27/04/2019 10 Introductory Questions Therapists Commonly Ask

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10 Introductory Questions Therapists

Commonly Ask
By Dennis O'Grady, PsyD Last updated: 8 Jul 2018
  ~ 4 MIN READ
Therapy is about the ne
art of asking directive
questions. So what
should you expect from
your rst appointment
with a counselor, social
worker or psychologist?

The answer is simple: You

should expect easy, brain-
expanding questions,
questions and more
questions. A “change
map” (often called
“treatment goals”) is then
created to guide you in solving the problems that are currently plaguing you.

Here are 10 of the more typical questions a psychotherapist will ask to prime
your mental pump for positive change during the counseling process.
Following the question is an example of what it might sound like.

1. What brings you here? “It seems like you know yourself pretty well and
have thought a bunch about what you would like to talk about here.
People who show up here have courage galore, perhaps even a tad bit of
exasperation. If you don’t mind, I’m going to ask you some questions, and
take notes about what you say so I can keep it fresh in my memory. Oh,
and feel free to interrupt me at any time or steer the conversation to
where you need it to go. In your mind, what brings you here today?”

2. Have you ever seen a counselor before? “You seem pretty comfortable

and con dent coming in here and talking about the challenges in your
life. Have you ever seen a counselor before? If so, how many meetings
did you attend and for what issues? Did you achieve the results you
sought, and did your results ‘stick?’ What one thing do you remember

most that your previous counselor/psychologist/social worker told you?

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What went right, or what didn’t turn out the way you would have liked it
to?”

3. What is the problem from your viewpoint? “Everyone has a different

perspective on what the problem is, and who or what the solution is. The
point of counseling is to create positive changes as rapidly as possible
without feeling hurried. How do you see the problem or how do you
de ne it? Which di cult people in your life are causing problems for you?
How do you get along with people at work? How would you describe your
personality? What are three of your biggest life accomplishments? Who
or what is most important to you in your life? What is the problem from
your viewpoint?”

4. How does this problem typically make you feel? “We all have problems
or challenges that we must face. Are you an optimist or a pessimist?
How do you feel when a problem pops up unexpectedly? Although
feelings aren’t right or wrong, good or bad, every problem has a way of
making us feel one way or another. So, how does this problem typically
make you feel? Do you feel sad, mad, hopeless, stuck or what?”

5. What makes the problem better? “How often do you experience the

problem? What do you think causes the problem to worsen? Have you
ever not had the problem or noticed that the problem went away
altogether? Have you tried certain tools, read books or pursued avenues
in the past that have worked well to solve the problem? How does the
problem affect your self-esteem or your sense of guilt?”

6. If you could wave a magic wand, what positive changes would you make
happen in your life? “Setting goals creates focus. Do you regularly set
positive goals for your work life, love life and fun life? What is your
attitude about change? What are your positive change goals? How would
you like to improve your life to be more satis ed and happy? If we can
nd ways to make the problem better, perhaps we can nd ways to
greatly reduce or even eliminate the problem.”

7. Overall, how would you describe your mood? “Moods come and go like
the weather. Some of us are moodier than others or pick up someone
else’s mood like a cold. Still others are pretty thick-skinned about
emotional events. In your case, what makes you feel anxious? Is your
mood like a roller coaster, or is it pretty steady? What brings you down or
makes you feel blue? What’s guaranteed to make you feel up? How do
you get yourself out of a bad mood? Do you use drugs, alcohol, sex,
money, or other ‘mood soothers’ to make you feel better? What have
people close to you told you about your moods?”
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8. What do you expect from the counseling process? “Everyone who comes

here expects something different. I believe you are paying me to help you
achieve your positive goals as quickly as possible. Some people like to
receive homework, some clients like to vent and have me listen, and
others want a high level of interaction. How do you think you learn best?
Do you think of me as your communications and relationships coach?
What do you expect from the counseling process? How many meetings
do you think it will take to achieve your goals? How might you undermine
achieving your own goals? Do you blame anyone for your problem? Do
you use good advice to grow on? How will you know when we are done?”

9. What would it take to make you feel more content, happier and more
satis ed? “On a scale of 0-10, how content are you with your life? What
keeps happening repeatedly that frustrates you? What do people keep
doing that you dislike, and what do you wish they would change? How do
you typically handle irritations, aggravations and frustrations? Do you get
mad easily? How does your anger come out? What baggage or
resentments do you carry from the past? What wrongs have been done to
you that you haven’t forgiven? What changes could someone make that
would really make you happy? What has been a major life
disappointment? Do you feel mad when you don’t get your way or lose
control? Who is pulling your strings, and why?”

10. Do you consider yourself to have a low, average or high interpersonal

IQ? “Would you rate your communication skills as negative, neutral or
positive? How well do you get along with your life partner? Do you love
your life partner? What positive relationship rules do you follow? How
would you describe your relationship with your kids or grandkids? Do you
get along with your siblings? How would you best describe your
relationship with your parents? What family con icts have you been
embroiled in recently? What relationship have you been in that you judged
to be a failure? Who do you call upon when your heart is hurting to
mentor you? Have you put time and money into improving your
communication skills lately? What is your biggest vulnerability or Achilles
heel in relationships?”

Emotional intimacy is created when you know the honest answers to the
questions above.

APA Reference

O'Grady, D. (2018). 10 Introductory Questions Therapists Commonly Ask. Psych Central. Retrieved on

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April 27, 2019, from https://psychcentral.com/blog/10-introductory-questions-therapists-commonly-ask/

Scienti cally Reviewed

Last updated: 8 Jul 2018
Last reviewed: By a member of our scienti c advisory board on 8 Jul 2018
Published on Psych Central.com. All rights reserved.

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