Blog

Coaching often presents itself as radically different from therapy or counselling. But is it? Aren't the similarities more significant than the differences when we think about the foundational assumptions? Evan George proposes that the truly significant distinction is that between problem-focused and solution-focused approaches whether the context of application is coaching or counselling or therapy.

‘Don’t you think that there is a risk that your clients may not feel that they are being taken seriously, that they are being understood?’ This is the polite version of a question that Solution Focused presenters are asked frequently, indeed a question that I was asked the other day, very politely and very appropriately, in Helsinki. And the question is an important one. Evan George tries to answer.

Evan has just returned from Finland where Ben Furman invited him to share his thinking on therapeutic minimalism. It was a great 2 days and during the course of those two days he learned a great deal about what he thinks about the Secrets of Minimalism. Here Evan sets out four foundational ideas without which minimalism is impossible.

There is a sort of logical error that must have a name. It is when we apply the requirements or characteristics of one thing to another thing as if the two things are of the same kind – just that they are not. Evan George discusses one of these logical errors relating to our field of Solution Focused Brief Therapy.

BRIEF will be offering four 2-day SF training modules in Wales, in Cardiff, between October 2018 and April 2019. This marks the enormous growth in interest in Solution Focus throughout Wales in both children, family and adult services, in which BRIEF has been delighted (and proud) to have played a part.

There are things that continue to puzzle me about the Solution Focused approach – not just interest me but really puzzle me. And the main one that I find myself thinking about over and over is to do with the client’s response to the ‘best hopes’ question. How should we think about the client’s response, what name should we give it, and how should the client’s answer be connected to the rest of the work? Evan George shares some very provisional thoughts.

What is it about the Solution Focused approach that still excites and enthuses and engages Evan George 30 years (and more) since coming across this unusual way of working?

Well how does that question - ‘how does that make you feel’ - make you feel? In my case the answer is a bit queasy, indeed slightly nauseous, which in many ways is unfortunate since it appears to be the go-to, the stock question that so many practitioners rely upon when they are not quite sure what else to ask. Evan George explores the difficulties with this question.

A DBIT (Essex) practitioner new to Solution Focused Practice describes her experience of using the approach with a 15 year old girl who is 'an anxious school refuser'. The practitioner describes herself feeling 'overwhelmed' by what the young person was able to achieve.

One of the most frequent questions that gets asked on training programmes is the question ‘can you integrate SF with other approach?’ And very often this question is asked from a stance which implies that the worker drawing on a range of approaches is clearly and obviously beneficial to the client. However in SF the answer to this question seems to be neither quite so clear nor quite so obvious.

Evan George shares his thoughts.