Solution-focused Groupwork

by John Sharry

• ISBN13: 9781412929851
• ISBN10: 1412929857
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-11-08
• Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd

Summary

'Solution-Focused Groupwork (2001) was a major contribution to the literature on groupwork. It has been one of this author's most influential books. The Second Edition contains much new material including the uses of 'problem talk', an activity normally avoided by solution-focused therapists. Preparation for groups, client motivation and collaboration are all explored in detail. The role of (or necessity for?) social time to be built into the therapy model is an interesting and novel idea. Suggestions are made for client evaluation and for creative exercises to enhance the group process. All in all, the result is a valuable and readable new edition' - Dr Alasdair J Macdonald 'John Sharry has drawn on a combination of extensive experience in running groups and a thorough understanding of current developments to produce an inspiring and practical guide to this powerful way of helping people to change. I have recommended the first edition many times and have been sharing the good news of this new edition ever since I knew it was under way' - John Wheeler MA, UKCP Registered Family Therapist, Social Worker and Independent Trainer. 'Sharry's book offers a persuasive alternative to traditional methods of group practice. The new edition enhances the applicability of an already major contribution to solution-focused practice. It is obviously written from a real practitioner who understands the process and elements of group work. He offers excellent case material throughout to help demonstrated the skills and values of this approach and does so in a readable and engaging manner suitable for students and professionals at all levels of expertise' - Professor Robert Blundo, Ph.D., LCSW, Strengths Collaborative, Department of Social Work, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC. U.S.A. Solution-Focused Groupwork, Second Edition is a highly practical guide for all professionals who use groups to help people. For those new to the solution-focused approach it provides a clear, step-by-step introduction, while for more experienced practitioners it presents ideas and techniques which can be readily integrated into existing practice. Using carefully selected case studies, John Sharry takes readers through the various stages in the therapeutic process, from getting started to the final session. He also provides: " creative exercises for use in practice, " guidance on evaluating the outcomes of group work and " a new model for group supervision. A real strength of the book is in showing practitioners how to create a constructive, positive and solution-focused group culture and how to maintain this culture in spite of the challenges, tensions and difficulties that naturally arise within groups. John Sharry is a Principal Social Worker in the Department of Child and Family Psychiatry, Mater Hospital, and part-time Director of the Brief Therapy Group (Private Practice and Consultancy).

Author Biography

John Sharry is a Principal Social Worker in the Department of Child and Family Psychiatry, Mater Hospital, and part-time Director of the Brief Theraphy Group (Private Practice and Consultancy)

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. viii
Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgements	p. xiii
Basics and Background	p. 1
Groupwork and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy	p. 3
The Principles of Solution-Focused Groupwork	p. 20
The Dynamics of Solution-Focused Groups	p. 48
The Lifecycle of Solution-Focused Groups	p. 71
Designing a Solution-Focused Group	p. 73
Engaging and Motivating Clients to Attend	p. 90
The Stages of Solution-Focused Groupwork	p. 108
Managing Process - Keeping Groups Solution-Focused	p. 129
Evaluating Groups: Ensuring They Remain on Target	p. 131
Managing 'Difficult' Groups	p. 147
Creative Exercises to Enhance Group Process	p. 165
Group Supervision - A Solution-Focused Reflecting Team Model	p. 178
References	p. 188
Index	p. 196
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