The therapist's notebook on strengths and solution-based therapies : homework, handouts, and activities

308 Pages·2009·2.887 MB·English

by  Bertolino, Bob, Kiener, Michael, Patterson, Ryan

THE THErapisT’s
noTEbook sTrEngTHs
on
soluTion-basED
anD
THErapiEs

THE THErapisT ’s
noTEbook sTrE ngTHs
on
soluT ion-basED
anD
THErapiEs
Homework, Handouts,
and Activities
BoB Bertolino
MicHAel Kiener
ryAn PAtterson
New York London
Routledge Routledge
Taylor & Francis Group Taylor & Francis Group
270 Madison Avenue 27 Church Road
New York, NY 10016 Hove, East Sussex BN3 2FA
© 2009 by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC
Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
International Standard Book Number: 978-0-415-99415-6 (Paperback)
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Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data
Bertolino, Bob, 1965-
The therapist’s notebook on strengths and solution-based therapies : homework, handouts, and activities / Bob Bertolino,
Michael Kiener, Ryan Patterson.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-415-99415-6 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Solution-focused therapy--Problems, exercises, etc. I. Kiener, Michael. II. Patterson, Ryan. III. Title.
RC489.S65B473 2009
616.89’147--dc22 2008050571
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at
http://www.taylorandfrancis.com
and the Routledge Web site at
http://www.routledgementalhealth.com
To Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg;
two seekers of solutions in life and beyond.
— Bob
To my parents, Cynthia and Jack, all of my efforts are possible
because of your unconditional love and support.
— Michael
To Youth in Need, you are an unceasing source of inspiration to me.
— Ryan

Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction xiii
Expanding the Field: A Brief Background of Strengths and Solution-Based (SSB)
Ideologies xiii
Principles of Strengths and Solution-Based Therapies xiii
The Format of This Book xv
How to Use the Exercises in This Book xvi
We Are Only as Strong as Our Weakest Link: Strengthening the Use of This Book xvii
References xx
SECTIOn I BECOMIng STREngTHS And SOLUTIOn-BASEd: CREATIng A
COnTExT FOR CHAngE
I.1 The Philosophical Inventory: Expanding Awareness and Impact of Beliefs 3
I.2 dismantling Your Status Quo: Challenging Assumptions and gaining
Insight 7
I.3 Creating new Meaning: All Our Actions Are Meaningful 9
I.4 Taking the “ic” Out of the Person: Seeing the Core Within 11
I.5 Composing Your Theoretical Worldview: What I Believe 13
I.6 Me, Myself, and I: Understanding Personal Strengths 16
I.7 How I describe What I do: Examining Personal Theory and Principles of
Change 18
I.8 The Key Is Collaboration: Working “With” Clients 22
I.9 Expectations and next-Pectations: Learning Clients’ Preferences for Therapy 25
I.10 The Body Knows: The Influence of Words 27
I.11 What Are Words For? Terminology as a Pathway of Connection 31
I.12 Individuality, Uniqueness, and Strength: Working With People Who Have a
Long List of Labels 34
I.13 Becoming the Hero of Your Own Story: Changing narratives and Lives
Through a Creative Process 36
SECTIOn II gETTIng FOCUSEd: ExPLORIng STREngTHS And SOLUTIOnS
In InFORMATIOn gATHERIng
II.1 It Is Your Life: Creating Space for the Client’s Story 41
II.2 Hello, My name Is: Meeting Yourself Again 43
II.3 Lowering Walls and Building Bridges: Initial Steps in Creating Collaborative
Relationships 45
vii
viii Contents
II.4 Stone Soup: Acknowledging Strengths, Potential, and Contributions to
Change 47
II.5 Stenographer: I Said What? 50
II.6 What Is the Effect? Exploring the Influences of Problems 53
II.7 What does That Look Like? Translating Ambiguity Through Action-Talk 55
II.8 g-O! Focusing on goals and Outcomes 58
II.9 goals for goal Setting: Charting a Clear Course 63
II.10 From Problem-Talk to Solution-Talk: Creating Possibilities Through
Language 65
II.11 Future Screening: Creating a Vision for the Future 68
II.12 destination Imagination: Envisioning the Future Through Miracles,
dreams, and the Extraterrestrial 71
II.13 I Can See Clearly now: developing a Future Focus 75
II.14 From Here to Where? Service Planning for Change 79
II.15 In Many Ways: Mapping Paths of Change 83
II.16 The Spokes of Life: Cultivating Resources 86
II.17 What Tips the Scale? Weighing the Benefits of Change 91
II.18 Embracing Your State: A Race With Yourself 96
II.19 Matching Up: Creating a Fit Between Therapist and Client 98
II.20 The Filing Cabinet: Categorizing My Favorite Methods 100
II.21 Song for Myself: Celebrating Strength, Capacity, and Individuality 102
SECTIOn III RECOnnECTIOn TO SELF: ExPERIEnCE, AFFECT, And
EMOTIOn
III.1 getting in Touch With Emotion: Hearing What Feelings Have to Say 109
III.2 The Culture of Emotion: Aligning Emotion and Change 111
III.3 Flipping the Switch: Tuning In To Self 113
III.4 “And” now for Something Completely different: The Use of Words to
Build new Connections 115
III.5 In a Moment’s notice: Internalizing the Experience of now 117
III.6 The 360° Self: Integrating Internal Experience and Aspects of Self 119
III.7 Body Over Mind: Settling down Through Abilities 123
III.8 Let It Be: Accepting What Is 125
III.9 Let the Music do the Talking: Sometimes Words Are not Enough 127
III.10 Using Positive Relationships to Enhance Positive Coping Mechanisms: Who
Makes You Feel good? 130
III.11 Finding Meaning With Therapeutic Tattoos: Looking for Strengths in
Unusual Places 132
III.12 The Oasis of the Mind: The Return of Memories Past 134
SECTIOn IV ExPLORIng nEW WORLdS OF POSSIBILITY: CHAngIng
PERSPECTIVES And PERCEPTIOnS
IV.1 Life Pursuits and the Meaning of It All: Why Am I Here? 139
IV.2 The Inner Limits: Interviewing Self for Solutions 143
IV.3 What in the World? noticing Between Session Change 145
IV.4 Pollyanna grows Up: From Positives to Strengths 147
IV.5 The Art of the Frame: Using Reality-defining Language 151
IV.6 Completing the Puzzle of Your Life: Putting the Pieces Together 154
Contents ix
IV.7 My Biography: In Your Own Words 156
IV.8 20,000 to 1: It Takes Only One 158
IV.9 dear diary: What Were My Strengths Today? 161
IV.10 Life Witnesses: Meaningful Connections and Enduring Relationships 163
IV.11 gratitudes: Appreciating Others 166
IV.12 Vantage Point: Multiple Angles, Multiple Solutions 169
IV.13 History Is now: The Wisdom of Others 173
IV.14 The Road Less Traveled: Exploring the Hidden Possibilities during Life’s
Most Challenging Times 176
IV.15 Being the Author of Your Life: Say What You need to Say 178
IV.16 More on Meeting Yourself Again: Living With Yourself 181
SECTIOn V LIVES In MOTIOn: CHAngIng PATTERnS OF ACTIOn And
InTERACTIOn
V.1 getting Off the Hamster Wheel: going Forward With Purpose 185
V.2 Keeping the Momentum: Being Proactive and Enhancing Change 188
V.3 You don’t Say: The “no-Talk” Client 190
V.4 Changing It Up: Altering Problem Patterns 193
V.5 Being a Creature of Habit: Identifying, Establishing, and Maintaining
Rituals 195
V.6 The Economy of Movement: When Smaller Changes Lead to Bigger Ones 198
V.7 decision Making and a Healthy Amount of Worry: Making Stress Your
Friend 202
V.8 From Mountains to Molehills: Taking Things One Step at a Time 204
V.9 Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens: What Are My Favorite
Things? 206
V.10 Replacing Street Behavior: Walking the Fine Line 208
V.11 Taking Stock: Clients Increasing Their Control Over Their Lives 210
V.12 Shuffling the deck: Creating Cards to Create Change 212
SECTIOn VI nARRATIVES OF TRAnSFORMATIOn: CHAngE, PROgRESS,
TRAnSITIOnS, And EndIngS
VI.1 Building Momentum: Extending Change Into the Future 217
VI.2 developing Your Own Take-Home Message: Tell Me What You Think 221
VI.3 Filling the Void: It Can Be Better Than You Thought 223
VI.4 Creating Your Own gPS: A new Map for a new day 225
VI.5 Building the Fire Inside: Sustaining Change in Your Life 227
VI.6 giving Credit to Yourself: A new Look in the Mirror 229
VI.7 The Crossroads of Change: Maintaining new Patterns 231
VI.8 In Honor of You: Incorporating Ritual Into the Transition Process 233
VI.9 Sharing the Credit: Acknowledging the Contributions of Others 236
VI.10 Maintaining the Course: negotiating Future Hurdles 240
VI.11 Coming Soon to a Theater near You: Preparing Clients for Their next
great Adventure 244
VI.12 Spreading the news: Strengthening new Stories 247
VI.13 Where do We go From Here? Using Original goals as Benchmarks for
Charting a Future Course 249