Training In Solution-focused Therapy Research Articles

How Do Child Protection Workers and Teams Change During Solution-Focused Supervision and Training? A Brief Qualitative Report

This paper presents qualitative data on 120 child protection workers in the island of Tenerife, Spain, who participated in solution-focused training and supervision. After 30 hours of training in solution-focused therapy, the workers’ goals and progress during another 30 hours of supervision were recorded on a variation of the “circles of change” technique (Huibers & Visser, 2005). Throughout the process, the majority of the workers’ goals were accomplished, and participants described many changes across three different dimensions: (a) In their direct interaction with families, they started to work in a less paternalistic and more cooperative way, focusing more on shared goals and family resources; (b) within the protection teams, the team mood and atmosphere improved; closer personal bonds developed and more horizontal and transdisciplinary relationships were established; and (c) in the interaction with other workers from larger professional helping systems, coordination and referrals started to focus more on the users’ strengths and goals.

A preliminary analysis of narratives on the impact of training in solution-focused therapy expressed by students having completed a 6-month training course

Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a therapeutic approach utilized in a wide variety of settings. Its roots are in systemic and family therapy, and the emphasis in practice is on helping clients identify what their life will be like when they no longer have their problem, and how close they are to experiencing that situation now. The literature suggests that SFBT is at least as effective as other forms of psychotherapy. This pilot-study explored the impact of a training course in SFBT on the nurses who took part. Interviews were carried out with participants (n= 8) and narrative accounts were analysed and grouped according to emerging themes. Three major themes were perceived; Trust in clients, Positivity and Confidence, and these were supported by interconnected minor themes relating to the eclectic use of the approach, the use of language within the approach, and the application of SFBT in wider life. It is argued that training in SFBT may have a positive impact on the therapeutic and professional role of nurses, and that further studies are required to explore the impact of SFBT training on the professional and cultural identity of nurses.

Clinical Training in Solution-Focused Therapy

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image sizeKey Words: Trainingsolution-focusedsupervision