How does the therapist challenge negative automatic thoughts in Aaron Beck's cognitive therapy?

Through non-threatening disputation of the client's beliefs and thoughts

The therapist challenges negative automatic thoughts in Aaron Beck's cognitive therapy through gentle and non-threatening questioning that disputes the client's beliefs and thoughts. Examples of such question would be, “Why should everyone love you?”, “What does it mean to you to succeed?”, etc. The questions make the client think in a direction opposite to that of the negative automatic thoughts whereby s/ he gains insight into the nature of her/ his dysfunctional schemas, and is able to alter her/his cognitive structures.