Practical Applications of a Solution Focused Approach to Counseling and Intervention

1. Practical Applications of a Solution Focused Approach to Counseling and Intervention Leslie Cooley & Michael Haas

2. Tell me, and I’ll forgetShow me, and I may not rememberInvolve me, and I will understand Native American Saying

3. A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions Oliver Wendell Holmes

4. Change is inevitable Growth is an option

5. What do you think creates change? How have these ideas influenced your choices in work with clients?

6. Ask yourself…. • Can I tell if I am making a difference? • Am I helping to create change? • Is there anything I could do differently to help create change?

7. If what you are doing isn’t working….. At least do something different Lipstick Story

8. SFBT is a strength-based perspective Change is frequently connected to success. Success breeds success….

9. Building on Success Notice what is strong in people instead of what is wrong in people

10. How many of you quit smoking at some point in your life even if it was a long time ago? Or quit some other habit you wanted to discard?

11. About quitting something… • How did you do it? • Compared to all the times in the past that you thought of quitting and wanted to but didn’t, how did you make it happen this time? • What helped you stick with it? • What made the difference this time? • What’s your theory about how you got this change to occur?

12. In a strength-based approach, questions are • Curious… a posture of “not knowing” • Look for exceptions to the problem… most problems don’t occur all the time • Respectful… must be genuine • Complimenting… directly or indirectly • Future focused… connect to goals

13. From a problem-based approach, questions sound quite different • When did you first start smoking? • How long did you smoke? • How much? • How many times have you tried to quit? • What health problems has this caused for you? • How has this impacted your relationships?

14. The assumptions are different

15. From a SFBT approach… • Clients have resources & strengths to solve problem, even if they are unaware of these resources • People have tried to solve their problems, but the attempts have not worked • Expression of emotion does not necessarily bring about change

16. More assumptions • It is not always necessary to know the true cause, history, or function of a problem in order to resolve it • Every problem pattern included examples of exceptions… when the problem is not happening… typically not seen as significant by the client

17. What you focus on expands

18. Client as expert Focus on present & future Client determines goals Change connected to success Tx. Is expert Focus on past Tx. Often has unspoken goals Change based on insight SFBT vs. Problem-focused

19. Insight • In a problem-focused approach, the assumption is that if the person understood why they were stuck, that person would be able to change their behavior or thinking • Story of the couple who were heavy smokers • Story of the man who refused to wear his shirt to the dinner table • Insight doesn’t guarantee that change will occur

20. We know what is best for our clients Clients can be resistant Concerned with “why” questions Client goals can be secondary “Not Knowing”, position of curiosity May not be asking the right questions Concerned with “what” & “how” ?s Client goals are critical Certainty vs. Curiosity

21. The Implications of Common Factor Research • After reviewing hundreds of outcome studies involving a variety of clients and problems, Lambert (1992, 1999) concluded that positive outcomes in psychotherapy result primarily from:

22. Common Factors • What clients bring to treatment • Practitioners’ respect for these resources • The quality of the relationship

23. Client Factors 40% • Inner strengths, resources, and innate capacities • Ability to enlist support and help from others • Fortuitous events

24. Relationship Factors 30% • Empathy, warmth, acceptance, and encouragement of risk taking lead to a cooperative working relationship • Client perceptions of relationship are the most consistent predictor of improvement

25. Expectancy Factors 15% • Expectation of help and improvement • Faith and hope • Emphasis on possibilities, personal agency and an internal locus of control

26. Model Factors 15% • To be effective, techniques must match the client’s view of what is helpful and the client’s relationship to the problem

27. Implications • Focus on collaboration and assume a stance of “not knowing” • Assume the client is competent and the “expert” in his or her own life.

28. Implications • Convey an attitude of hope and possibility without minimizing the problem or pain • Encourage client's to focus on the present and future possibilities rather than past problems • De-emphasize diagnosis and labels

29. GOALS….. Developing a future focus and well formed goals

30. Goals • “I skate to where the puck is going, … not to where it’s been.” Wayne Gretsky, hockey champion

31. Goals: The agenda for counseling • Focus on what the changed state will be like… the non-problem future • Concrete, specific, action & positive language • Meaningful & important to the client • Small and within easy reach, realistic

32. Goals: The agenda for counseling • Within the client’s control • Viewed as the first step, rather than the end pt. • Perceived by clients as involving hard work

33. Goal Questions • How will you know when you won’t need to come here anymore? • How will you know when things are better? • When is a little of that already happening?

34. Future certain language • What WILL be different when this is no longer a problem for you? • Quite different from… • What would be different if this were no longer a problem for you?

35. Whose goals? • “The problem is other people think there’s a problem” • Accepting the client’s position • Goal=proving that I don’t have a problem • The sincerity question

36. Miracle Question • Suppose a miracle happened and the problem that brought you here today is solved. What would be different about your life? • What part of that is already happening even a little? • Give the client time to ponder • Expect “I don’t know” • Ask clarifying follow-up questions

37. If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you get there?

38. Goal setting • Imagine that a 16 yr. old girl has been referred to you for “depression”. Work in groups of 3 to develop some questions that would be appropriate to help develop a goal. • See handout

39. Asking questions…From a “not knowing” position • Avoid embedded assumptions about how someone should be living their life • “How do you feel about being pregnant again?” • “Did you use birth control?” • “Do you find you are making the same mistakes in parenting as your mother?” • “Would you be interested in hearing about how adoption works?”

40. Create questions for this pregnant client from a position of curiosity or “not knowing” Refer to the questions in the handout if you find your self stuck

41. Identifying the client’s relationship to the problem and establishing a collaborative working relationship

42. Tools for Collaboration • Adopt a stance of “not knowing” or respectful curiosity • Match your responses to the student’s readiness for change

43. Not Knowing • Listen! Even if you don’t agree • Listen with the “empathy of natural interruptions” • Ask questions rather than tell students what to do • Assume the “Colombo” approach • “And” rather than “but” • “How come?” rather than “why?”

44. Empathy • Remember, you are trying to establish a collaborative relationship not come to a perfect understanding of a student’s experience

45. Communicating Respect • Ask permission to do what we are going to do anyway • Announcing the change of topic - context marker • Inform student about every step of what is happening Insoo Kim Berg BFTC Web Site

46. Stage Model of Change • Pre-contemplation – No recognition of a problem • Contemplation – Thinking about change but not sure it is worth the time and effort • Preparation – Thinking about what change to make

47. Stage Model of Change • Action – Ready to take action and make change • Maintenance – Maintaining changes already made, preventing relapse • Termination – 100% confident that client will not fall back into old behaviors

48. Visitor RelationshipNo Problem – No Goal • Precontemplaton stage of change • Often “sent” or mandated to come to counseling • “What am I doing here!?”

49. Responding in a Visitor Relationship • Listen and acknowledge the client’s point of view • Expresses sympathy for the client’s situation • Use relationship questions to address the wishes and needs of referring party

50. Relationship Questions • What do you think _____ wants to be different as result of us talking • Who do you need to convince that you don’t need to be in counseling anymore? • What would convince them?