Solution-Focused Violence Prevention Training

This live, interactive introductory training introduces participants to the application of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) principles and skills in violence prevention. Grounded in the Three Ps: Prevention, Partnerships, and Perspective, the course explores how solution-focused conversations can strengthen collaboration, build protective factors, and contribute to violence prevention efforts in individuals, organizations, and communities.

Participants develop core solution-focused communication and engagement skills through instructor-led teaching, live demonstrations, guided practice, role plays, case discussions, and interactive learning activities designed to strengthen confidence and competence in applying solution-focused strategies to violence prevention.

Throughout the training, participants apply solution-focused principles to their own professional settings, including healthcare, education, behavioral health, social services, community organizations, and other helping professions, with opportunities to reflect on implementation within their own practice.

Last Updated: July 2026

Target Audience: Social workers, psychologists, counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychiatrists, physicians, nurses, educators, school personnel, case managers, behavioral health professionals, community professionals, and other helping professionals interested in learning Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) principles and skills for violence prevention.

Content Level: Beginner

Prerequisites: No prior training in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is required.

Delivery Method

Live In-Person: Instructor-led instruction includes live lectures, clinical demonstrations, guided practice, role-plays, case application, small-group discussion, and interactive feedback.

Live Online: Synchronous distance learning delivered through a web-based videoconferencing platform. Instruction includes live lectures, clinical demonstrations, guided practice, role-plays, case application, small-group breakout discussions, and interactive feedback.

System Requirements

Live Online Course: Participants need a reliable high-speed internet connection, a computer, laptop, or tablet capable of accessing the required web-based videoconferencing platform, a current web browser, speakers or headphones, and a microphone. A webcam is recommended to support interaction and attendance verification.

Live In-Person Course: Participants should attend the designated training location identified by the organization and bring any course materials provided before the training.

Participation Requirements

This course is designed as a live, interactive educational experience. Participants are expected to remain present and actively engage throughout the training by participating in instructor-led discussions, guided practice, case applications, role-plays, and other interactive learning activities that support achievement of the course learning objectives.

For live online courses, participants are encouraged to keep their cameras on whenever feasible to support interaction and attendance verification. Reasonable accommodations and alternative methods of verifying attendance are available upon request.

Participant support and instructor communication: Participants may contact info@solutionfocused.net with questions regarding course content, registration, technical support, or certificates of completion. Questions are reviewed by the instructor or knowledgeable course staff, and responses are typically provided within 24 hours.

Scheduling and Registration: This course is offered on a customized basis. Before registration, participants receive all required course information, including the course schedule, delivery format, registration instructions, course completion requirements, continuing education information, and instructions for accessing the online learning platform.

Financial Disclosure and Commercial Support
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy and all instructional personnel involved in this continuing education program have no relevant financial relationships or conflicts of interest to disclose. This continuing education activity is presented solely for educational purposes and has received no commercial support. No product endorsements are expressed or implied.

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the Three P’s of Violence Prevention: prevention, partnerships, and perspective.
2. Identify core solution-focused skills that support client engagement and therapeutic collaboration.
3. Demonstrate the use of solution-focused questions to explore client strengths, resources, and preferred outcomes.
4. Demonstrate the use of strengths-based compliments to reinforce progress and resilience.
5. Apply solution-focused techniques to identify and amplify exceptions and positive differences.
6. Demonstrate conversational strategies for amygdala whispering and creating an emotional “yes-set” in client dialogue.
7. Apply shared language techniques that integrate the client’s voice with solution-focused terminology.
8. Explain how the VIPs (Very Important Presences) framework contributes to a systems-oriented understanding of client context.
9. Demonstrate goal-setting conversations that maintain a solution-focused stance while gathering required clinical information.
10. Summarize the features of well-formed solution-focused goals.
11. Explain how scaling questions can enhance goal negotiation and include client-identified VIPs.
12. Apply techniques to deepen and expand responses to scaling questions.
13. Integrate solution-focused safety questions into case discussions to promote protection and hope.
14. Apply core solution-focused practices within participants’ specific professional or community settings.

Course Agenda

This course consists of 12 hours of live, interactive instruction organized into six instructional topics (2 hours each). The training schedule is customized to meet each organization’s needs. Before registration, participants receive the organization-specific course schedule, including instructional times, scheduled breaks, delivery format, and course access information. Participants receive course materials for future reference. Organizations may elect to have live sessions recorded to create a customized self-paced training resource.

• Introduction to Solution-Focused Violence Prevention — 2 hours
• Amygdala Whispering and Strength-Based Conversations — 2 hours
• VIPS and Systems-Oriented Violence Prevention — 2 hours
• Best Hope Mapping and Goal Negotiation — 2 hours
• Solution-Focused Scaling and Safety — 2 hours
• Integration and Application of Solution-Focused Violence Prevention — 2 hours

Participants must attend the entire live program, actively participate in course activities, and complete the course evaluation to receive continuing education credit and a Certificate of Completion.

Certificate of Completion

To earn continuing education credit, participants must attend the full live interactive course and complete the required course evaluation. Upon successful completion of these requirements, participants may immediately download and print their Certificate of Completion from the online course platform.

If a live course must be canceled, postponed, or modified because of unforeseen circumstances, participants will be notified promptly. Refunds, credits, rescheduling, or other appropriate accommodations will be provided in accordance with the Institute’s Refund Policy.

Participants who choose to withdraw from a course should refer to the Institute’s Refund Policy for applicable refund terms.

For complete information regarding enrollment, cancellations, refunds, and other policies, please review our Policies, Terms, and Statements, including:

• Terms of Use
• Grievance Policy
• Accessibility Statement
• Privacy Policy
• Diversity Statement

View our complete Policies, Terms, and Statements here.

Pricing varies according to agency needs. Please contact us and consider scheduling a pre-training agency consultation.