We face an increasing number of complex situations that challenge our skills, compassion, sense of mission, and a belief that what we can do can make a difference. “Multiple-problem” families, substance abuses, repeated crises at home and workplaces require varied and creative responses. The reality of shrinking resources and changing views of helping relationships demand the most innovative, cost-effective, and client-driven solutions.

The Solution-Focused Brief Therapy model, as developed by de Shazer, Berg, and their colleagues, challenges our traditional ways to view helping relationships. Learning solution-focused interviewing skills well requires “learning how to think differently” when working with clients. Our educational programs are taught in a way that invites participants to make this shift. This is a challenge. Learners can more quickly distinguish the conceptual difference between problem solving and solution building than effectively conduct solution-focused interviews. They learn quickly how to ask miracle, exception, and coping questions, but find it more challenging to sustain conversations which help clients to expand and build on their answers. When they become “stuck” in formulating the next solution-focused question, their tendency is to go back to something more familiar, asking problem-focused questions. Returning to past patterns is common because clients often do not respond initially to solution-focused questions with solution talk; instead, they fall silent, or say “I don’t know,” or give a problem-focused answer.

Discovery-based learning is essential to making the shift to the new way of thinking about clients and interviewing. Consequently, observational and experiential activities are used in our trainings, while keeping conceptual introductions to a minimum. The Strengths Based Solution Focused Learning Community provides ongoing opportunities to learning solution-focused interviewing skills and practice “learning how to think differently” when working with clients.

Find out more about our next Solution-Focused workshop or learn about our Strengths Based Solution Focused Learning Community.