As mental health professionals, we ask lots of questions to help our clients gain insight and understanding into their struggles and difficulties. The insights and understanding people gain from finding their own answers are more powerful than someone else providing the answers. Here are some questions we might ask ourselves.
Where did that thought come from?
Where did that feeling come from?
What are you trying to prove? Who are you trying to prove it to?
Is that thought really true? How can you know it’s true? What evidence is there that it’s true?
What would that look like from a different perspective?
If that was from a different perspective, how would that feel?
What is your belief? What is the payoff for holding on to that belief?
If you change that belief, what is the worst that could happen?
What is the likelihood that the worst thing could happen?
When have you successfully managed distressing thoughts and feelings before?
What coping skills did you use then? How can you apply those skills now?
What strengths do you have? What strengths do others think you have?
What keeps you from believing that you possess those strengths?
How often do you humbly give yourself credit for the strengths you have?
Are your expectations realistic?
If a friend or companion had the same expectations, would you think they are realistic?
If you fail to meet your expectations, how will you feel?
If you fail to meet your expectations, how will others feel?
If you fail to meet your expectations, how can you turn that into a learning experience?
If you turn that into a learning experience, how will you feel?
If you are pondering a decision, what if you ask yourself: how will I feel about that decision in 10 minutes, 10 months, or 10 years from now?
What would it be like to seek gratitude instead of happiness?
What would it be like to let go of things outside of your control?
What would it be like to let go of anger?
What would it be like to stop comparing yourself to others?
What would it be like to find joy in every circumstance?
What would it be like to find humor in your own mistakes?
What would it be like to be patient, kind, and understanding when others make mistakes?
What if we accept the past just as it is? How can we turn it into a learning experience?
How would it feel if we focused more on doing right than being right?
What would it feel like if we would strive to be as kind, patient, understanding, and loving as the Savior?
May the Lord bless us to gain understanding and insight to feel better, to do better, and to be better as disciples of our Savior Jesus Christ.
