Solution-Focused Advising: Turning Academic Setbacks into Growth
This 2-hour interactive training introduces professionals in higher education and student support services to the foundational concepts of Solution-Focused Academic Advising. The course highlights how Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) tools can be used to guide students through academic decision points, setbacks, and moments of uncertainty with clarity and hope.
Participants will engage with advising video demonstrations, written case vignettes, and reflective discussion to explore how solution-focused strategies, such as best hopes questions, scaling, and VIP Mapping, can enhance student motivation, self-efficacy, and agency, while strengthening advisor effectiveness in fast-paced, high-stakes settings.
Target Audience
- Social workers, psychologists, and mental health counselors.
- College advisors, case managers, student services professionals, faculty, interdisciplinary teams
- All experience levels; introductory focus
Learning Objectives
By course end, participants will be able to:
1. Define the purpose of academic advising and describe common challenges students and advisors face that would benefit from a Solution-Focused approach.
2. Describe core principles of Solution-Focused Academic Advising, including strengths-based, goal-oriented dialogue, resource activation, and the use of student-centered strategies like VIP Mapping and best hopes questions.
3. Recognize and discuss, using case vignettes and video examples, how Solution-Focused techniques—including scaling questions, best hopes, and VIP Mapping—can enhance student motivation, clarify decision-making, and support progress.
Course Agenda (2 Hours)
Hour 1: Foundations of Solution-Focused Advising
- Welcome and Overview
- Introduction to the purpose of academic advising and common student challenges
- Overview of Solution-Focused Academic Advising and course learning objectives
- Core Concepts Overview
- Introduction to key solution-focused strategies: best hopes questions, VIP Mapping, and resource activation
- Clarifying the advisor’s role in fostering goal-oriented, strengths-based conversations
- Case Vignette and Group Discussion
- Applying solution-focused principles to academic advising scenarios
Hour 2 : Tools in Practice and Student Engagement
- Video Observation
- Watch and analyze a recorded example of a student-advisor conversation using best hopes, scaling, and VIP Mapping.
- Interactive Practice and Discussion
- Identify how techniques such as solution-focused scaling questions can support student decision-making and motivation
- Group discussion on adapting strategies to various advising challenges
- Reflection and Closing
Course Assessment
Participants will be assessed in the following manner:
- Class Participation: Participants are invited to clarify things they do not understand, pose questions, offer ideas, and broaden perspectives. Attend the entire live session (cameras on unless accommodation granted)
- Actively participate in activities and discussions
- Complete the post-session evaluation.
- Receive their Certificate of Completion upon meeting all requirements
Continuing Education Credit Information
2 CE Credit/Clock Hours are available for this live course.
Please see our Continuing Education Information page for information about CE credits, clock hours, and our accreditations and approvals for psychologists, social workers, counselors, and occupational therapists.
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy offers continuing education credit for this live, interactive 2-hour course. Participants must attend the full session with their cameras on, actively engage in course activities, and complete a post-course evaluation to receive a certificate of completion.
Psychologists
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC, is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC, maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Psychologists completing this course receive 2 continuing education hours.
The Institute is also recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0127).
Social Workers
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, provider number 1831, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 9/22/2023 – 9/22/2026. Social workers completing this course receive 2 Clinical continuing education credits.
The Institute is also approved by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work (#SW-0656), and by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling.
Counselors
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7049. The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC, is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. Counselors completing this course receive 2 clock hours.
The Institute is also approved by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0233), and by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board.
Participants should check with their professional licensing boards to ensure that a specific course will be accepted for their continuing education requirements.
To receive continuing education hours, the participant must attend the entire online presentation with their camera on, engage in all activities, and complete the course evaluation.