# 202102211932 Solution Focused Principles and assumptions [[020.300 Solution Focused MOC]] Source: [https://sites.google.com/site/solutionfocusedapproach/5-study-materials/5-principles](https://sites.google.com/site/solutionfocusedapproach/5-study-materials/5-principles) Related notes - [[Assumptions and Practices Within the Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Tradition]] --- Effective questioning is central to the solution-focused approach. As the aim of solution-focused approaches is to facilitate purposeful positive change, questions that are truly effective should have the effect of enhancing motivation, increasing positive affect and self-efficacy for change, as well as helping the client to move closer towards their goals or objectives (Grant, 2012, p. 23). One of the basic assumption concerns the independence of cause and effect, suggesting that solutions are not necessarily linked to the problem (Wehr, 2010). Exploring or analysing the factors that cause or perpetuate a problem does not automatically result in an improvement or alleviation of the problem. Positing a diagnosis is usually considered unimportant in solution-focused interviewing (Bannink, 2006, p. 2). ## Principles concerning solution-focused interviewing is referred by Bannink (2006): - to reach a solution, it is not necessary to analyze problems, but it is necessary to analyze client solutions; - the client is the expert; - the professional is not judgmental of what the client experiences as positive (if it works, don’t fix it); - if something works (better), do more of it; - look for differences that make a difference (describing exceptions to the rule of the problem, which the client often overlooks); - if something does not work, do something else. ## Selekman ten assumptions Selekman (1993) formulated ten assumptions for solution-focused interviewing. The assumptions are pragmatic and provide the professional with a new lens through which to view the client. Bannink (2006, p. 6-12) has added few notes to the assumptions: - Resistance is not a useful concept, it implies that client does not want to change; it is better to approach the client from a position of cooperation than from a position of resistance, power, control. - Cooperation is inevitable, the solution-focused practitioner must adapt to the client’s manner of cooperating; together they dance a “solution-focused tango”–the client leads, and the professional follows. - Change is inevitable, change is a continuous process; stability is an illusion; the question is not whether but when change will occur; also talking about successes in the past, present and future is helpful. - Only a small change is needed, as soon as clients are encouraged to notice and value small changes, they begin to expect further changes and believe in the snowball effect. - Most clients already possess the resources they need in order to change, solution focused-questions to invite clients to tell their success stories: _How did you do that? How did you decide to do that? How did you manage to do that - Problems are unsuccessful attempts to resolve difficulties. - One does not need to know much about the problem in order to solve it, rather it can be examined what the client is doing differently or what is different at those moments when the problem is absent or less of a problem. - The client defines the goal of the treatment, the goal is to look together with the client for the realistic goal. - Reality is defined by the observer, what you want to see is what you get; a solution-focused is a co-author who helps the client rewrite his/her story. - There are many ways of looking at a situation, all equally correct, Emile Chartier, a French philosopher has said that nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one you have. Solution-focused approach focuses not on understanding more and more about the problem as a path to change but rather focuses on understanding more and more about how things will be better once the problem is solved (Smock, McCollum, & Stevenson, 2010). **Suggested reading:** Read more about solution-focused approach from the Walsh, Moss & Fitzgerald (2008) article. An example. Grant (2011) describes three broad themes related to the solution-focused approach and these may well form the core of a tripartite taxonomy for solution-focused coaching. These are: 1)      _Goal-orientation:_ An orientation toward solution construction through the articulating and use of approach goals and active self-regulation. 2)      _Resource Activation:_ A focus on acknowledging, identifying and activating a wide range of personal and contextual resources and personal strengths. 3)   _Problem Disengagement:_ This third theme recognises that a solution-focused approach involves more than goal articulation and resource awareness and utilisation. It also involves an explicit disengagement from presenting problems. It should be noted that although the ability to disengage from a problem is conceptually independent of one’s ability to be orientated towards a solution, problem disengagement is vital for full engagement in the goal pursuit process central to the solution-focused endeavour (Greene & Grant, 2003; Wrosch et al., Schulz, 2003: see Grant, 2011). See Appendix 1. **Suggested reading:** Read more about the process of how to get to the goal from the article of Matto, Corcoran and Fassler (2003).