Solution Focused not problem phobic C Billington Educational

Solution Focused: not problem phobic! C. Billington (Educational Psychologist) 23 rd May 2007

Problem focus Solution focus • What is not working à What works • Analysing past à Analyse preferred futures • Stuckness à Movement • Deficit à Resources • Failures à Successes • Person is problem à Person has problem • Notice problems à Notice solutions • Therapist is “expert” à Client is “expert” • Pathology à Possibility • Victim (visitor, complainant) à Survivor (client) • Isolated (blamed) à Partnership (empowered) • Hopelessness/despair à Expectation of change

Activity 1 Attitudinal shifts: 1. Mark on the lines which end of the spectrum you think you fall in general. 2. Mark on the lines which end of the spectrum you think you fall in conflict situations. (Appendix …)

Solution focused work is: • To see a person as being more than their problem; • To look for resources rather than deficits; • To explore possible and preferred futures; • To explore what is already contributing to those futures; and • To treat ‘clients’ as the experts in all aspects of their lives.

Tools of the trade • Problem-free talk • Building on success • Exception finding • Hypothetical solutions/Preferred futures • Rating scales • Task setting

Building on Success / Recognising Strengths The helper’s role • Bringing clients’ strengths to their attention • Using questions to help individuals to focus • Amplifying small success through questioning • Ensuring that the description is as concrete and detailed as possible • Identifying the small things an individual does well • Giving feedback constructively, objectively, genuinely • Reinforcing identified strengths in order to increase the likelihood of their being used in future

Who does it not work with? There is a limit to what talking can achieve alone, however never underestimate the possibilities of empowerment. There are things that can not be undone or may never change, but the way in which we respond to them is infinite.

Solution Oriented Principles (Viewing) Doing 1 o If it works, do more of it; if it doesn't work, do something different. 2 o People have the necessary resources to make changes. 3 o A small change in any aspect of a problem or failed solution can initiate a solution. 4 o A focus on future possibilities and solutions enhances change. 5 o No sign up – no change. 6 o Co-operation enhances change. 7 o The problem is the problem; not the person. 8 o Possibilities are infinite. 9 o People have unique ways of solving their unique problems. 10 o Keep one foot in pain and one in possibility.

Top Tips 1. Listen through what the person is saying and search for evidence of resource and strength. 2. Listen for exceptions. (These are times when the problem is less or not there, hold on to those golden nuggets but wait for the right moment to bring them up. ) 3. Avoid the word ‘but’…. use ‘and’. 4. Only ask questions you genuinely don’t know the answer to. 5. Remain curious. 6. Silences give each person time to think.

Democratic Dialogue • Model 1 behaviour ‘control’ – – • Certainty Games of deception Win / Lose Imbalance of respect Model 2 behaviour ‘democratic’ – – Uncertainty Being Straight Win / Win Balance of respect

Competency Profiling • People don’t solve their problems by drawing on their deficits. They solve them by drawing on their resources. • Talk about ‘not the problem’ to find: Skills Strengths Resources Make a list…fill the page