Guided discovery is a technique used in which type of therapy?

Guided discovery is a technique prominently utilized in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). This approach focuses on helping clients identify and challenge their cognitive distortions and automatic thoughts, leading them to discover insights about their beliefs and behaviors through a structured process. The therapist facilitates this discovery by asking targeted questions and encouraging clients to explore their thoughts and feelings, ultimately guiding them toward more adaptive thought patterns and behaviors.

In CBT, guided discovery reinforces the idea that clients can learn to recognize and modify unhelpful beliefs, thus fostering self-awareness and personal growth. This technique stands in contrast to other therapeutic approaches, where the methods for understanding and processing experiences may differ significantly. For example, while humanistic therapy emphasizes client-centered exploration and the therapeutic relationship, and narrative therapy focuses on the stories clients tell about their lives, guided discovery in CBT is a more structured and directive method that supports cognitive restructuring. Systems therapy, meanwhile, analyzes relationships and patterns within families or organizations rather than focusing on individual cognitive processes.

Thus, the application of guided discovery aligns specifically with the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy, making it the most suitable choice in this context.