Solution Focused Brief Therapy Flashcards
Key concepts
construct solutions rather than dwell on problems; present and future are highlighted; looking for what is working or what has worked previously; finding exceptions to problems (times the problem could have happened, but didn’t); build on past successes and strengths to deal with present concerns; positive oriented approach, progress towards presence of something, rather than the absence of something; short-term
Assumptions
problem itself may not be relevant in finding effective solutions (don’t need to understand all the details or cause of problem); people can create their own solutions - they are healthy and competent and have the strengths and resources to create solutions in a limited amount of time; small changes lead to large changes because any change creates the context for future changes; client is the expert on his or her own life as counselor adopts a “not knowing” stance; best therapy involves collaborative relationship
Central beliefs
if it’s not broke, don’t fix it; if it’s working, keep doing it; if it doesn’t work, don’t do it again and do something different
Role of counselor
help people pay attention to what they are doing; open up possibilities for clients to do something different; focus attention on solutions; help clients to use their resources; get clients to notice when things are better; build client’s hope by creating positive expectations of change being possible; do all this via the use of carefully worded questions
Pre-therapy change
What have you done since you made the appointment that has made a difference in your problem?
Exception question
direct clients to times in their lives when the problem did not exist; what are you doing differently during the times that things are better?
Miracle question
Start to develop a solution picture of what life would be like, consider a life that is not dominated by the problem. If a miracle happened and the problem was solved while you were asleep, what would be different in your life? What is the first sign you notice that would tell you things are better? How would you know the problem was solved? What will you be doing different, if the miracle did occur? When was the last time it happened, even a little bit? How did you do that? What would it take you to do that again? If I was with you, and I were to see you _________, what would I see you doing?
Scaling questions
On a scale of 0 - 10, where zero is the worst your situation has ever been and 10 represents the problem being solved (your miracle), where are you with respect to ….? Provides baseline and measure of progress; helps identify how did student get to where they are at and how they could move up the scale
Goals are stated…
in the positive, in a process form, in the present form, as specific as can be, in the clients control, and in the clients language; what will you be doing instead?
Formula first session task
Observational-Between now and the next time we meet, I would like you to observe, so that you can describe to me the next time, what happens in your (family, life, school, friendship) that you want to continue to have happen? Behavioral-one step towards moving up one point on the scaling question
Summary message
Compliments-authentic encouragement of clients current productive actions that get them closer to their solutions; Bridge-connecting the initial compliments to the suggested tasks that will be provided, giving the rationale for the suggestions; Suggested task-either observational, asking clients to pay attention to aspects of their lives, such as thoughts, feelings, and actions, or behavioral, suggesting that clients perform actions that are constructive towards their goals
Problem free talk
Discuss areas of life that are problem free and that are going well; can help uncover hidden resources or can help the person relax; can talk about seemingly irrelevant life experiences such as leisure activities, meeting with friends, relaxing and managing conflict
Mind mapping
When talking about a positive action, ask how did you do that? How did you make that happen for yourself?
Amplify
Who will notice you doing better? Who will notice you doing these things? What difference does it make to them? What difference will it make to you when others notice you doing better?
3 types of relationships
Visitors - student comes to counseling because someone else thinks they have a problem - work to understand his/her perception, what do they think the person referring them would like to see changed at the end of counseling, what’s their opinion of that, and what would be the minimum extent they would cooperate; Complainant - describes the problem but is not able or willing to take an active role in constructing a solution (blames someone else) - ask about competencies (how do you manage?) and about exceptions (when is problem lesser or when are there moments when there are signs of things student wants rather than what student doesn’t want), if other changes in desired directions, what would you notice different about them? what would you notice different about yourself? about your relationship? when is this already happening? (for both visitor and complainant - listen for strengths, compliment any effort in positive direction) Customer - student is motivated to change and work toward solution, jointly with counselor
