In Memory of Luc Isebaert
It is with deep sadness that we write of the passing of our longtime SF colleague and dear friend, Luc Isebaert. He died peacefully at home on September 30, surrounded by his beloved wife, Sophie, loved ones, and his loyal dog, Epicurious. He was 78 years old. Luc was both an esteemed colleague and close [Read More]
How Solution-Focused-Therapy can enhance care of the medically complex patient
An Inspiring Conversation with Dr. Margret Cheng I have had the immense pleasure of meeting Dr. Cheng, who has combined training in both Pediatrics and Internal Medicine. She dedicates her work to the care of medically and socially complex patients in underserved areas. She recently has been trying Solution Focused Skills in the care of [Read More]
A Language of Hope: Solution-Focused Translations
By Anne Bodmer Lutz, M.D. In my over 20 years as a practicing child and family psychiatrist, I have come to realize that in addition to a very different paradigm than problem-focused therapies, solution-focused therapy pays meticulous attention to language and words that instill hope and respect. I invite you to consider a few examples [Read More]
Cope is one letter away from Hope: Solution-Focused Safety Assessment (SFSA)
By Anne Bodmer Lutz, M.D. "And for all those tea drinkers out there: Let’s learn a lesson from tea. It shows it’s real worth when it gets into hot water” ~ Annonymous "There are questions which illuminate, and there are those that destroy. We should ask the first kind" ~ Quote from Nobel physicist Isaac [Read More]
3 Solution-Focused Self-Help Scales for Mood Enhancement
By Yvonne Dolan, M.A. When a client is physically in our office, talking with us on the phone, or even communicating over the internet, it can be relatively easy to gently help them shift from negative, complaint-focused language to more hope-friendly, mood enhancing thinking patterns. But how can we help our clients acquire the [Read More]
All You Need Is Love
As parents, we foist our dreams and aspirations on our children, push them to be more that we could ever be. But do we have the courage and honesty to look within ourselves and ask whether our parenting is driven by our own needs or those of our children? Just as importantly, are we able [Read More]
In Memory of Martin Oswin
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of one of our trainers, Martin Oswin. Martin was the first to deliver the course that had been created by Greg Vinnicombe and myself, and was the first to test whether the structure and content would work in the hands of someone [Read More]
Driving a Solution-Focused Bus
by Erin Sepe I frequently reflect on my therapy sessions. I ask myself what went well and what I’d like to improve. Recently, it occurred to me that I had not been scaling very much. I find scaling to be a useful tool when a client is walking around in vagueness. I hear clients state [Read More]
Miracle Question: Stricture or Structure?
Richard Kahn, Ph.D., MS, RD The Miracle Question (MQ) is an important tool in SFBT. Some practitioners, like me, have trouble asking the MQ. Help came from Cami Boyer, a psychotherapist. She offered a MQ workshop at the 2017 Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Conference in Santa Fe. Boyer likened using the MQ to bread baking. Bread [Read More]
Applying Solution Focused Questions to an Educational Assessment Tool
Wynn Calder – 6/19/18 In the spring of 2017, as a mid-career graduate student in counseling psychology at Framingham State University, I took Dr. Anne Lutz’s course, Solution-Focused Fundamentals and Practice. In thinking about what I might do for my final project, a light bulb went off: Solution Focused questions could improve my sustainability assessment [Read More]
Why has my life ALWAYS been terrible
A Simple Graph Which Answers The Question: “Why has my life ALWAYS been terrible?” Seth Bernstein, Ph.D. Corvallis, Oregon A common perception of clients who are experiencing major depression is that their lives have always been terrible. They are not speaking metaphorically. They are being literal. They only have memories of the times in their [Read More]
In The Wake of Tragedy
Erin Sepe Several years ago I was substituting, for a day, in a kindergarten classroom when the school practiced a “code red” drill. I found myself, with 20 five-years-olds, huddled under the desk, lights off, shades drawn, and classroom door locked. Part of the drill includes the principal walking down the halls and checking that [Read More]