Interviewing for Solutions

by De Jong, Peter; Kim Berg, Insoo

• ISBN13: 9780534584733
• ISBN10: 053458473X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-06-27
• Publisher: Brooks Cole

Summary

1. From Problem Solving to Solution Building. 2. Solution Building: The Basics. 3. Skills for Not Knowing. 4. Getting Started: How to Pay Attention to What the Client Wants. 5. How to Amplify What Clients Want: The Miracle Question. 6. Exploring for Exceptions: Building on Client Strengths and Successes. 7. Formulating Feedback for Clients. 8. Later Sessions: Finding, Amplifying, and Measuring Client Progress. 9. Interviewing the Involuntary: Children, Dyads, and Mandated Clients. 10. Interviewing in Crisis Situations. 11. Outcomes. 12. Professional Values and Human Diversity. 13. Agency, Group, and Community Practice. 14. Theoretical Implications. References. Appendix.

Table of Contents

From Problem Solving to Solution Building	1	(12)
Helping as Problem Solving	5	(3)
The Stages of Problem Solving	5	(1)
A Caveat: The Importance of Trust Development	6	(1)
The Medical Model	6	(1)
Problem Solving: The Paradigm of the Helping Professions	6	(2)
Helping as Solution Building	8	(5)
Concerns about the Problem-Solving Paradigm	8	(3)
History of Solution Building	11	(2)
Solution Building: The Basics	13	(7)
A Second Interview with Rosie	13	(3)
Solution-Building Interviewing Activities	16	(1)
The Stages of Solution Building	17	(1)
Describing the Problem	17	(1)
Developing Well-Formed Goals	18	(1)
Exploring for Exceptions	18	(1)
End of Session Feedback	18	(1)
Evaluating Client Progress	18	(1)
The Client as Expert	18	(2)
Skills for Not Knowing	20	(32)
Basic Interviewing Skills	21	(29)
Listening	21	(1)
Formulating Questions	22	(2)
Getting Details	24	(1)
Echoing Clients' Key Words	25	(1)
Open Questions	26	(1)
Summarizing	27	(2)
Paraphrasing	29	(1)
Practitioners' Nonverbal Behavior	29	(1)
The Use of Silence	30	(1)
Noticing Clients' Nonverbal Behavior	31	(1)
Self-Disclosing	32	(1)
Noticing Process	33	(1)
Complimenting	34	(2)
Affirming Clients' Perceptions	36	(3)
Natural Empathy	39	(2)
Normalizing	41	(2)
Returning the Focus to the Client	43	(1)
Noticing Hints of Possibility	44	(2)
Exploring Client Meanings	46	(1)
Relationship Questions	47	(1)
Amplifying Solution Talk	48	(2)
Leading from One Step Behind	50	(2)
Getting Started: How to Pay Attention to What the Client Wants	52	(24)
When You First Meet Your Client	52	(3)
Names and Small Talk	52	(2)
Clarifying How You Work	54	(1)
Problem Description	55	(3)
Asking for Client Perceptions and Respecting Client Language	55	(1)
How Does the Problem Affect the Client?	56	(1)
What Has the Client Tried?	57	(1)
What Is Most Important for the Client to Work on First?	58	(1)
How to Work with Clients on What They Might Want	58	(14)
Customer-Type Relationship	59	(1)
A Word of Caution	60	(1)
Complainant-Type Relationship	60	(3)
Visitor-Type Relationship	63	(8)
What If Clients Want What Is Not Good for Them?	71	(1)
What if Clients Do Not Want Anything at All?	71	(1)
Influencing Client Cooperation and Motivation	72	(4)
How to Amplify What Clients Want: The Miracle Question	76	(27)
Characteristics of Well-Formed Goals	78	(6)
Importance to the Client	78	(1)
Interactional Terms	79	(1)
Situational Features	79	(1)
The Presence of Some Desirable Behaviors Rather than the Absence of Problems	80	(1)
A Beginning Step Rather than the Final Result	81	(1)
Clients' Recognition of a Role for Themselves	82	(1)
Concrete, Behavioral, Measurable Terms	82	(1)
Realistic Terms	83	(1)
A Challenge to the Client	83	(1)
Conclusion	84	(1)
The Miracle Question	84	(19)
Ah Yan's Miracle Picture	86	(4)
The Williams Family	90	(11)
The Art of Interviewing for Well-Formed Goals	101	(1)
Avoiding Premature Closure	102	(1)
Exploring for Exceptions: Building on Client Strengths and Successes	103	(13)
Exceptions	104	(4)
Definition	104	(1)
Interviewing for Exceptions	104	(1)
Ah Yan's Exceptions	105	(1)
Client Successes and Strengths	106	(1)
Respecting the Client's Words and Frame of Reference	107	(1)
Scaling Questions	108	(3)
Prosession-Change Scaling	108	(2)
Scaling Motivation and Confidence	110	(1)
Exceptions: The Williams Family	111	(3)
Building toward a Difference that Makes a Difference	114	(2)
Formulating Feedback for Clients	116	(25)
Taking a Break	117	(1)
The Structure of Feedback	117	(2)
Compliments	118	(1)
The Bridge	118	(1)
Tasks	119	(1)
Deciding on a Task	119	(2)
Are There Well-Formed Goals?	119	(1)
What Is the Client-Practitioner Relationship?	120	(1)
Are There Exceptions?	121	(1)
Feedback for Ah Yan	121	(2)
Feedback for the Williams Family	123	(5)
Feedback Guidelines	128	(1)
Common Messages	128	(8)
Client in a Visitor Relationship	129	(1)
Client in a Complainant Relationship	129	(3)
Client in a Customer Relationship	132	(4)
Other Useful Messages	136	(2)
The Overcoming-the-Urge Task	136	(1)
Addressing Competing Views of the Solution	136	(2)
Decisions about the Next Session	138	(1)
Cribsheets, Protocols, and Notetaking	139	(2)
Later Sessions: Finding, Amplifying, and Measuring Client Progress	141	(32)
``What's Better?''	142	(8)
EARS	143	(1)
Ah Yan	144	(6)
Doing More of the Same	150	(1)
Scaling	151	(1)
Scaling Progress	151	(1)
Scaling Confidence	151	(1)
Next Steps	152	(4)
Termination	156	(2)
The Break	158	(1)
Feedback	159	(1)
Compliments	159	(1)
Bridge	160	(1)
Task	160	(1)
The Second Session with the Williams Family	160	(11)
``What's Better?''	160	(8)
Break	168	(1)
Feedback	168	(2)
Bridge	170	(1)
Task	170	(1)
Setbacks, Relapses, and Times When Nothing Is Better	171	(1)
Conclusion	172	(1)
Interviewing the Involuntary: Children, Dyads, and Mandated Clients	173	(44)
Taking a Solution Focus	175	(1)
Key Ideas for Solution Building with Involuntary Clients	175	(4)
Assume a Visiting Relationship	176	(1)
Responding to Anger and Negativity	176	(1)
Listen for Who and What Are Important	177	(1)
Use Relationship Questions to Address Context	177	(1)
Incorporating Nonnegotiable Requirements	178	(1)
Giving Control to Clients	178	(1)
Guidelines, Useful Questions, and a Protocol for Interviewing Involuntary Clients	179	(1)
Building Solutions with Children	179	(13)
Children as Involuntary Clients	180	(1)
Getting Prepared to Meet a Child	180	(1)
Getting Started with Positives	181	(1)
Englisting Adults as Allies	182	(1)
Getting the Child's Perceptions	183	(4)
Other Tips for Interviewing Children	187	(5)
Interviewing Dyads	192	(13)
Focus on the Relationship	192	(1)
Getting Started	193	(2)
Work toward a Common Goal	195	(8)
Other Tips	203	(2)
Conclusion	205	(1)
Working with Mandated Clients	205	(11)
Getting Started	205	(4)
Getting More Details about the Client's Understandings and What the Client Wants	209	(1)
Asking about Context with Relationship Questions	210	(2)
Coconstructing Competence	212	(2)
Back on Familiar Ground	214	(1)
What about Making Recommendations that the Client Opposes?	214	(2)
Final Word	216	(1)
Interviewing in Crisis Situations	217	(22)
Solution Focus versus Problem Focus	218	(1)
Getting Started: ``How Can I Help?''	219	(1)
``What Have You Tried?''	220	(1)
``What Do You Want to Have Different?''	220	(4)
Asking the Miracle Question	223	(1)
Coping Questions	224	(7)
The Case of Jermaine	224	(1)
Coping Exploration	225	(2)
Connecting with the Larger Picture	227	(1)
Using Coping Questions with Clients Who Talk Suicide	227	(4)
Scaling Questions	231	(2)
Scaling Current Coping Ability	231	(1)
Scaling Presession Coping Changes	232	(1)
Scaling the Next Step	232	(1)
Scaling Motivation and Confidence	233	(1)
Feedback: Doing More of What Helps	233	(1)
Gathering Problem-Assessment Information	234	(3)
When the Client Remains Overwhelmed	237	(1)
Conclusion	237	(2)
Outcomes	239	(9)
Early Research at Brief Family Therapy Center	240	(2)
1992--1993 Study Design	240	(1)
Participants	240	(1)
Outcome Measurement	241	(1)
Results	242	(2)
Length of Services	242	(1)
Intermediate Outcomes	242	(1)
Final Outcomes	243	(1)
Comparative Data	244	(1)
Other Studies of Solution-Focused Therapy	245	(3)
Professional Values and Human Diversity	248	(15)
Solution Building and Professional Values	249	(7)
Respecting Human Dignity	249	(1)
Individualizing Service	250	(1)
Fostering Client Vision	251	(1)
Building on Strengths	252	(1)
Encouraging Client Participation	252	(1)
Maximizing Self-Determination	252	(1)
Fostering Transferability	253	(1)
Maximizing Client Empowerment	254	(1)
Protecting Confidentiality	254	(1)
Promoting Normalization	255	(1)
Monitoring Change	256	(1)
Conclusion	256	(1)
Diversity-Competent Practice	256	(7)
Outcome Data on Diversity	258	(3)
Diversity and Satisfaction with Services	261	(2)
Agency, Group, and Community Practice	263	(12)
Solution Building and Agency Practice	263	(7)
Recordkeeping	263	(4)
Relationships with Collaterals	267	(1)
Relationships with Collaterals	268	(2)
Group and Organizational Practice	270	(5)
Group Practice	270	(3)
Organizational Applications	273	(2)
Theoretical Implications	275	(12)
Shifts in Client Perceptions and Definitions	276	(2)
Social Constructionism	278	(2)
Shifting Paradigms	280	(3)
Outcome Data	280	(3)
Shifting Perceptions and Definitions as a Client Strength	283	(4)
Appendix: Solution-Building Tools	287	(25)
References	312	(6)
Index	318