The Solution Focused approach can be used in a wide variety of fields and settings, ranging from therapy to management, and working with individuals or with groups. Solution Focused Groupwork, whether as therapy, training, support, coaching, or facilitation, and in classes, meetings and other settings, on-line and face-to-face, offers huge potential and can be a very cost-effective, practical and enjoyable way of working with several people at the same time, whether a few or several dozen. It also requires a somewhat different application of Solution Focused skills to those used in individual work.

In this course, you will explore with Chris and Biba how to apply the Solution Focused approach in a variety of settings, both virtual and ‘real’. Between them, Biba and Chris have worked with groups of children, young people, parents, trauma survivors, women in violent relationships, teams and leadership groups. With this experience, together with the experience and skills of participants you can expect two days of lively, creative, inspiring and highly practical applications of the principles of Solution Focused Groupwork. You will then want to use the what you have learned with your groups immediately, whether you have been working in group settings for a long time, or are thinking of starting to do so. And even if you are already experienced in using the approach in your practice, you will gain lots of new skills and ideas from this course.

During our two days together, we will explore the following topics:

1. Off to a good start: group warm up & group contracting

2. Group spirit & formation: building collaboration, safety, curiosity and respect

3. Using the group as a resource to make change simple: preferred future

4. Group discovery of histories of preferred futures: what is already working

5. Using scales in Groupwork

6. Solution Focused negotiating in/with the group

7. Solution Focused debriefing and reflection in groups

8. Group endings: backpack of ideas for after the group stops meeting

9. Various group formats, size, settings and duration: adapting SF

10. How to plan Groupwork & stay SF in it (when things go left instead of right)

This workshop will prove invaluable in providing a core set of basic principles for conducting any type of group I which you want to maximise the constructive contribution of all group members.

Biba Rebolj

Biba has been working with groups since 2008. Her work varies from running groups in formal settings: university tutors, students with disabilities, academic staff, EU commission, Slovenian government as well as non formal education on international level under Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps. She is experienced in running groups of various sizes and durations on topics of inclusion, tolerance, youth entrepreneurship, human rights, peace education, conflict resolution, stress management, mental health, solidarity and non-formal education.

Chris Iveson

Chris Iveson founded BRIEF with his colleagues, Evan George and Harvey Ratner, in 1989 and with them has been developing the most minimal and simplified version of this world-wide phenomenon, Solution Focused Practice. He is author and co-author of many books about the approach, including the much-translated Solution Focused Brief Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques and Brief Coaching: A Solution Focused Approach. A former teacher, social worker and family therapist and manager Chris brings a wealth of experience to both his practice and teaching. He is also a well-respected presenter around the world.