Best Questions to Ask Clients During Therapy, Counseling Sessions

🔗 Full Guide + Free Download: https://www.socialworkportal.com/ques... #TherapyQuestions #CounselingQuestions #QuestionsTherapistsAsk
Looking for the right questions to ask in therapy? Whether you're a therapist, counselor, mental health professional, or social worker, this video will guide you through exactly how to ask therapy questions that build trust, deepen insight, and support client growth—at every stage of the therapeutic process.

From phone intake calls to resistant client moments, we’ll walk you through a practical, step-by-step framework for using questions and affirming statements that actually work. You’ll also hear a real-life use case featuring “Maria,” a 32-year-old professional navigating anxiety, and how her therapist used gentle, reflective prompts to support her self-awareness and progress.

🎯 In This Video, You’ll Learn:
Why the questions therapists ask clients can shape the success of therapy

What to ask during phone calls and intake sessions to build immediate rapport

How to approach resistance with affirming statements instead of intrusive probing

Examples of motivational interviewing prompts that help clients explore change

How to tailor your therapy questions by client type, situation, and emotional readiness

Phrasing tips to make your tone more collaborative and emotionally safe

Questions that work in session 2, session 3, and ongoing therapy

What to avoid asking when a client feels stuck or vulnerable

A structured roadmap for conducting more impactful therapy sessions

🧠 Whether you're working in private practice, school counseling, trauma support, or case management, the questions you ask—and how you ask them—make all the difference. The right therapeutic questions promote client insight, reduce resistance, and strengthen the therapeutic alliance.

💬 We’ll also talk about why statements often work better than questions when a client feels defensive or withdrawn, and how to use tone and timing to encourage vulnerability and participation.

📥 Free Downloadable Checklist for Therapists
We’ve created a free printable resource packed with categorized therapy questions—perfect for phone intakes, first sessions, progress check-ins, and resistance moments. You can download the full checklist in PDF format directly from our full guide at the top of this description.

Use this checklist as a quick-reference tool to improve your flow during sessions, stay client-centered, and expand your question bank with real-world prompts that therapists actually use.

🧩 Chapters & Topics Covered in This Video:
0:00 – Introduction & What You'll Learn
1:15 – Real Client Example: Maria's Story
3:05 – Best Questions for Therapy Phone Intakes
5:25 – What to Ask in the Second and Third Therapy Sessions
8:10 – Encouraging Openness: What to Say When Clients Resist
10:30 – Motivational Interviewing Style Prompts
12:05 – Phrasing That Builds Trust (And What to Avoid)
14:00 – Tailoring Questions by Client Type
15:50 – How to Download the Free Checklist & Explore More Tools

✅ Who This Video Is For:

Mental health counselors

Licensed therapists (LMFT, LPC, LCSW, etc.)

Social workers and case managers

Psychology interns and students

Life coaches and wellness professionals

Professionals preparing therapy intake scripts or session templates

📺 Don’t forget to hit Subscribe for more training videos like this—covering therapy techniques, mental health documentation, case management tools, social work best practices, and counseling strategies that actually work.

If this video helped you or gave you new ideas for your practice, drop a comment and let us know which therapy questions you'll be using first!

👉 Download the full checklist + read the complete article here:
https://www.socialworkportal.com/ques...

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