Solution Focused Coaching

Coaching:

Is largely unregulated in the United States (voluntary credentialling )

Has different theoretical understandings, but SFBT therapists have been particularly drawn to it

Focuses on specific goals

What it is not: Therapy

Watch potential for danger - as a medical professional would see it- so some knowledge of diagnosis needed

Watch relationship to another person focus especially if unlicensed in practice act states - relationship to task is usual differentiation

What it is not: teaching or advice

giving Watch introduction of new behavior or skills - ask about spontaneous exceptions first, hedge what you do offer

What it is not: Mentoring

Watch self disclosure

Watch teaching

Avoid dual relationships

What works best

Specific task or goal

Relationship is to task

Collaborative approach

Defined desired outcome

Techniques which directly translate :

Goal setting

Visualizing the goal or thickening the description

Scaling

Noting exceptions

Homework

Techniques to use with caution:

Miracle question

Genogram

Expanding the system

These are all great techniques, but if you completely lose task focus, you may encounter legal or ethical difficulties

New Techniques:

Giving information - from multiple perspectives, without attachment

Developing step by step strategies

A Mini Example • 17 year old in alternative to suspension program for cursing teacher

• Catalyst was learning music program had been cut

• Deceased father was jazz musician; 17 year old has strong interest

• Outcomes: Mother and 17 year old worked together as team to apply him to music magnet program ( one of several options we brainstormed with them), and to produce multiple mutually exciting college plans

• Referral to family therapy at their request for grief issues

It would have been wrong (in my view):

To ignore request for family therapy and desire to talk about grief issues

Or to ignore immediate need to give 17 year old educational options and mother hope for future

In this case, dividing line between coaching and therapy relatively clear

Mother referred to her son's "advocate" and to her own desire for a "therapist"

In this case, two locations and two teams - but can be two stages of work with one person

Techniques: Relatively high level of transparency has led to use of acronyms (to follow)

Journals often kept between sessions

Brainstorming time may include resources given by coach - again, without investment, with appropriate but not excessive guidance (e.g. Website or phone number or time interpreter available)

OSKAR:

Outcome (desired) Scaling

Know-how and ResourcesAffirm and Commit to Action

Review

(Jackson & McKergow, 2007)

EARS:

Elicit positive changes

Amplify (may include resources)

Reinforce

Start again

(Berg & Szabo, 2005)

ROPE:Recall at least three times when you were the person you want to be

Organize your memories - what do these times have in common?

Present and future - what can you do now that is like that? What can you do in the future that is like that but more? (Resources)

Expand on these goals - tell others about them

(Systemic Change in Schools, 2012- note use of second person voice, also used as reflective journaling task)

It is very important:

To contract clearly

To cover issues of confidentiality

To cover issues of access (cell phone etc.)

To cover issues of payment (by the hour or by the application, or by the project - avoid guarantees)

Certification Most prevalent: As independent educational consultant (special needs or college coach)

www.iecaonline.com for credentialling; www.nacanet.org for networking alone

50 visits; 35 students advised; master's; 3 years experience for full certification (IECA)

Associate and student membership

But who hires a college coach?

26 percent of parents with a high achieving high school aged child (defined as 1150 on the SAT and above) (Newsweek September 2010)

160,000 in 2009 (NYT 2/29/2012)

Rapid growth projected

Consider also parents with lower achieving and special needs children, and adults returning to school or graduate school

Career Coach

www.ncda.org

Masters degree - apply through ACA

Extra credentials for licensed therapists and for experience

Also welcomes college counselors

Life Coach? www.ccpcprofessionals.com - in Canada - solution focused coach

www.coachfederation.org - either graduate from ICF accredited program or submit portfolio including videotape - experience first

Buyer beware: many sites sell expensive training programs disguised as credentials; also, this is most "suspect"area due to similarity to therapy

Most accepted when practiced by licensed therapist

Future Directions Health and wellness coaches - Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School (www.instituteofcoaching.org) - interest only requirement

Image consultants - www.aici.org - exam including color theory and fashion history

Business coach - www.wabccoaches.com - usually business degree required

Executive and leadership coaches - moving into life coach type area - see www.coachfederation.org

For general SFBT practitioner training, see www.sfbta.org

And?

Opportunity and also Warning

Psychology Today listing experience - certificate alone

Reminiscent of early family therapy days

Opportunity to sidestep the medical model and to some extent diagnosis; opportunity to side step state regulation ( for a while, and that comes with dangers)

Back to cash practice and away from insurance

Interesting addition to practice

Motivational Interviewing

W.R. Miller, behavioral psychologist interested in problem drinking

Analyzed more successful therapists in program

Focus on goals and reinforcement of change talk - less focus than SFBT on interactional context and on spontaneous exceptions

Evidence based, in wide use in mandated contexts

Appreciative Inquiry: Coaching for a whole

organization www.appreciativeinquiry.case.edu

Affirmative topic choice

4 steps: Discovery (correlates with exceptions); Dream (correlates with expansions or miracle); Design (how can organization do more of what is working); Destiny (formerly delivery)

www.ovation.net to contact David Cooperrider