The Survey Technique with host, Angela Krumm, Ph.D.

*This Technique was developed by Dr. David Burns, American Psychiatrist and Adjunct Clinical Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Learn more about the Survey Technique, a powerful exposure CBT technique created by Dr. David Burns. This Feeling Good Institute therapist tool is useful when patients make assumptions of what others are thinking. Some patients engage in mind reading about how others view them. Some clients feel that they aren’t deserving of their prestigious jobs, have low self-esteem or are unworthy. The survey technique encourages a patient to stop assuming, and start asking what others think. A patient does a survey asking his colleagues if they view him as an imposter in his job, or if his skills are good enough for the job. They also ask if the colleagues have experienced similar feelings. The data gathered from this TEAM method puts a lie to the mind reading and eases the suffering of assuming we know what others think. This therapy video shows you how to ask questions and not assume anything in life.

IN THIS VIDEO:

Angela Krumm:

Do you notice that your patients often make assumptions about what others are thinking?

Many of my patients engage in mind reading about how others view them. For example, a number of my clients work for prestigious companies known to hire very talented folks. Many of them end up feeling like Impostors like maybe they didn't deserve the job and at any moment they could be discovered as unworthy. Often they assume they're the only one that feels this way.

The survey technique invites our patients to stop assuming and start asking what others think. In this example, the patient would do a survey and ask some colleagues whether they view him as an impostor or if his skills are good enough for the job. They might also ask whether their colleagues have ever felt similarly. In many cases, the data gathered puts a lie to the mind reading and eases the suffering of assuming we know what others think.