Living a Wonderful Life: A Conversation With Yvonne Dolan

Abstract

The effective treatment of sexual abuse and trauma remains a challenging endeavour for most therapists. Yvonne Dolan has broken from a traditional approach to working with people who have experienced the effects of abuse or trauma and utilizes an Eriksonian and solution-focused approach. Her approach is controversial among traditional therapists. The following conversation took place following a two-day workshop entitled: “Living a Wonderful Life: Moving Beyond a Survivor Identity.” Dolan suggests that a solution-focused approach can provide an antidote to the pervasive despair and sense of hopelessness often experienced by these clients. It allows them to begin to overcome their foreshortened sense of future and consider a time in the future in which they would live a healthy and satisfying life. The quality of her work reaches beyond the mechanistic and formulaic use of technique. Dolan employs a “soulful” approach which is characterized by her gentle and patient style. This conversation explores areas such as the connection of a solution-focused approach to the larger social context, the role of ethics and compassion, and the personal motivation that brought Yvonne Dolan to this work.