Sophia Chin, The ALG Group John Vogel, The ALG Group

On a scale from 1 – 5, with 1 being “I do not know much about SF Interviewing techniques” and 5 being “I teach a graduate level course on SF Interviewing”, how would you rate your knowledge base of solution focused interviewing techniques?

Signs of Safety Components CRITICAL THINKING: Safety Mapping ENGAGEMENT: Solution Focused Interviewing Strategies for Interviewing Children ENHANCING SAFETY: Danger Statements Well-Formed Goals Building Safety Networks Safety Planning

The areas we pay the most attention to grow. It is far easier to co-create solutions than to dissolve problems. Clients have resources and strengths to resolve problems. Change is constant and a small change is all that is needed. A change in one part of the system can effect a change in another part. It is not necessary to know the cause or function of a problem to resolve it. There is no one right way to view things; different views maybe just as valid and may fit the facts just as well. Mostly originates from the work of Steve DeShazer and Insoo Kim Berg at the Milwaukee Brief Therapy Center. Works from the belief that:

A practice of using questions and having conversations that strengthen an individual or family’s capacity to achieve their own best judgment in difficult times by surfacing and making visible: people’s past and present capacities achievements, assets, unexplored potentials innovations, strengths, high point moments values, traditions, stories expressions of wisdom visions of valued and possible futures

At the heart: “Motivation (for change) may be linked to the degree of hope that change is possible.” US National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect

Drunk alcohol every night for years Sober four months Drunk again for a month Sober again two weeks Where should we place our curiosity?

Suicide attempt by gas in the kitchen while the kids were home Her father physical abusive dangerous Foster care Poverty DVDV DEPRESSIONDEPRESSION OFFMEDSOFFMEDS Past PresentFuture Where should we place our curiosity?

Suicide attempt by gas in the kitchen while the kids were home Her father physical abusive dangerous Foster care Poverty DVDV DEPRESSIONDEPRESSION OFFMEDSOFFMEDS Past PresentFuture Listen for the empty spaces Where should we place our curiosity?

Questions [kwes-chuhn] noun 1.A sentence in an interrogative form, addressed to someone in order to get information in reply. 2.A problem for discussion or under discussion; a matter for investigation. Questions gather data/investigate - but that’s not all they do!

Who are you going to see this weekend?

Who would you like to see this weekend?

Who are you going to see this weekend? Who would you like to see this weekend? Who do you wish you could see this weekend?

Questions Are an intervention (strategic!) and are never neutral in their effects; Generate an experience for the person being asked; Can provide new understanding for the person being asked as well as the inquirer; Can help people recognize exceptions, solutions, useful moments from their own history they might have otherwise disregarded; Can create space for critical reflection with minimal blame and shame; Require skill, rigor and practice.

E.A.R.S. Model E liciting questions: to begin and (re) establish the focus of the conversation. Sets the tone for the conversation-focus on success A mplifying: to draw out the small details of the events, to stay focused on and further appreciate what goes well R eflecting: to draw out the meaning of the events for the practitioner S tart over: from the middle or the end

OpenNarrowClose Broad QuestionsFocused QuestionsShared agreement and understanding What are our worries? Solution Focused Techniques Collaboration What is working well? Hope for change What needs to happen? Shard decision making

OpenNarrowClose Broad QuestionsAmplify/ReflectShared agreement and understanding Exception Hoped for Future Purpose/Intent Coping Relationship Scaling What else? What needs to happen? Which of these are you most proud of? How would your sister answer this question Collaboration Hope for change Shard decision making

Exception Hoped for Future Purpose/Intent Coping Relationship Questions Scaling

“All families have some signs of safety.” Seeks to find times when the problem could have done what it always does…but did not No problem is absolute in it’s effects Gives us a place to begin to look for strengths, resources and alternative actions People who know they have been able to change are more likely to be able to do it again

Working with Exceptions First really look for them: No problem is ever complete in its effects. “Listening with two ears” is critical Persistence is important – exceptions are often hidden, neglected or minimized. Try asking an exception question three different ways before you decide there is no answer Once it is found, getting details of the exception is important and can help you and the people you work with find truly meaningful exceptions

“You said that X (problem) had been happening all the time, but then last week there was one moment when it did not happen. Can you tell me more about that?” “You said that even though X (problem) had been going on for some time, you still were able to hold onto some hope that things could be better. Is that right?” “I understand that X has been happening a lot, and I do want to hear about it. Can I ask though – has there ever been a time when X almost could have happened, but somehow it did not?” Ways to ask about exceptions

“I understand that things are rough between you and Y (person in family/system). Is this the way things have always been, or has there ever been a time when things were different between the two of you? Can I ask you about that time?” “When was the last time this problem happened? How have you been able to avoid it since then?” “It does sound like things have been rough. How have you managed to cope during this time?”

Can you tell me about a time when you could have spanked Tommy but did not? Follow up question: How were you able to do that? Was there someone or something that enabled you to do that?

If we can believe that there might be something different in the future, we are more likely to be able to try push to make it happen! Cuts into the ideas of predetermination or destiny or hopelessness

Three months from now, who do you think will be most effected by the changes you are trying to make? Six months from now? What about a year from now? Follow up questions: What would that person notice first? What else? What kinds of difference would your effort now make to them then?

Helps surface and connect people to their purposes; Help with understanding of clients attempts at solutions, even when terribly misguided; Allows you to ask questions about clients own doubts about their actions vs. intentions.

When you grabbed her, what were you hoping would happen? Follow up questions: What’s important to you about that goal? Did this grabbing do what you hoped it would? Are there ever times you worry about this kind of grabbing? Is there anyone else in your life that would worry about the grabbing?

“Admiring commiseration” Acknowledging difficulty while recognizing strengths

Most people would never have been able to survive what you have survived. How do you think you were able to do it? Follow up questions What specifically have you done to survive this? How have you managed to keep things from getting worse? What do you think it says about you that you have been able to survive this?

Seek clients perceptions of how other’s think of them – real and imagined, past present and future Relates to “Identity” statements in the difficult conversations model

Who would be least surprised by your ability to do this? What do you think your children would say they like best about your being sober? What would your sister say about how you have been able to keep going despite all the tough times?

Scaling Questions Assess Willingness Confidence Capacity Progress Judgment Supports critical thinking

Progress Scale On a scale of one to ten, 1 being when the problems that brought the department into your life were at their worst, and ten being when they are solved enough that we are not in your life anymore where would you say you are right now? Follow up question: What do we need to do to bring that rating up 1? How do you understand us getting different results from the different people we ask this?

Confidence Scale On a scale of one to ten, one being no confidence at all in your ability to accomplish this goal, and ten being all the confidence in the world that you can do this, even if you do not know how or when, where would you say you are on this scale? Follow up Question: What needs to happen to bring your rating up one?

Danger/Safety Judgment Scale On a scale from 0-10, with 0 being the most danger and 10 being the most safety for this child, where do you think this particular situation rates?” Follow up questions: What has allowed you to give this the rating you did and not one below? What concretely would need to happen to increase your rating by 1?

Follow up question: What do you need to bring the rating up one? On a scale from 1 – 5, with 1 being “I do not know much about SF Interviewing techniques” and 5 being “I teach a graduate level course on SF Interviewing”, how would you rate your knowledge base of solution focused interviewing techniques?

Bibliography Berg, I, & Kelly, S.(2000). Building Solutions in Child Protective Services. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. Tohn, S. & Oshlag, J. (2005). Crossing The Bridge: Integrating Solution Focused Treatment into Clinical Practice. Natick: Solutions Press

How can SF questions work with SDM? How do you imagine workers learning to incorporate SF questions in their work? How can SF question improve gathering of information for SDM assessments? How can SF questions be used in safety and case planning?