Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Its Effective Use in Agency Settings chronicles the lessons learned when a substance abuse counseling program switches its theoretical orientation from problem-focused to solution-focused. The book details the technical aspects of the changeover (theory, techniques, interventions, politics, and team design) as well as the personal struggles the team endured and the successes they enjoyed. The book demonstrates how solution-focused therapy can be applied to both clinical and administrative work while addressing questions and concerns, providing general information and help in understanding the subtleties and idiosyncrasies of the treatment.

• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Why Change an Entire Agency's Focus to Solution-Focused Therapy?
• What to Expect from This Book
• Chapter 1. The Solution-Focused Basics
• Solution-Focused Therapy Basics
• The Miracle Question
• Exception Questions
• A Brief History of Scaling
• Scaling Questions
• Difference Questions
• Relationship Questions
• Compliments As Interventions
• The Rewards of Becoming Solution Focused
• Summary
• Chapter 2. Individual Session Road Map
• Chips on Their Shoulders
• Individual Session Map
• Summary
• Chapter 3. Solution-Focused Groups
• The Effects of Clients' Past Problem-Oriented Group Experiences
• Group Session Map
• The Importance of Cotherapy in Groups
• Summary
• Chapter 4. Many Miracles: Adaptations and Applications of the Miracle Question
• Beware of the Perils of Problem Solving
• Principles Behind the Miracle Question
• Applying the Miracle Question Elements
• Summary
• Chapter 5. Sustaining the Miracle
• Changing the Focus
• Emergency Roadside Repair Kit
• Relapse Prevention with Reluctant Clients
• When to Use the Emergency Roadside Repair Kit
• Summary
• Chapter 6. This Is Stupid, I Don't Need This, and I Don't Want to Be Here: Working with Adolescents
• The Paradoxical Population
• Challenging Our Old Assumptions About Adolescents
• Limit Setting and the Solution-Focused Approach
• Relational Questions with Adolescents
• Relational Questions As a Way to Work with Families
• Scaling and Therapeutic Analogies to Kindle Hope
• Working with Younger Children
• Summary
• Chapter 7. The Art of Speaking French: Interagency Diplomacy
• Working with Other Professionals
• Solution-Focused Case Management
• Identifying Evidence of a Client's Potential for Success
• Solution-Focused Treatment Plans
• Termination
• How Client Charts Can be Helpful to Solution-Focused Therapists
• Viewing Governing Agencies As Clients
• Summary
• Chapter 8. Solution-Focused Supervision: Leading from One Step Behind
• Why Do Solution-Focused Supervision?
• Adapting Solution-Focused Skills to a Supervisory Context
• The Practical Structure of Solution-Focused Supervision
• Principles for Initiating Solution-Focused Supervision in an Established Agency
• Getting Staff to Stay
• Summary
• Chapter 9. Maintaining the Team's Miracle: Observations from Our Solution-Focused Team
• The Impact of Our Supervision
• Team Norms
• Maintaining the Team Miracle
• Summary
• Chapter 10. Case Examples of Clients Who Changed Their Lives and Our Way of Working
• A Case of Quiet Rebellion
• Jim
• Tracy
• Julie
• Connie
• Kerry
• Elaine
• Summary
• Epilogue: The Parable of the Nomads
• Appendix. Reflections from Our Solution-Focused Treatment Team
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Index