This book provides a summary of principles and skills of "solution talk" brief counselling. The explanations of solution based brief counselling distinguish it from pathology based, problem-focused and problem-solving approaches.
[amazon.com][amazon.co.uk]
A solution based approach invites counsellors to "abandon expertise in 'diagnosis'" while still retaining core counselling skills and values. Skills of listening for 'competence' and solution oriented statements instead of 'deficit' descriptions, looking for more objective statements rather than 'interpretations' and looking for 'exceptions' where the client "stood up to the problem".
Rather than treating the client as though they are ill (pathology based), Solutions based approaches require the therapist to remain "positive and confident about their expectations of the client's capabilities to solve their problems". The emphasis is on the future task/vision/situation that the client want to attain rather than the problem in the past.
"few problems exist all the time, and neither do problem reinforcing patterns. Rather individuals are more usually in a state of flux, desperately experimenting with potential solutions" Wheeler 1995 [1]Using the work of Steve de Shazer "solutions talk" does not attempt to find the underlying 'truth' of the clients statements instead works with their own solution seeds - the exceptions that they have already experienced to their own problems. If the client could identify no exceptions then the therapist would ask them to "do something different".
The "narrative" or "talk" part comes from narrative therapy where client's 'stories' can construct their reality, rather than their reality having an 'objective' truth.
Assumptions of "solution talk":
- "It is not necessary to understand a problem in order to solve it"
- "talking about a future without the problem linguistically creates such a future"
- "talking about previously ignored exceptions makes them bigger"
"...no interest whatsoever in diagnosis, categorisation, pathologising or mending deficits. Instead there is a search for difference, identifying uniqueness, and broadening competencies"Challenge both the client and the counsellor. Challenge the client's self-defeating and self-blaming stories. Challenge stories by suggesting new ones. Counsellors challenge themselves and hold themselves accountable for remaining positive, listening, identifying new choices, using their skills effectively.
The counsellor should use the techniques of "solution talk" in creative ways, remaining practical and adding new methods as appropriate. Key techniques identified:
- Validation - acknowledge a state or emotion and add words that imply a "possibility of difference"
- A history of possibilities - search history, not for 'truth' but for the ' invitations' to the problem that were received; social influences, triggers, context
- Externalising - separating the client from the problem by using language that makes the problem separate from the client "when did 'the problem' move in with you?". Give the problem a name, a metaphor to discuss and use the language of the metaphor. The problem can be changed through adapting the metaphor over time.
- Exceptions - identify problem-free occasions or when overcome. Practice Exceptions and have 'as if' experiences. Examine exceptions "what was different?" "how did you do that?" "how do you know?" "what did you notice?"
- Agreeing Goals - well formed goals: realistic, achievable, time-limited, consisting of the start or presence of something (rather than its negative) e.g. "I can walk out the door in the morning with a smile on my face" instead of "I won't be afraid of opening the door anymore"
- The Miracle Question - a guided fantasy question.
- Scaled questions - on a scale of 1 to 10.
- Thickening the counterplot - alternative stories which are as rich and convincing as the problem story. Stengthen clients view of the counselling process by providing written feedback concentrating on "what has been achieved (exceptions and progress) and how it was achieved (thoughts and solutions)"
- Tasks - the client and therapist various 'as if' tasks and to observe the differences that they notice or make. The task is permissive and the client can change the task of do something which might add more value.
- Observation Tasks - notice aspects of behaviour; when X, that shows Y. taking special notice of the problem context.
- F1 task - (formulaic 1st session task) - note all the things that are happening that they want to continue to happen.
- Pretend tasks - 'as if' exception generating tasks e.g. 'pretend to be less depressed this week'
- Prediction tasks - used to develop 'control' over behaviours e.g. predict in advance when you think you might experience problem X.
- Do Something Different tasks -when other tasks make no 'difference' then just 'do something different'
- Do more of the Same - when a task is working well then continue doing it - builds up the 'counterplot' story
"If its working, don't fix it. If it worked once, do it again. If actions are not working, do something different"The text then goes on to describe the first session. The first session aims to get information from the client about what "will be useful to them", what they can reasonably hope for, and what counselling should, or should not, do.
Subsequent sessions providing examples of how to approach situations where things are working, or not working. The type of notes and retrospectives to have, noting that the focus keeps moving towards the goal, switching golas as required, identifying exceptions, identifying every small improvement, reinforcing the changes, discussing and agreeing how to maintain progress, and assigning tasks.
The next few chapters provide overviews of case studies.
And the book ends with a useful summary and overview of the approach and philosophy.
So I found this a useful summary of the combination of solution therapy elements combined with a narrative approach. The book does not go into a lot of detail of the language of the counsellor so you should probably consult some of De Shazer's writing for that.
I got most value from the chapter on the key techniques and the philosophical underpinnings of the approach than the rest of the book. Brief therapy approaches tend towards high levels of pragmatism and counsellor flexibility. This came across strongly in the text and hopefully encourages the reader to adopt a more challenging and flexible attitude.
So...Worth a quick read. Then supplement with De Shazer.
[1] Wheeler J (1995) Believing in miracles: the implications and possibilities of using solution-focused therapy in a child mental health setting. ACPP Reviews & Newsletter, 17, 255-261
Related Links
- [amazon.com][amazon.co.uk]
- Judith Milner
- Brief Therapy Links from brieftherapy.org.uk
- The Palgrave site has a sample chapter (the contents and the introduction)
- Brief Counselling: A Practical Integrated Approach a useful 'preview' on google books
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