Solution Oriented Social Work Practice

Too often in practice, there is a tendency to pathologize clients, requiring a diagnosis as part of the helping relationship. Suppose, however, that most of the client problems that social workers encounter have more to do with the vagaries of life and not with what clients are doing wrong. This powerful idea is the philosophy behind the strengths-based approaches to social work. This groundbreaking practice handbook takes this concept one step further, combining the different strengths-based approaches into an overarching model of solution-oriented social work for greater impact. The strengths perspective emphasizes client strengths, goal-setting, and a shared definition of positive outcome. Solution-focused therapy approaches ongoing problems when they have temporarily abated, amplifying exceptions as solutions. This natural but rarely explored pairing is one component in the challenging and effective practice framework presented here by the authors, two seasoned practitioners with over 50 years of combined experience. By integrating the most useful aspects of the major approaches, a step-by-step plan for action emerges. With this text in hand, you will: - Integrate elements from the strengths perspective, solution-focused therapy, narrative therapy, and the strategic therapy of the Mental Research Institute (the MRI approach) into an effective and eclectic framework - Build and practice your skills using case examples, transcripts, and practical advice - Equip yourself with the tools you need to emphasize clients' strengths - Challenge the diagnosis-first medical model of behavioral health care - Collaborate with clients to get past thinking (first-order change), and more to acting "outside the box" (second-order change) - Learn to work with a wide variety of clients, including individuals, groups, and families; involuntary clients; clients with severe mental illness; and clients in crisis For any student or practitioner interested in working with clients towards collaborative and empowering change, this is the essential text.

This expanded third edition of a popular textbook provides a completely revised and updated overview of the theories, models, and therapies that inform direct social work practice. The text is grounded in generalist social work principles and values and promotes a problem-solving model of social work practice as a framework for the eclectic use of theory, as well as for integrating the artistic, reflective elements of practice. It provides in-depth coverage of select psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, critical, and postmodern theories. The third edition features a new section on Critical Theories, where a new chapter on Empowerment Theory is included with a completely revised chapter on Feminist Theory. A new chapter on Strengths-based Social Work has been added to the section on meta-theories for social work practice. Other new chapters include Emotion-focused Therapy and Collaborative Therapy. These revisions are based on suggestions from an extensive survey of professors. New to the Third Edition: • A new section on Critical Theories • New chapters on Strengths-based Social Work, Emotion-focused Therapy, Empowerment Theory, and Collaborative Therapy • Updated research on the debate about the importance of theory/technique versus common (e.g., relationship) factors, and on the critique of the empirically supported treatment movement Key Features: • Grounds direct practice firmly in the principles and values of generalist social work • Promotes a problem-solving model of social work as a flexible structure for integrating the eclectic use of theory with the artistic, reflective elementsof practice • Organizes direct practice theories into like groupings and provides an overview of the main characteristics of each grouping • Provides in-depth coverage of topics in a clear, logical, and consistent format • Includes editors and contributors from the U.S. and Canada

The Next Generation of Solution Focused Practice shows how practitioners help create change by ‘stretching the world’ of their clients. The book brings new ideas from enactive cognition which show how skilled attention on the client and their words is important both practically and conceptually. It provides both a summary of the development of Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) over time and how the latest developments form a newly coherent form of practice based on developing descriptions. The author has structured the book using simple and easy to understand metaphors to paint a rich, creative, and visual picture of therapy for the reader, which makes it an accessible read. This book will be of interest to a wide range of SF practitioners internationally, as well as to those involved in coaching, counselling, family therapy, education, social work, healthcare and organisational change.

Therapy is frequently miscast as requiring an enormous amount of time and financial commitment, but helpful, goal-oriented therapy can produce positive results after only a few sessions. By focusing on solutions instead of problems, SFBT asks clients to set concrete goals and to draw upon strengths in their lives that can help bring about the desired change for a preferred future.

Solution Focused Practice Around the World provides an exploration of the diverse uses of SF and offers fascinating insights into how the Solution Focused approach is currently used in many applications around the globe. Bringing together prominent authors, practitioners and trainers, the collection is divided into five sections: theory; therapeutic applications; working with children and adolescents; coaching and working with organisations. Originating from the first international conference on Solution Focused practice spanning all applications of the approach, the chapters provide a grounding in the theory and practice, and an exploration of the breadth and depth of Solution Focused therapy. All practitioners of the Solution Focused approach globally as well as those working in the wider fields of therapy, social work, education, coaching and human resources will benefit from this text and the applicability of the inherent theories to their area of expertise.

Providing guidance on how to apply a version of solution-focused therapy tailored to the public service environment, this text also describes a range of real-life situations across a range of settings.

The social worker's guide to integrating theory and practice Applying Theory to Generalist Social Work Practiceteaches aspiring social workers how to apply theory in real worldpractice. Fully aligned with the Council on Social Work Education's2015 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards, the book linkstheory to practice with clear, concise instruction including adiscussion of evidence-based practice. Twelve commonly-usedtheories are thoroughly explained, with discussion of the strengthsand limitations of each, and applied to real work with individuals,groups, families, communities, and organizations. The book includescase studies and first-person contributions from practicing socialworkers to illustrate the real-world scenarios in which differentconcepts apply. Critical thinking questions help studentsstrengthen their understanding of the ideas presented. Toolsincluding a test bank, PowerPoint slides, and an instructor'smanual are available to facilitate classroom use, providing asingle-volume guide to the entire helping process, from engagementto termination. Practice is a core foundational course for future socialworkers, but many practice texts focus on skills while neglectingthe theoretical basis for social work. Applying Theory toGeneralist Social Work Practice fills that gap by covering bothskills and theory in a single text. Examines the applications of prevailing social theories Covers the most common theories used in micro, mezzo, and macropractice Helps readers understand well-established approaches likestrengths perspective, humanistic and client-centered,task-centered, and solution-focused brief therapy Shows how to apply major theories including ecological/system,cognitive/behavioral, conflict, empowerment, narrative, crisis,critical, and feminist An effective social worker recognizes the link between theoryand practice, and how the two inform each other to culminate in themost effective intervention and most positive outcome for theclient. Applying Theory to Generalist Social Work Practiceprovides students with a roadmap to the full integration ofphilosophy and application in social work.

Since the publication of the First Edition, there have been several advances on the research on Solution-focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) in schools. This Second Edition contains updates on how to apply SFBT to specific problem areas that school social workers frequently encounter. Each chapter has been updated and expanded to provide to incorporate a Response to Intervention approach (RtI) in many of the clinical "SFBT in Action" chapters. The authors also utilized results from the second national school social work survey, conducted by a team led by Dr. Kelly and currently in press at School Mental Health Journal and Social Work, to identify several targeted school-related problems that school social workers encounter in their work and demonstrate how to use solution-focused techniques for them. Despite being places with tremendous challenges for students and staff, schools are also places of solutions, strengths, and successes. This practical guide shows school social workers how to harness the solutions; filled with case examples, key points to remember, guidelines for reviewing resaerch, sample dialogue, and best practice tips, this book gives readers the essential tools to begin incorporating SFBT into their practice immediately.