Aims of Course

This course will provide a thorough introduction to the principles and practices of the Solution Focused Approach including:

The development of the approach

The theoretical underpinnings

The therapeutic process

A full set of adaptable skills

The course will be sufficiently practical for each participant to be able to begin using Solution Focused skills when they return to work. It will also provide a basis for continued self-development.

For whom

The course will be tailored to match the needs of participants from many different backgrounds including health, education, social care, counselling, coaching and management.

Solution Focused Practice

More front-line professionals are using Solution Focus as the approach of choice than any other therapeutic model. Its strength-base and future-focus make it ideal for situations requiring rapid engagement and cooperation. By concentrating on a preferred future rather than a regretted past and by focusing on resources rather than deficits the solution focused approach has proved as effective as any other model and is especially useful where clients are in great difficulty and who urgently need to find a way forward.

Course methods

Solution Focused Practice can only be learned through ‘doing’ and the teaching methods reflects this. Courses have a large element of practical skills development exercises all designed to be directly relevant to the task of doing and supervising direct work with clients. Most of the work is done in pairs, threes, small and large groups.

The approach will also be demonstrated either through the use of recorded sessions or through live demonstration.

Course content

Solution Focused Practice is constantly evolving so each course is a unique event with the programme being adapted to match each group to the most current practice. However, the following elements are likely to be covered:

An overview of Solution Focused Interviewing

Creating motivation

Detailing the preferred future

Eliciting competence and resource

Highlighting progress

Finishing solution focused conversations

Follow-up sessions

This two-day programme provides sufficient opportunity to begin to embed Solution Focused skills into the everyday work of participants. It has been the starting point for many leading brief therapists in Britain.

Trainers

All courses will be run by one of BRIEF’s founders, Evan George or Chris Iveson, who have world-wide recognition as important leaders in this field. Their book Solution Focused Brief Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques (Routledge), now translated into seven languages, is regarded as one of the most useful texts available.

Course materials

Each participant will be given a detailed, practical Manual (pdf)supporting the course programme and will have access to any other written material used.