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Reflexive Questioning

This document discusses the use of reflexive questioning as a means to enable intimacy in couples counseling. It defines reflexive questioning as questions intended to influence clients therapeutically by opening space for alternative meanings and enhanced understanding. The document outlines different types of questions, including lineal, circular, reflexive, and strategic questions. It provides examples of sequences of reflexive questions that could be used to co-construct hope, responsibility, child acceptance of a step-parent, and open space for apology and forgiveness. Additional types of reflexive questions are also listed.

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241 views

Reflexive Questioning

This document discusses the use of reflexive questioning as a means to enable intimacy in couples counseling. It defines reflexive questioning as questions intended to influence clients therapeutically by opening space for alternative meanings and enhanced understanding. The document outlines different types of questions, including lineal, circular, reflexive, and strategic questions. It provides examples of sequences of reflexive questions that could be used to co-construct hope, responsibility, child acceptance of a step-parent, and open space for apology and forgiveness. Additional types of reflexive questions are also listed.

Uploaded by

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© © All Rights Reserved
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Reflexive Questioning as a

Means to Enable Intimacy with


Couples

By Karl Tomm M.D.


Clinical Interviewing
• Assessment vs Therapy
• Questions vs Statements
– Statements set forth the interviewer’s views
– Questions bring forth the client’s views
• Complexities of linguistic communication
– Questions can embed statements
– Statements can embed questions
Dimensions in Questioning
• Open vs closed questions
• Who, what, where & how questions vs
“why” questions
• Effects of questions & their answers
– information conveyed to interviewer
– altered experience of interviewee
Dimensions in Questioning
(cont’d)
• The interviewer’s “power” in the interviews
– In formulating a question
• The question defines the domain of a legitimate
response
– In the process of asking the question
– Contextual expectations
– Impositional vs invitational manner
– Conveyed by context, tone, cadence, non-verbal
expressions, etc
4 Major Types of Questions
• 1. Lineal questions
– Clarify sequences over time
– Intent is to develop a sequential understanding for
interviewer
• 2. Circular questions
– Clarify here and now situation and relationships
– Intent is to develop a contextural understanding for
interviewer
4 Major Types of Questions
(cont’d)
• 3. Reflexive questions
– Intent to influence client therapeutically
– Open space for alternative meanings that are
healing or enhanced understanding that
supports wellness
– Selectively mobilize own knowledge and
competencies
– Invitational (less impositional)
4 Major Types of Questions
(cont’d)
• 4. Strategic Questions
– Intent to influence client correctively
– Close space to accept the interviewer’s views as
preferred
– Impositional (less invitational)
Effects of Different Types of
Questions
• Lineal questions
– Conservative effect on interviewer
– Judgmental effect on both
• Circular questions
– Liberating effect on interviewee
– Accepting effect on both
Effects of Different Types of
Questions (cont’d)
• Reflexive questions
– Generative effect on client
– Creative effect on clinician
• Strategic questions
– Constraining effect on client
– Oppositional effect on both
Types of Reflexive Questions
• Future Oriented Questions
• Observer Perspective Questions
• Unexpected Context Change Questions
• Embedded Suggestion Questions
• Normative Comparison Questions
• Distinction Clarifying Questions
• Questions Introducing Hypotheses
• Process Interruption Questions
Sequences of Reflexive
Questions
• Co-constructing hope
• Co-constructing responsibility
• Creating conditions for child acceptance of
a step parent
• Deconstructing shame and guilt
• Opening space for apology, forgiveness and
reconciliation
Co-constructing Hope
• A Working Definition of Hope
– Living a preferred future in the present
• Sequence of Questions
– Bringing forth preferences (interests, desires
and/or passions)
– Opening space for future possibilities
• Possible Complication
– Fostering unrealistic hopes
Co-constructing Responsibility
• A Working Definition of Responsibility
– Living consistently with an awareness of
whether one likes or dislikes the consequences
of one’s own actions
Co-constructing Responsibility
(cont’d)
• Sequence of Questions
– Search for positive intentions in taking action
– Open space for awareness of a difference
between intended effects and actual effects of
actions taken
– Bring forth an awareness of one’s own feelings
about the actual effects
– Invite reflection on alternative actions
Child Acceptance of a Step-
Parent
• Bring forth an awareness of the effects of
the quality and strength of the step
relationship on the partnership
• Open space for an acknowledgment of
differential attachments between the child
and step-parent vs natural parent
• Co-construct a means to promote growth in
the step relationship and diminish the
parental imbalance in attachment
Bifurcation Questioning
• Example of reflexive questions that
empower
• A means to co-construct awareness of
alternatives and self as agent in making
choices
• A branching structure in the question
– Past choices
– Present options
– Future possibilities
Internalized Other Interviewing
• Reflexive questions that deepen
understanding of and empathy for the other
• Based on a view of the self as constituted by
an internalized community
• A means to selectively disclose and affirm
another’s understanding and feelings about
the relationship and the self
Additional Reflexive Questions
• Grounding Questions
• Externalizing Questions
• Internalizing Questions
• Agency Questions
• Re-construction Questions
• Audience Questions
• Interpersonal Pattern Questions
Additional Reflexive Questions
(cont’d)
• Motivating Questions
• Responsibility Questions
• Re-emotioning Questions
• De-construction Questions
• Endurance Questions
• Self Reflexive Questions
Family Therapy Program
University of Calgary
www.familytherapy.org

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