BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUSED

THERAPY AND SCHOOL

SOCIAL WORKERSFLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL SOCIAL

WORKERS 68TH ANNUAL STATE CONFERENCE

Marva Furlongue-Laver MSW

1

Everything has a small beginning Mistakes are the portals of discovery Cicero James Joyce

I’m going to start this story by saying something about myself and where I work. I think it is significant that I, the story-teller, present myself for the simple reason that I, together with the choices I made will help in how the story is told, I am an active agent in the story itself.

My name is Marva Furlongue-Laver, I am a School Social Worker who recently returned to USA after living and working in the United Kingdom as a Social Worker and Team Manager in a Local Authority outside of London. This is where my Journey into the Solution Focused World began and has continued.

I am currently serving in the capacity of a Transition Specialist in the Alternative Outreach Program; with students in Dept. Of Juvenile Justice programs.

2

FAMILIES

EXPERTS OF THEIR LIVES

3

MY JOURNEY IN OVERVIEW

Jan/Feb2012Jan-Mar 2013

Solution Focus Worker

Enthusiasm

June/July 2012 Nov 2012

Uncertainty Questions Asked

4

SOLUTION FOCUS DEVELOPMENT OF THE

METHOD

5

DEVELOPED BY STEVE DE SHAZER,

INSOO KIM BERG (TWO SOCIAL

WORKERS)AND COLLEAGUES FROM

Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee

Wisconsin

BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS THERAPY IS

KEY POINTS & TECHNIQUES

Creating an Image of the preferred future

– Where you want to get to opposed to

How do I get There.

Strength based – looking at how people

are coping

It’s not shutting down problem talk; but it

is about acknowledging the possibilities Eg. Of a Question:- So you had an awful argument yesterday in school

and here you are today talking to me now, how did it end, how is it you

are managing in class.

6

BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS THERAPY IS

Focus on the action what works well

There is always exceptions, How do you get

people to focus on what went well. Asking about

exceptions – What happens when its going well.

If a problem that does not have an exception,

then it is not a problem. Problem implies

solutions.

It is not about stopping somebody from doing

something, it’s about having them see the

possibilities of other ways o seeing things

7

BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS THERAPY IS:

Supportive & Challenging-

Acknowledging the possibility – going

the extra mile

Family/Network approach not only the

child

Acknowledge the needs of the other

children in the family

8

BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS THERAPY IS:

Inviting People into thinking of other

possibilities – Even within the negative

situation they are in

Solution Focus is change focus

Respectful and non-judgemental- building

on people’s strength – Move Forward.

Sustainable Change

Family Ownership of the goal, to empower

them to achieve their preferred future

9

BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS AND

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK?

SOCIAL WORKERS – Strengthening

Lives Through Solution

Solution Focus has been the essence

of relationships, building Value and

Respect in the Therapeutic

relationship; a Partnership.

Innovative way of communicating

with clients, open and informal10

BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS AND

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK?

A Model of empowering people to take control of their lives

Supports you in doing your job better

It’s a questioning approach – you get students and parents to create new thinking and support them in working their way through their concerns themselves rather than giving them advice.

11

BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS SCHOOL

SOCIAL WORK AND RTI

12

Solution Focussed Problem Solving

Parents and Students Assist in

designing the intervention

Educator is the expert – difficult to

step back and observe

Strengths Deficits

Future Focussed Past Focussed

Innovative Solution from discussions Checklist/menu of interventions that

might work

Expectations in Family Resistant Family

Seeking to find exceptions Seeking to find repeated incidents –

What is wrong with the student

Listening Noticing and Connecting Telling Criticising Disconnect

Student led allow student to lead us

and suggest ideas - Competent

View student as problem laden

Externalise the problem (the problem

is the problem)

Internalise the problem (the person is

the problem)

BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS TECHNIQUES

FIRST SESSION

The hoped for outcome, finding out what they want from their work with you

Obtain a detailed picture of what progress would look like (Their preferred future)

Ask the Miracle question Suppose tomorrow you woke up and a miracle occur during the night while you were asleep and you achieved all that you were hoping for; what would you be doing? What would others notice you doing?

assess along the way the impact of small changes on the family functioning

13

BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS TECHNIQUES:

Follow-Up

What’s been better since we last met – Get to the signs of achievement use a scale

10 Preferred Future

7/8 Good Enough

3 Some Sign of Progress

0

Signs or Steps – What would be a sign that you have reached a 4 on the scale? Or you are a 3 now, what steps would you need to take to reach a 4,

14

BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUS TECHNIQUES:

Follow-Up:

Follow up sessions are about clarifying and amplifying the exceptions to the problem

Visiting pass success – defining the desired state -Outcome

(The backbone of the RTI strategies)

A specific picture is painted

Talk – Rephrase for clarification

Curious about exception

What is the student doing instead of

End sessions with acknowledgement and appreciation and a homework in preparation for your next time together. (e.g. What can you do between now and the next time we meet to move you closer to your goal)

15

SOLUTION FOCUS:-

IT STARTS WITH A QUESTION

SUPPORTIVE &CHALLENGING

HIGHLIGHTS INSTANCES OF SUCCESS

EMPOWERMENT PROCESS

USING POSITIVE WORDS TO TALK ABOUT PEOPLE

STRENGTH BASED

CIRCULAR QUESTIONS

EMERSE YOURSELF IN SOLUTION FOCUS PRACTICE TO FEEL IT

IT IS IMPORTANT TO STAY SOLUTION FOCUSED NOT SOLUTION FORCED

16

SFBT AND SSW SERVICES THE LINK TO PRODUCING

MEASURABLE OUTCOMES

17

SFBTPortable

Adaptable to IEP Goals

Strength Based

Client Centered

Work in a positive

way with students

Can be brief or as

Long as you want

Observable Positive

change

Empowering

Respectful

SSW ServicesMeasurable impact on Student’s

Achievements

Increased Student Attendance

Cultural Competence

LINK

STUDENT

SOLUTION FOCUS AREAS OF

SERVICE

PRACTICE

SUPERVISION

LEADERSHIP

CONSULTANT

18

REFERENCE

Metcalf, L(2000) Solution Focused RTI:- A Positive Personalized Approach to Response to Intervention (1st

ed.) San Francisco, CA; Jossey-Bass

Seagram, B.M.C.(1997) The Efficacy of Solution Focused Therapy With Young Offenders Unpublished Dissertation York University (Canada)

Selekman, M (2005) Pathways to Change (2nd ed.) New York, Guilford

19