1. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUSED THERAPY IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORKER PRACTICE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS
FLORIDA CHAPTER
2015 CONFERENCE
Everything has a small beginning Mistakes are the portals of discovery
Cicero James Joyce

2. I’m going to start this story by saying something about myself and where I work. I think it is significant that I, the story-teller, present myself for the simple reason that I, together with the choices I made will help in how the story is told, I am an active agent in the story itself.
I am a School Social Worker who recently returned to USA after living and working in the United Kingdom as a Social Worker and Team Manager in a Local Authority outside of London. This is where my Journey into the Solution Focused World began and has continued.
I am currently serving in the capacity of a Transition Specialist in the Educational Alternative Outreach Program; with students that are cross served by Miami Dade County Public Schools and the Dept. Of Juvenile Justice programs.
MY LIFE PRINCIPLE OF BEING ON A CONTINOUS IMPROVEMENT JOURNEY HAS BEEN MY MOTIVATION TO LEARN AND TRY NEW THINGS

3. FAMILIES EXPERTS OF THEIR LIVES
One Key component Of my Guiding Principle for Practice is that Families are experts of their lives and as such their voices should be heard and respected.

4. MY JOURNEY IN OVERVIEW Jan/Feb2012 Jan-Mar 2013 Enthusiasm
Solution Focus Worker
Enthusiasm
June/July Nov 2012
Uncertainty Questions Asked
Prior to January 2012; I had briefly heard about Solution Focused therapy and received a one day training in its use and like most of my colleagues who were steeped in Psycho analytical, psycho-dynamic, behaviorist, problem solving techniques, intervention we sat and warily looked on. We showed some enthusiasm as we were about to embark on developing a new service for young people to intervene and interrupt the cycle of foster care placement or Juvenile Justice incarceration.

5. SOLUTION FOCUS DEVELOPMENT OF THE METHOD/APPROACH
DEVELOPED BY STEVE DE SHAZER, INSOO KIM BERG (TWO SOCIAL WORKERS)AND COLLEAGUES FROM Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin
 The client constructs his or her own solutions based on his or her own resources and success – DeShazer 1988
Milton Erickson's work was harnessed by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg in the 1970s to create a collaborative approach encouraging people to talk about preferred futures rather than only tracing the pathology of the problem. They were interested in what helped people to change and worked with the innate abilities of each person to bring about the desired changes they envisioned
Steve, Insoo and their colleagues wanted to study effective and brief therapeutic techniques for helping clients change. SFBT has been recognized as a evidence-based practice and appears on the SAMHSA National Registry.

6. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS THERAPY IS
KEY POINTS & TECHNIQUES
Creating an Image of the preferred future – Where you want to get to opposed to How do I get There.
Strength based – looking at how people are coping
It’s not shutting down problem talk; but it is about acknowledging the possibilities
Eg. Of a Question:- So you had an awful argument yesterday in school and here you are today talking to me now, how did it end, how is it you are managing in class.
Solutions are co-constructed with the clients; respectful involvement of families early in the process - family engagement is critical as it develops trust and inspires family to work effectively with workers
If not why may be insecurities of professional to release and balance of power

7. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS THERAPY IS
Focus on the action what works well
There is always exceptions, How do you get people to focus on what went well. Asking about exceptions – What happens when its going well.
If a problem does not have an exception, then it is not a problem. Problem implies solutions.
It is not about stopping somebody from doing something, it’s about having them see the possibilities of other ways o seeing things
If you have a client with risky behaviours, a conversation you can have is “If you continue doing these things, this is what I have to do, to act in a way to restrict your liberty because safety comes before all else.

8. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS THERAPY IS:
Supportive & Challenging- Acknowledging the possibility – going the extra mile
Family/Network approach not only the client
Acknowledge the needs of the others in the family
During the therapy an example of going the extra mile would be supporting the client/family members in writing therapeutic letter
We want to get people thinking about their possibilities

9. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS THERAPY IS:
Inviting People into thinking of other possibilities – Even within the negative situation they are in
Solution Focus is change focus
Respectful and non-judgemental- building on people’s strength – Move Forward.
Sustainable Change
Family Ownership of the goal, to empower them to achieve their preferred future
Eg. Of Questions you can ask – How do you know when you have gone too far with your behavior; are there times when you have become so angry that you hit someone; how come you did not this time

10. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS AND SOCIAL WORK?
SOCIAL WORKERS – Strengthening Lives Through Solution
Solution Focus has been the essence of relationships, building Value and Respect in the Therapeutic relationship; a Partnership.
Innovative way of communicating with clients, open and informal
GUIDING PRINCIPLE – Due to the brief nature of Solution Focus and the time limits placed on social work practice because of current reimbursement model for service; as a service we have to capitalise on the time that we are engaging with clients and their family and as such perform our duties in a focused succinct manner.
As social workers we are required to engage in a model of practice that is Empowering Client Focus, intimate respecting and efficient. In some of our roles we sometimes have to redirect the family and we have to engage in activities that are more administrative initially to allow the opportunity to engage in therapeutic work in the follow-up visit.
Cynicism can develop over tie from working with our clients, Solution Focus Approach can help lift the cynicism and raise our motivation.

11. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS AND SOCIAL WORK
A Model of empowering people to take control of their lives
Supports you in doing your job better
It’s a questioning approach – you get the client and family to create new thinking and support them in working their way through their concerns themselves rather than giving them advice.
If the clients and families figure it out themselves, there is lasting improvement. Solution Focus conversation is useful for conversations with students, parents and colleagues.
Listen more, become more conscious of the words your use, questions with clear directions

12. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS AND SOCIAL WORK
Solution Focus Questions
Creative Possibilities of a Preferred Future
The Clinician is not an Expert
Expertise – The art of How to facilitate and Co-create a conversation
Amplifies Clients Best Hopes and Success
Next Steps to Achieve goals
Fundamental assumptions and principles that underpin Solution Focused work
Change is happening all the time. Our job is to identify and amplify useful change.

13. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS VS Problem Solving
Solution Focussed
Problem Solving
Compliments
Criticism
Strengths
Deficits
Future Focussed
Past Focussed –entrenched in the problem
Innovative Solution from discussions
Checklist/menu of interventions that might work
Expectations in Family
Resistant Family
Seeking to find exceptions
Seeking to find repeated incidents – What is wrong with the client
Listening Noticing and Connecting
Telling Criticising Disconnect
Client led allow client to lead us and suggest ideas - Competent
View client as problem laden
Externalise the problem (the problem is the problem)
Internalise the problem (the person is the problem)
Solution focused work is behavioral based and is not predicated on attainment of insight or awareness into the problem. A solution focused approach does not belabor the past nor does it need to fully understand the problem before solution work begin. It does not develop lengthy problem assessments where we go beyond the presenting problems
You engage in energetic conversation to connect with the client; navigate with the client from current to future state

14. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS TECHNIQUES SKILLS NEEDED TO SUPPORT S.F. PRACTICE
Listening and Joining- Active listening respect
Desired Outcomes Focusing on the Future/possibilites
Specific and Detailed Visualizations of the Desired Outcome
Questions about what is going well or better

15. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS TECHNIQUES SKILLS NEEDED
Asking about Exceptions
Acknowledging that Clients are Expert on their lives
Using Scaling Questions to recognize possibilities for change
Focusing on small change
Appreciating the ideas and life narrative of the person

16. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS TECHNIQUES FIRST SESSION
The hoped for outcome, finding out what they want from their work with you
Obtain a detailed picture of what progress would look like (Their preferred future)
Ask the Miracle question Suppose tomorrow you woke up and a miracle occur during the night while you were asleep and you achieved all that you were hoping for; what would you be doing? What would others notice you doing?
assess along the way the impact of small changes on the family functioning
What are their best hopes from your working together.
In their description of the miracle, it is important to get a detailed first tiny signs, time place context, concrete observation
What is the student already doing that fits with that future (instances of success – scales) Big eyes and ears, small mouth
Listen more – become more conscious of the words you use with clients, leave client a lot of space to find his/her answer; give clients tie to think feel and answer

17. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS TECHNIQUES: Follow-Up
What’s been better since we last met – Get to the signs of achievement use a scale 
Preferred Future
7/ Good Enough
Some Sign of Progress
Signs or Steps – What would be a sign that you have reached a 4 on the scale? Or you are a 3 now, what steps would you need to take to reach a 4,
You are not asking them to design the scales, you are designing the scale, do not let 10 become the perfect value, Scales should be positive it should not be about getting rid of a negative behaviour
If the student scales him/herself to be a zero you can ask what will it take to get to s 1, How have your coped? You say it is a zero and I am wondering you are coping. How come it is not a minus
Accept where the student or family say they are

18. BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS TECHNIQUES: Follow-Up:
Follow up sessions are about clarifying and amplifying the exceptions to the problem
Visiting pass success – defining the desired state - Outcome
(The backbone of the RTI strategies)
A specific picture is painted
Talk – Rephrase for clarification
Curious about exception
What is the student doing instead of
End sessions with acknowledgement and appreciation and a homework in preparation for your next time together. (e.g. What can you do between now and the next time we meet to move you closer to your goal)
In Solution focus we glance at the past not stare at it. Solution focus we get people to think differently the problem is never minimised. Homework provides the client with opportunities for practice between session

19. SOLUTION FOCUS:- IT STARTS WITH A QUESTION SUPPORTIVE &CHALLENGING
HIGHLIGHTS INSTANCES OF SUCCESS
EMPOWERMENT PROCESS
USING POSITIVE WORDS TO TALK ABOUT PEOPLE
STRENGTH BASED
CIRCULAR QUESTIONS
EMERSE YOURSELF IN SOLUTION FOCUS PRACTICE TO FEEL IT
IT IS IMPORTANT TO STAY SOLUTION FOCUSED NOT SOLUTION FORCED

20. SOLUTION FOCUS
THE AREAS OF PRACTICE FOR BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS TECHNIQUE IS EXPANSIVE, IT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM.
WHAT STARTED OUT IN SOCIAL WORK/THERAPEUTIC PRACTICE HAS EVOLVED/MORPHED ACROSS MANY DISCIPLINES
BUSINESS – COACHES- LEAERSHIP- SUPERVISION- CONSULTANCY

21. SFBT AND SOCIAL WORKERS
THE LINK TO PRODUCING MEASURABLE OUTCOMES
CLIENT
LINK
SFBT
Portable
Adaptable to Goals
Strength Based
Client Centered
Work in a positive way with students
Can be brief or as
Long as you want
Observable Positive change
Empowering
Respectful
SOCIAL WORKERS
Measurable impact on Client's Successes
Increased Engagement
Cultural Competence
SSW’s do not believe that pathologizing is useful; we produce demonstrable and measurable difference in students academics and behaviors.

22. SOLUTION FOCUS AREAS OF SOCIAL WORK SERVICE
PRACTICE
SUPERVISION
LEADERSHIP
CONSULTANT

23. REFERENCE
Blundo, R, Bolton, K & Hall, C (1999) Research on Hope and Solution Focused Practice University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Metcalf, L(2000) Solution Focused RTI:- A Positive Personalized Approach to Response to Intervention (1st ed.) San Francisco, CA; Jossey-Bass
Seagram, B.M.C.(1997) The Efficacy of Solution Focused Therapy With Young Offenders Unpublished Dissertation York University (Canada)
Selekman, M (2005) Pathways to Change (2nd ed.) New York, Guilford