OARS
Open-ended questions are those case manager utterances that client's cannot answer with a "yes", "no" or "three times in the last week". Most people begin treatment sessions with an open-ended question, "What brings you here today?" or "Tell me about what's been happening since we last met?"
An open-ended question allows the client to create the impetus for forward movement. Although close-ended questions have their place. The open-ended question creates a forward momentum that we wish to use in helping the client explore change. For example, "So what makes you feel that it might be time for a change?”