Solution_Focused_Brief_Therapy

Solution Focused Brief Therapy Bobby Daniels Grand Canyon University PCN 515 November 12, 2012 Solution Focused Brief Therapy The helping profession is a constantly changing profession that requires continued education and training on the part of the providers. The idea that therapy requires an in-depth look and analysis of a consumer’s past is rapidly becoming obsolete at the new breed of providers begin to look for immediate relief to consumers presenting problems. Milton Erickson was an American psychiatrist whose ideas would later become the framework that introduces the constructs for Solution Focused Brief Therapy. Erickson possessed an assortment of unorthodox ideas relating to therapy that he often successfully used (Visser, 2008, Para 4). Erickson did not believe in labeling diagnostically and believed in the power of people to solve their own problems. He also believed that therapy could be brief with a positive outcome. In this paper I, the writer will present an overview of how the Solution Focus Brief Therapy theoretical model originated and how it affects the way in which I present as a counselor. It is reported that Erickson was influenced by the likes of a pragmatist named William James (Visser, 2008, Para 3). Pragmatists contended that the concentration on helping should be in the here and now and not in the past as traditional psychoanalysts believed (Visser, 2008, Para, 3). The old traditional therapist, being psychoanalytical in nature, took months and often years to analyze the core reasons as to why a certain problem exists. They termed it searching for the truth as the root cause. Visser, 2008, contends that James once stated that the truth is what works. Nancy Murdock contends that Solution Focus Therapy is drawn from two different approaches and is rooted in communications and systems theory (Murdock, 2009). According to Murdock, (2009. pp., 461), there are two variants to Solution Focused Therapy and the first is associated with Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg while working at the newly found Brief Therapy Family Center. The other is from the work of Bill O Hanlon and colleagues as they termed their work Possibility Therapy. Both are residuals of the work of Erickson. The Mental Research Institute was developed by Don Jackson in 1958 and played an intricate role in the development of the Solution Focused model (Visser, 2008, Para, 8). It is here where de Shazer and Berg would study, meet and marry. The Brief Therapy Center would be founded later and this is where the power of observational learning would become an intricate part in identifying strengths and abilities a consumer or client may possess. The ideal of Erickson’s belief that people possessed the needed tools to heal themselves were being realized. It has taken approximately thirty years for Solution-Focused Brief Therapy to be developed into what it is today. It is, according to Berg (Berg, n.d.), easy to learn but difficult to practice because our old patterns of learning interferes with our ability to grasp the concept. She contends that the model is constantly changing and is being utilized not only in the clinical atmosphere, but in a variety of settings where people just want to be able to work together and to get along with each other. Berg continues by explaining that this approach is just as the name states. It is geared towards finding solutions to problems in a brief manner rather than focusing on the problem itself. She emphasizes the importance of finding relief for the consumer immediately rather than spending time thinking, analyzing the problem and just plain talking while the suffering goes on. I chose this orientation because of its simplicity and the desire to bring about immediate relief to the suffering consumer. I am learning that the more I practice the interventions associated with the principles of this theory, the more competent I become as I witness the positive change in the consumer. The first session for the new consumer is probably the determining factor as to whether or not they will return to therapy. Therapeutic constructs must be established and maintained. Empathy, genuineness and unconditional positive regard should be the foundation of any counselor’s attitude (Vacc & Loesch, 2000). In all fairness, I feel it is justified to mention the work of Carl Rogers, the developer of the Person-Centered Model where the focus is on self-actualization (Vacc & Loesch, 2000). Rogers contends that all consumers have the inherent ability to develop all capacities geared towards maintaining or enhancing oneself. The correlation between this theory and the Solution Focused Theory is evidenced by the strength based theory that everyone has strengths whether realized or not. Insoo Kim Berg contends that problems do not happen all the time and that the periods when the problem is nonexistent or less bothersome can provide insight to the strength that causes the problem to be lessened. Berg contends that people do many positive things that present as strengths and are unaware of their existence. Berg further emphasizes the importance of repeating these acts or small successes (as she terms them). The consumers become more and more aware of them and begin utilizing them to help improve their lives. In addition, Berg insists that repeated small successes create hope and the consumer in turn becomes more willing to seek out a better life for themselves and their families. This is the fundamental concept of finding solutions to many problems that are presented in therapy. Solution Focused may be defined as a person centered strength based approach. This approach can be applied from an individual or group construct. Howbeit, the focus is always individualized as a problem list is developed and from this list, counselors help consumers to identify their own personal strengths that can be used as a solution. Thus, by prioritizing the problem, a treatment plan of care is developed. I feel confident in concluding that working as a substance abuse counselor can be a much easier task when applying the techniques of the Solution Focused model. I cannot express enough the need for developing rapport with each consumer. I failed to mention the importance of incorporating the stages of change model introduced by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente at the University of Rhode Island ("Stages of Change," n.d.). This model contends that the consumer process through a series of stages before entering a full recovery period. By identifying the stage a consumer is presently in, I am able to select a corresponding intervention designed to help the consumer progress into the next stage of recovery (McCollum & Trepper, 2001). By utilizing various questioning techniques, I can assist consumer in focusing on the positives and solutions for the future (Australian Institute of Professional Counselors [AIPC], 2009). The reward comes when I witness change taking place in a once suffering consumer. A willingness to enhance their life is created as evidenced by consumers coming early to therapy and not wanting to leave at its conclusion. References Australian Institute of Professional Counselors. (2009, March 30). Solution Focused Techniques. Posted in Professional Development. Retrieved from http://www.counsellingconnection.com/index.php/2009/03/30/solution-focused-techniques/ Berg, I. K. (n.d.). About Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. Retrieved November 14, 2012, from http://www.sfbta.org/about_sfbt.html McCollum, E. E., & Trepper, T. S. (2001). Family Solutions for Substance Abuse. New York: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group. Murdock, N. L. (2009). Solution Focused Therapy. In Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy-A Case Approach (2nd ed., pp. 460-489). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Stages of Change Model. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2012, from http://www.addictioninfo.org/articles/11/1/Stages-of-Change-Model/Page1.html Vacc, N. A., & Loesch, L. C. (2000). Life Span Development. In Professional Orientation to Counseling (3 ed., pp. 31-50). New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. Visser, C. (2008, (n.d.)). A brief history of the solution-focused approach [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://articlescoertvisser.blogspot.com/2008/02/brief-history-of-solution-focused.html