Internal Dialogue/Inner Speech refers to which process?

• A. A technique to distract oneself from thoughts
• B. A method to engage in external chatter for therapy
• C. The process used to recognize irrational thoughts.
• D. A program for labeling past mistakes

Answer: (C)

Inner dialogue, or inner speech, is the ongoing self-talk you have in your mind as you think and assess things. It involves noticing what you’re saying to yourself and judging whether those thoughts are accurate or distorted. In practice, this self-talk helps you identify irrational thoughts—automatic beliefs that don’t match the facts—and examine the evidence for and against them. By bringing these thoughts into awareness, you can challenge them and replace them with more balanced interpretations. It’s not about distracting yourself from thoughts, engaging in external chatter, or labeling past mistakes; those actions don’t capture the reflective, evaluative role of your inner self-talk.