1. Living with disability: using SFBT to discover how to live welL
Conference 2019: ‘Solution Focused practice, mind health and wellbeing’.
Presenter : Cate Walton

2. Outline This discussion will:
begin with introducing myself and why I’m discussing this topic
Consider what “disability” means
Explore what I think are the tenets of solution-focused thinking
Offer suggestions as to how Solution-Focused thinking might help and support people living well within the realities of their lives

3. introducing me why I’m discussing this topic?
My name is Cate Walton
I am a Trauma Survivor, Mother, Wife, ex-wife, daughter, sister, friend, auntie …
My learning has included these trainings: life …
Also Registered Nurse, Early childhood teacher, Plunket Nurse, Master of Nursing, Master of Counselling
I live with ongoing health issues that affect my ability to do some of the things we take for granted
The Main one is Multiple Sclerosis

4. What is disability
According to many definitions, a disability is an ‘impairment’ that may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or some combination of these.
Other definitions describe disability as the societal disadvantage arising from such impairments.
Disability substantially affects a person's life activities and may be present from birth or occur during a person's lifetime.
The social construction of disability is the idea that disability is constructed as the social response to a deviance from the norm. 
Impairment = any loss or abnormality of physiological, psychological, or anatomical structure or function.
This can be permanent or temporary.
This loss results in a change to what is considered to be expected functionality of the body or mind

5. What is Solution-Focused thinking
Change is constant and inevitable
The past cannot be changed
we need to look to a preferred future
Solution-focused thinking is about moving forward
People are the experts in their own lives
Therefore those in the helping professions cannot be the expert
Recognising what is right is more important than recognising what is wrong
People have skills, strengths and resources
they have used these before and can utilise them again

6. What might Solution-focused thinking look like?
THE SOuLUTION WHISPERER - Dr Jacqui von Cziffra-Bergs
The Solution-Focused Heart
The solution-focused eye
The solution-focused ear
The solution-focused tongue

7. The Solution-Focused Heart
Believes that every person is wonderful and resourceful
Finds the Resilience in the person and believes in that resilience
Believes in that every person has an inner hero
Believes that people can thrive … even with disability
Searchers for what is most impressive about the person

8. The Solution-Focused eye
Looks past the problem
Looks beyond the disability
Looks / searches for signs of strengths recovery / resilience
Looks for coping
Looks for the hero

9. SOLUTION-focused EAR
Listens deeply and openly to the person and not problem:
To the strengths and the resources
To what the person values
To what is important to the person

10. The solution-focused Tongue
Amplifies hopes, strengths, coping and resilience
Favours presence of solutions rather than absence of problems
NB: Pain and Loss are always Acknowledged But coping is privileged
We focus of the getting through … this Reframes experience by summarizing resilience and coping
We ask Not knowing questions – How – we seek the Hope and courage
Pre-suppositions – presupposes success … presupposes coping and strength …
“Language creates reality rather than describes it.” - Steve de Shazer

11. I Have options about how I live my life
Sad / sorry-for- myself / victim
Angry / victim / blaming
I’ve got this!

12. Conclusion Elliott encourages us to
notice what’s right in your life
notice the good in your life
And he’s right! This is what I’ve learnt
if i live my life looking for problems, that’s what i’ll notice.
What I want instead is …
To live my life looking for exceptions and beauty and strengths and positivity
that’s what I notice and that makes the harder days better and the best days great