Solution Focused Interviewing

Based on Warner's extensive clinical experience and therapy workshops conducted over more than two decades, Solution-Focused Interviewing is the first skill-development manual based on this innovative tri-phase approach to counseling and applied positive psychology.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques provides a concise and jargon-free guide to the thinking and practice of this exciting approach, which enables people to make changes in their lives quickly and effectively. It covers: The history and background to solution focused practice The philosophical underpinnings of the approach Techniques and practices Specific applications to work with children and adolescents, (including school-based work) families, and adults How to deal with difficult situations Organisational applications including supervision, coaching and leadership. Frequently asked questions This book is an invaluable resource for all therapists and counsellors, whether in training or practice. It will also be essential for any professional whose job it is to help people make changes in their lives, and will therefore be of interest to social workers, probation officers, psychiatric staff, doctors, and teachers, as well as those working in organisations as coaches and managers.

Too often doctors, therapists, and social workers ask “what’s wrong in your life?” rather than “what do you want?” Ronald E. Warner’s Solution-Focused Interviewing is a practical guide to talking to clients using a solution-driven and strength-based approach that empowers clients and helps them to find lasting solutions to their problems. In Solution-Focused Interviewing, asking questions about clients’ goals and resources ­– the strengths that will let them change their lives – is the basis of a three-phase therapeutic process that builds empathy before helping clients to set realistic goals and build a plan to achieve them. Based on more than two decades of solution-focused therapy workshops and Warner’s extensive clinical experience, Solution-Focused Interviewing is the first skill development manual based on this innovative tri-phase approach to interviewing.

Written by the developers of the microanalysis of opportunities approach, this book describes how clinicians can use this model when listening and responding to clients in solution-focused therapy, training, coaching, and supervision. Joel K. Simon and Lance Taylor begin by reviewing the evolution, philosophical foundations, and intervention tools of solution-focused brief therapy, sharing how their practice has evolved over time from their clinical experience with clients, trainees, supervisees, and colleagues. Moving from theory to practice, the book then explores microanalysis of opportunities, beginning with how the authors developed the approach and created the process. Replete with actual examples of conversations between clients and therapists, and between trainer and trainee, the book demonstrates how the model can be applied in practice with analyses and discussions about analyzed material throughout. It displays the application of the approach to coaching, supervision, and training. This valuable book will not only be useful to therapists new to solution-focused brief therapy, but also to those who are experienced solution-focused practitioners. Psychotherapists, clinical social workers, counselors, and other mental health professionals will find this an illuminating read.

Re-energize your practice! Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Its Effective Use in Agency Settings chronicles the lessons learned when a substance abuse counseling program switches its theoretical orientation from problem-focused to solution-focused. The book details the technical aspects of the changeover (theory, techniques, interventions, politics, and team design) as well as the personal struggles the team endured and the successes they enjoyed. It demonstrates how solution-focused therapy can be applied to both clinical and administrative work while addressing questions and concerns, providing general information and help in understanding the subtleties and idiosyncrasies of the treatment. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a practical, step-by-step guide to individual and group solution-focused therapy, presenting a new and effective method of working with clients that re-energizes therapists and benefits administrators and clinical supervisors. The book provides clear descriptions of basic interventions and philosophy, highlights points of contrast with more traditional approaches, examines the principles behind the “Miracle Question,” and demonstrates how to integrate relapse prevention, help clients maintain therapeutic gains, and communicate effectively with colleagues who represent different philosophies. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy provides a thorough understanding of solution-focused therapy through the use of: case studies interviews with therapists sample forms tables and much more! Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Its Effective Use in Agency Settings is ideal for professionals interested in implementing solution-focused therapy into individual, group, or agency settings, including child protection agencies, community mental health clinics, private practices, sexual abuse programs, substance abuse treatment, family based services, and academics working in substance abuse counseling, social work, psychology, and general counseling.

Written in a clear, informative, and informal style, INTERVIEWING FOR SOLUTIONS, 4E, International Edition features a unique solutions-oriented approach to basic interviewing in the helping professions. Peter DeJong and Insoo Kim Berg's proven approach views clients as competent, helps them to visualize the changes they want, and builds on what they are already doing that works. Throughout the book, the authors present models for solution-focused work, illustrated by examples and supported by research.

Solution-focused therapy is an evidenced-based practice that focuses on creating conversations that build solutions, rather than solve problems. Learning Solution-Focused Therapy: An Illustrated Guide teaches readers how to practice and become competent in conducting solution-focused therapy, an area of growing interest as the emphasis on brief therapy increases. Critical to the book's learning strategy is the generous use of case illustrations that are detailed, rich, and instructive without being overly didactic. The case approach provides an effective means for seeing concepts put into practice, and since medicine is becoming more patient-focused, the solution-focused therapy model is highly relevant. Organized to show how a solution-focused interview is conducted, the book presents the basic model and goes on to apply this model in psychopharmacology, addiction, supervision and consultation. Each chapter combines readings, solution-focused questions, case illustrations, learning exercises and video demonstrations (available online), which together constitute a comprehensive course in this therapeutic modality. Moreover, the author's conversational writing style makes the tenets and techniques accessible and interesting to a wide variety of clinicians. Learning Solution-Focused Therapy: An Illustrated Guide will appeal to clinicians who wish to enhance their skills and support their patients' growth in a positive way.

The latest developments in this groundbreaking therapy approach! More Than Miracles: The State of the Art of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a ground breaking, intellectually provocative book, revealing new advances in the widely used, evidence based Solution-focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) approach. The final work of world renowned family therapists and original developers of SFBT, the late Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg (who passed away shortly before the book’s release) this definitive resource provides the most up-to-date information available on this eminently practical, internationally acclaimed approach. New revelations about the impact of language in therapeutic change are presented precisely and clearly, illustrated with real life case examples that give readers a “hands-on” view of the newest technical refinements in the SF approach. Challenging questions about the applications of SFBT to complex problems in “difficult” settings are given thoughtful, detailed answers. The book’s unique design allows the reader to “listen in” on the lively discussions that took place as the authors watched therapy sessions. The solution-focused brief therapy approach is based upon researchers observing thousands of hours of psychotherapy sessions and studying which questions and responses were most effective in helping people develop solutions to their problems. More Than Miracles: The State of the Art of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is the most up-to-date, comprehensive review of this approach. This book discusses the latest developments in the fields of family therapy, brief therapy, and psychotherapy training and practice. A succinct overview orients the reader to the current state of SFBT, and provides three real life case transcripts that vividly illustrate the practical applications of SFBT techniques. The seminar format of More Than Miracles: The State of the Art of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy allows readers to: sit in on surprising psychotherapy sessions eavesdrop on the authors’ commentary about the sessions get a comprehensive overview on the current state of SFBT review and understand the major tenets of SFBT learn specific interventions, including the miracle question and the reasons for asking it understand treatment applicability read actual session transcripts understand the “miracle scale” get insight into the unique relationship between Wittgenstein’s philosophy and SFBT better understand SFBT and emotions examine misconceptions about SFBT and more More Than Miracles: The State of the Art of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is illuminating reading for psychotherapists, counselors, human services personnel, health care workers, and teachers.