In recognizing the limitations of traditional problem solving methods, solution focus has aided many individuals in changing their perception of problems and transforming them into solutions. Regardless of what difficulties one may be tackling, this book offers practical skills for overcoming. Filled with examples and illustrations, it addresses and explains the role of the all important “miracle†questions as well as “exceptions,†“scaling,†and “coping†questions to help identify leverage points for change. Active listening, a key solution focus skill is reviewed extensively.In addition, readers will learn how to establish well-formed goals and understand the truth of the philosophical statement “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.†Solution Focus’ radical simplicity diverts your attention away from the often frustrating search for the causes of problems and directs it to solutions; away from your weaknesses to your strengths; away from what is going wrong, to what is going right in your life. Though it may not be a fix-all, it will certainly give you a viable alternative to outdated problem solving strategies and teaches how to put solution focused knowledge into everyday practical use. If you want to learn a new way of assisting yourself or others to deal more creatively and effectively with problems, then you are encouraged to explore Solution Focus’ simple principles and tools for positive change.

The revolutionary yet radical alternative—the solutions-focused approach—to discovering what works at work.

This is a new and updated edition of this acclaimed first business book on the powerful, simple yet subtle approach to positive change in people, teams and organisations. Used around the world by a wide range of people, professions and organisations, the first edition has now sold nearly 10,000 copies and been translated into 7 languages. Including new chapters reflecting the increasing importance of coaching and the solutions focus movement in the business environment, this wide-ranging book is filled with all the most important ideas, case examples and practical tips for managers, facilitators and consultants. Proven in many fields and with a distinguished intellectual heritage, "The Solutions Focus" provides a simple and direct route to progress in your organisation. It focuses on: solutions - not problems; in between: the action is in the interaction; make use of what's there; possibilities - past, present and future; and language. Every case is different. The trouble with traditional approaches to people problems is that they assume a straightforward relationship between cause and effect, between a problem and its solution. A solutions-focused approach sidesteps the search for the causes of a problem and heads straight for the solution, showing you how to envisage your preferred future and quickly takes steps forward. The authors present a set of practical techniques, including specific forms of questioning that lead to immediate action and results. They show how to identify what is working in your organisation and amplify it to make useful changes; to focus on what is possible rather than what is intractable and how to be solution focused, not solution forced.

From bestselling author and mental toughness expert Jason Selk comes a mind-training regimen for reframing every problem into an opportunity for productive action. The most common cause of failing to reach our professional and personal goals is hardwired in us: Humans instinctively focus on problems. Over millennia, our very survival relied on our ability to be alert to any potential dangers that could threaten our existence. But today this negativity bias significantly limits our potential and increases stress, pressure, and underperformance. The one characteristic all phenomenally successful people share is mental toughness. Mentally tough people are better at making decisions more quickly and with better results. They possess the uncanny ability to control what goes on between their ears. Instead of allowing their minds to focus on their problems when adversity strikes, the most successful people have learned to direct their thoughts in a systematic manner that produces positive emotions and productive actions: they have a Relentless Solution Focus. In this book, top performance coach Dr. Jason Selk—former Director of Mental Training for the World Series champions St. Louis Cardinals—and his colleague Dr. Ellen Reed provide the insight, tools, and proven step-by-step framework for you to do the same. When you have Relentless Solution Focus, you think better. Your decisions garner positive results. You take action and follow through—every time. And when you do get off track, you get back on with less effort and less drama. Weakness shrinks and strength grows, creating confidence and momentum, taking you and your team to higher levels of performance and achievement.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques provides a concise and jargon-free guide to the thinking and practice of this exciting approach, which enables people to make changes in their lives quickly and effectively. It covers: The history and background to solution focused practice The philosophical underpinnings of the approach Techniques and practices Specific applications to work with children and adolescents, (including school-based work) families, and adults How to deal with difficult situations Organisational applications including supervision, coaching and leadership. Frequently asked questions This book is an invaluable resource for all therapists and counsellors, whether in training or practice. It will also be essential for any professional whose job it is to help people make changes in their lives, and will therefore be of interest to social workers, probation officers, psychiatric staff, doctors, and teachers, as well as those working in organisations as coaches and managers.

It's time to be part of the “Solution Revolution” and join the thousands of leaders and companies throughout the world who are becoming solution-oriented leaders. It’s all based on the lessons in this step-by-step guide developed by author, keynote speaker, and international leadership expert Dr. Rick Goodman. You’ll discover how to Transform Your Thinking, Optimize Your Assets, and Accelerate Your Connectivity to achieve world-class balance and results in your business and in your life. In this first-of-a-kind, comprehensive guide, author Dr. Rick Goodman leads you through the everyday challenges of the modern workplace while providing you with easy-to-implement solutions to achieve world-class results! The Solutions Oriented Leader shows you how to: Implement transformational leadership tools to help you achieve balance in business and your life Utilize communication systems that increase employee engagement and workflow Develop a positive attitude that motivates your team and increases retention Handle conflict and manage workplace burnout Now you can be in control of your destiny—giving yourself permission to be successful! You can become a leader who inspires others for a lifetime. You can harness your positive attitude and share it to propel your business to new heights. With the Solutions-Oriented mindset, you now have the business and life playbook promoting productivity, boosting employee engagement, and creating a happy work environment.

Re-energize your practice! Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Its Effective Use in Agency Settings chronicles the lessons learned when a substance abuse counseling program switches its theoretical orientation from problem-focused to solution-focused. The book details the technical aspects of the changeover (theory, techniques, interventions, politics, and team design) as well as the personal struggles the team endured and the successes they enjoyed. It demonstrates how solution-focused therapy can be applied to both clinical and administrative work while addressing questions and concerns, providing general information and help in understanding the subtleties and idiosyncrasies of the treatment. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a practical, step-by-step guide to individual and group solution-focused therapy, presenting a new and effective method of working with clients that re-energizes therapists and benefits administrators and clinical supervisors. The book provides clear descriptions of basic interventions and philosophy, highlights points of contrast with more traditional approaches, examines the principles behind the Miracle Question, and demonstrates how to integrate relapse prevention, help clients maintain therapeutic gains, and communicate effectively with colleagues who represent different philosophies. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy provides a thorough understanding of solution-focused therapy through the use of: case studies interviews with therapists sample forms tables and much more! Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Its Effective Use in Agency Settings is ideal for professionals interested in implementing solution-focused therapy into individual, group, or agency settings, including child protection agencies, community mental health clinics, private practices, sexual abuse programs, substance abuse treatment, family based services, and academics working in substance abuse counseling, social work, psychology, and general counseling.

This is a comprehensive step-by-step guide to incorporating solution focused techniques into everyday practice. Solution focused therapy helps clients to identify how their lives would be without their problems by exploring current client resources and strengths, and their hopes for the future. Instead of dissecting the problem, it looks at what is different when the problem isn't happening or is less severe. These times are the building blocks of solutions. Solution focused methodology is increasingly used within community mental health teams, mental health charities, inpatient settings, education and business, as it is a well-structured and demonstrably effective approach. This book provides: guidance for practitioners to gain the skills they need to move from problem focused work to searching for solutions; a comprehensive step-by-step guide to using solution focused techniques and integrating them into existing practice; a brief review of the evidence base on solution focused therapy; ample exercises to give to clients to help them move away from their problems to finding solutions; and, clear instructions on how to adapt these techniques for specific populations such as individuals with substance misuse problems, individuals in crisis, anger management and working with couples. This is a very clear and practical guide to using solution focused brief therapy in everyday practice and will be invaluable for all practitioners wanting to incorporate these techniques into their work.

The Field Guide toCounseling Toward Solutions When it was first published in 1995, Linda Metcalf's bookCounseling Toward Solutions became an instant bestseller. The bookoffered a new and positive program for changing individual behaviorthat helped K-12 students with their own problems and gave themself-esteem in the process. Now, The Field Guide to CounselingToward Solutions offers school counselors, teachers, andadministrators a complete program for changing the way that schoolsdeal with a variety of issues.?From an alternative school programthat enlists the power of teacher mentors to the elementary programthat involves the teacher, parent, and student in the counselingprocess, this book shows how to make change happen and how to makeit last. The solution-focused approach helps everyone involved to begintheir own change process by noticing when a problem does not occur,rather than focusing on the problem or what caused it. It includesinformation targeted to specific age groups—elementary schoolstudents, middle schoolers, and adolescents—because eachdevelopmental stage requires a certain perspective and focus inorder to collaborate and reach solutions. The Field Guide to Counseling Toward Solutions offers guidelinesfor developing a school-wide program that encompasses virtually allof the day-to-day programming that schools must provide forstudents. The book includes techniques and suggestions for: Training staff to become more solution-focused andstudent-centered Working together with teams, teachers, and parents so that the"system" creates and maintains change Creating support groups for parents and students Reducing special education referrals through solution-focusedconversations In this book, bestselling author and veteran school counselorLinda Metcalf offers more than a simple positive strategy ortechnique—she provides a way to think about school "clients"that can change interactions and guarantee success.

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.