Internal Dialogue/Inner Speech is used to do what?

• A. Internal Dialogue/Inner Speech is a method to calm the body
• B. A technique to dismiss thoughts
• C. The process used to recognize irrational thoughts.
• D. A form of group therapy

Answer: (C)

Internal Dialogue/Inner Speech helps people become aware of their automatic, irrational thoughts and examine them. In counseling, this self-talk lets clients label cognitive distortions, weigh the evidence for and against a belief, and consider more balanced interpretations. This metacognitive practice is a cornerstone of cognitive-behavioral strategies for reducing distress and guiding adaptive action. For example, if a student thinks, “I will fail the test,” inner dialogue prompts exploring evidence, recalling past successes, and deciding on a more realistic plan like, “I’ve prepared, I can do my best.” The other options don’t capture this reflective process: calming the body comes from relaxation techniques, dismissing thoughts can avoidant, and group therapy involves multiple people rather than an individual internal process.