Beyond Technique in Solution-Focused Therapy Working with Emotions and the Therapeutic Relationship

Solution-focused therapy is often misunderstood to be no more than the techniques it is famous for '¬ ; pragmatic, future-oriented questions that encourage clients to reconceptualize their problems and build on their strengths. Yet when applied in a "one-size-fits-all" manner, these techniques may produce disappointing results and leave clinicians wondering where they have gone wrong. This volume adds a vital dimension to the SFT literature, providing a rich theoretical framework to facilitate nonformulaic clinical decision making. The focus is on how attention to emotional issues, traditionally not emphasized in brief, strengths-based interventions, can help "unstick" difficult situations and pave the way to successful solutions.

Eve Lipchik, MSW, a certified member and approved supervisor of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, cofounded ICF Consultants, Inc., in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1988. Previously, she was a core member of the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee, where she participated in the development of solution-focused therapy. In addition to her private practice, she teaches, consults, and lectures both nationally and internationally. She is the editor of Interviewing and has been published in numerous books and journals, including Psychotherapy Networker, Journal of Systemic Therapies, and Family Process.

Part I. Theory and Practice 1. A Theory of Solution-Focused Therapy 2. The Therapist-Client Relationship 3. Understanding Clients 4. Emotions in Solution-Focused Therapy 5. The Process of Clarifying Goals 6. The Team behind the Mirror and the Consultation Break 7. The Summation Message and the Suggestion Part II. Applications 8. Couple Therapy 9. Family Therapy 10. Working with Involuntary Clients 11. Long-Term Cases 12. The Solution-Focused Approach to Crisis