Solution-Focused Therapy: Elliott Connie, MA, LPC Linda Metcalf, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT Saturday, 9:00am-10:15am Introduction What are your best hopes for attending this presentation? 2 1
How rebellious are you? How much fun do you like to have in your work? Do you like freedom in your work? 3 What we hope to accomplish during our time together: Linda s story Elliott s story 4 2
Video Clip 5 Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius, and a lot of courage, to move in the opposite direction. - Albert Einstein 6 3
what we were curious about 7 Solution-Focused Brief Therapy What is it about this model that draws people to it? What do the people that are drawn to it have it common? 8 4
Who is the solution focused therapist? 9 The Masters we chose to talk to Alasdair MacDonald Sara Smock Harry Korman Yvonne Dolan Eve Lipchick Thorana Nelson Alison Johnson Tracy Todd Chris Iveson Debbie Hogan Ron Warner Cynthia Franklin Therese Steiner Brian Cade Rayya Ghul 10 5
The Questions How did you first learn about Solution Focused Therapy? (What setting, and with whom?) How did you discover that Solution-Focused Therapy was the model that seemed to fit with your way of working with clients? What characteristics of this model drew you towards it? How has utilizing Solution Focused Therapy impacted your work with clients? (Please mention if you utilized a previous model and the difference you noticed in clients and yourself after switching to Solution Focused Therapy.) How would your clients describe your work with them? Have any of your clients who might have experienced another model of therapy commented on the difference (if any) that they perceived when working with you? What is it about SFT that makes it so effective? 11 Describe one of your favorite cases and how it impacted your work as a therapist. Has the use of Solution Focused Therapy impacted you in your personal life? If so, please explain. What are some key personality traits that you think are shared amongst Solution Focused Practitioners? What are some common mistakes that therapists trying on the model make most often? If you had a chance to guide them differently, how would you do so? What are some things you notice students doing while trying on this model that lets you know this model may fit them? If you were training therapists in the Solution Focused Therapy model, what strategies would you use to train them and how would you present the material? If you could pick a pioneer Solution Focused Therapist who impacted your work, who would you name and why? What developments would you like to see in the future of this model? 12 6
Most respondents were trained in other therapeutic approaches prior to discovering SFBT. What we learned Cynthia Franklin 13 The SFT community has been remarked as being very accepting of newcomers. Alasdair MacDonald 14 7
Once the shift was made to using SFT in their work, that work became more fun. Therese Steiner 15 The theory became a way of life, not just a way of working with clients. Ron Warner 16 8
Once SFT was discovered it was like coming home, a name to what I was already doing. Chris Iveson Brief Therapy Practice- London 17 There is a flow or a poetry to the way the respondents told their stories. Brian Cade 18 9
There is a passion for this model. Rayya Guhl 19 People enjoyed being a part of the project and queries were often responded to quickly. Harry Korman 20 10
SFTers constantly search for discovery with in uses of the model. Still students. Allison Johnson 21 SFTers have a determination to add to the evidence base of this model with different types of research. Sarah Smock 22 11
Most of the questions were hard to answer. Tracy Todd 23 Mentors and trainings were very important in the ability to learn this model. Debbie Hogan 24 12
Quotes had meaning in the responses. Thorana Nelson 25 SFTers are creative and energetic. Eve Lipchik 26 13
Many have been directly impacted by Steve deshazer and Insoo Kim Berg. Yvonne Dolan 27 Conclusion Which traits do you identify with? What was most helpful about this seminar? 28 14
There is always a back story- there is always a way that the model connected the sfbt to life, personally. The sfbt always notices that the conversations remind them some of how their grandmother talked, or others talked to them. SFBT connected their lives together sort of made it all make sense. They talk of an underlying theme that has been running in their lives before and now they have a name for it. Someone finally gave them permission to do different things in therapy and that was thrilling. They are quote people. There is poetry to their descriptions, narratives and therapy. 29 Everyone in the SFBT culture remarks on the openness of the culture. The SFBT never backs down because it becomes who they are, they live it and the clients are so pleased with the results. That s what makes it worthwhile.the clients. They receive pleasure from the work. They respond quickly to each other s queries and with questions.not advice. They enjoy being part of a project or offering help. They are accepting. 30 15
They are trailblazers. They are not overconfident.there is no jockeying for positions. They are passionate and emotional about the model. They don t recognize boundaries of the model. The SFBT expects sft should go beyond therapy and should be applied everywhere occupational therapists, schools, etc. There is always a vision and it is never impeded where shall we go? Everywhere. They are creative. There is a greater sense of quality of living. There is less stress, less burnout. 31 To summarize This is a theory for living life. This is a way to be with people. 32 16
Contact Elliott Connie, MA, LPC email: contact@elliottconnie.com phone: (817)602-1714 Linda Metcalf, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT email: dr_linda@ix.netcom.com phone: (817)690-2229 33 17