to Ask a Resistant Client | Examples of Questions Counselors Ask
Client-counselor relationship is all about collaboration, but even the best counselors will encounter a resistant client.
Resistance usually comes when a particularly distressing and uncomfortable issue is brought up during a therapy or counselling session.
When such issue arises, what questions to ask a resistant client? Or what not to ask?
It is widely recommended that instead of thinking about what questions to ask a resistant client, therapists and counselors should aim to use statements that encourage clients to open up.
Guiding clients to explore their own ability reason, desire, and need to change is far more effective in reaching resistant client than pondering on what question to ask a resistant client (and potentially causing even more distress).
- Miracle Questions | What is Solution Focused Brief Therapy?
Solution focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a type of therapy based on building solutions rather than problem solving.
So, what is solution focused brief therapy in practice?
In practice, SFBT therapist serves as a skilled conversation facilitator that approaches the sessions from the position of “not knowing” rather than presenting themselves as an expert.
SFBT therapist will use the so-called “Miracle Questions Technique” to help clients think outside the box.
Good therapy questions using this technique will let the client imagine what things will be like once they get rid of their problems.
Here are a few examples of therapy questions to ask patients using this technique.
Imagine that one night the miracle occurs and your depression is entirely gone! When you wake up in the morning:
- How do you know that this miracle has truly happened?
- What’s different in how you feel?
- What’s different about your life?
- What will others notice about your new self?
By allowing the client to visualize themselves depression free, clients can create some space between themselves and their depression. In return, this method allows them to distance themselves from their depression and allows them to set future goals.
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Disclaimer: Content on this Social Work Portal (SWP) website is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with... Read our full disclaimer here: Social Work Portal Disclaimer.
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Download Best Questions Therapists and Counselors Ask Clients
Below you can find free slides PPT and PDF with the best questions therapists ask clients that are designed to help therapists and counselors with basic questions relating to client needs so they can better support them.
We have organized questions into the following categories:
- Questions to Ask on the Phone
- First Therapy Session Questions to Ask
- Group Therapy Questions
- Family Therapy Questions to Ask Clients
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Questions to Ask Clients
- Gestalt Therapy Questions to Ask Clients
- Therapeutic Questions for Depression
- Questions to Ask a Resistant Client
- Miracle Questions
Sign Up & Download Your Questions Therapists & Counselors Ask (PPT & PDF Versions)
After signing up for your free trial, visit ‘My Free Tools’ in the menu to download the counselor, therapist, and psychologist questions.
Do you have feedback on best questions to ask client in first counseling session? If you are a Clinical Therapist, do you have a list of more questions to ask a client in therapy that you would like to share? If so, contact the Social Work Portal Team.
Conclusion | Best Questions Therapists Ask in Counselling
Best psychological questions to ask in therapy and counseling can be of enormous help when conducting your own therapy intake session questions.
As you continue to prioritize your clients’ needs, consider how our case management software can help streamline your therapy practice. To learn more about the benefits that our client and case management software for therapists and counselors can provide, join All-in-One Client & Case Management Hub Platform today.
Questions to ask a client in therapy (or not to ask) can make a huge difference in therapist-client relationship.
While not all of the questions counselors ask will apply to every therapist’s sessions, it is essential to be aware of different types of clinical interview questions as you never know where life can take you.
If you’re not a therapist yet, but you’re intending to start a career in therapy or counseling, it is essential that you develop and consistently improve your own counseling interview questions for clients.
Whatever the situation may be, if you have any feedback on clinical interview questions or questions counselors ask, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Social Work Portal Team.
See Also: Guide: What Are the Best Screening Tools for Depression and Anxiety?
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FAQ | Questions Counselors Ask
What are the main types of therapy questions to ask patients?
There are 2 main types of counseling questions:
•Open Ended Questions in Counseling
•Closed Questions in Counselling
Which are the best questions to ask client in first therapy session?
The best first therapy session questions are clinical interview questions or therapy intake session questions that gather pertinent information about the client.
What counselling questions to ask client?
It will depend on the type of counseling, but the best questions will be open-ended questions as they lead to an open conversation that strengthens the bond between the therapist and the client.
What are the most common therapist questions for depression?
The most common therapist questions for depression are:
•What are the issues or problems that brought you to therapy?
•What’s your family history?
•Have you attempted harming yourself?
•How is your relationship with others around you?
•Therapeutic questions for depression revolving around client’s medical history and mental state
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Social Work Portal is not a social work agency and we do not refer social workers. This web site is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with ...
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