Family Solutions Center
Jamestown Public Schools
Helping Families help
themselves to a brighter
future.
Presenters:
Mike McElrath
Judy Gustafson
Thom Wright
Family Solutions Center
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A grant funded service delivering short-term
coaching to families in the Jamestown
District
Uses a team approach to help families
realize change using their strengths and
abilities.
Fills a gap between school interventions and
outpatient treatment
A fundamental approach is easily transferred
to other school based interactions.
Jamestown Public Schools
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Small Urban District serving 5,200 students in
ten buildings.
65% Reduced/Free Lunch at Elementary
19% Minority Population
20 School Counselors
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8 at the one high school 9-12
2 at each of the three middle schools 5-8
1 at each of the six elementary schools Prek-4
Class of 2005 Self Report
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78% Planned on attending college
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4% Planned on joining the military
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11% Planned on joining the workforce
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8% Did not graduate
N=318
Class of 2005 - Cohort View
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403 students upon entering 9th grade in 2001
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318 students finished in four years
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Actual non-completers 22% or 85 students
from class of 2005
FSC and SFBT
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FSC - Family Solutions Center
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SFBT - Solution Focused Brief Therapy
Why FSC?
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Gap in Services
Levels of Severity
New and Alternative Approach
School Day Limitations
Typical outpatient “medical” approach not
always the right fit for families.
FSC Timeline
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Initial Interest in SFBT
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Site Visits (2003 and 2004)
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Full Day Workshop SFBT Fall 2004
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Extended Observations 2004 - 05
FSC Timeline
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Grant Dollars Released - Summer 2005 ($27,000)
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September 2005 – Form Advisory Group
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Secure Training Dates for Fall 2005
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Continues with Advisory Group - Physical
Components and Process Considerations
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Center Opens - Late November 2005
Expenditures
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Professional Salaries
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Support Salaries
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Purchased Services
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Supplies
Supervisor’s Reflections
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Supporting Counselor Interest
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Value of the Model
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Attention to Detail
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Data for Future Support
Solution Focused Brief Therapy
Applications for School Settings
Brief Therapy Background
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Steven deShazer and Insoo Kim Berg developed
SFBT at the Brief Family Therapy Center (BFTC) in
Milwaukee, WI.
deShazer was interested in simplicity, respect for the
client, and solution building.
It drew from work that regarded problems as blocked
resources and capacities.
Originally it was not intended to be brief, but was
found to be time-limited when used.
Shifts in Thinking of SFBT Approach
FROM:
 Medical model----
(diagnosis/treatment)
 Limitations--------
 Problems----------
 Past ---------------
TO:
 Client as expert on
own problems
 Strengths
 Solutions
 Future
Contribution to Client Change
Common Factors Research
Miller, Duncan & Hubble (1997)
15%
40%
15%
Client Factors
Relationship
Hope & Expectancy
Technique
30%
Factors that Enhance Client Change
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Client Factors (40%)
personal strengths, talents, resources, beliefs, social supports
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Relationship Factors (30%)
empathy, warmth, acceptance, respect, joining with client
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Hope and Expectancy Factors (15%)
hope, motivation, and expectations that change is possible
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Model or Technique Factors (15%)
theoretical orientation and intervention techniques employed
Lambert (1992)
Assumptions Regarding Problems
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Having a problem does not mean having pathology
that needs a cure.
Problems are not necessarily caused by negative
past experiences, underlying disturbances, or other
problems.
Solving a problem does not always require knowing
what it is or why it occurs.
Talking about problems and thinking of them as ever
present maintains them and causes the individual to
view him/herself as disabled.
Assumptions Regarding Solutions
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When a client envisions how they want life to be different,
solutions can be found.
Solutions involve recognizing what works and doing more of
it.
They involve seeing and doing less of what doesn’t work and
doing something different.
There are always exceptions when the problem is less
troublesome or does not occur – the solution is already
happening.
Rapid personal change is possible. Small changes create the
impetus for further change and can lead to a whole new
pattern (notice what is better).
Most Important Elements of SFBT
Steve deShazer (1994)
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Respecting clients “If the choice is between the therapist or
the client being stupid, it should be the therapist.”
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They are not damaged or inferior.
They want change.
They want to be regarded as competent.
They want personal control
Taking clients seriously
“If the therapist’s goals and the
client’s goals are different, the therapist is wrong.”
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They are doing their best.
They are experts on their problem.
They should be listened to and allowed to define their own goals and
solutions.
Their judgments about what works for them should be paid attention to.
Areas of Conversation in SFBT
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Verbalizing clear and specific descriptions of
GOALS the client would like to experience as a
result of the conversation.
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Exploration of SOLUTIONS and how those
outcomes can be achieved utilizing the client’s
strengths and resources.
Four Types of SFBT Questions
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Outcome questions
What will be different when the problem is solved?
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Exception questions
Describe some times when the problem was better.
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Scaling questions
Rate where you are on a scale from one to ten.
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Endurance questions
How have you managed to cope with the problem?
Outcome or Goaling Questions
Help client shape their goals into “small, specific, behavioral,
positive, situational, interactional, interpersonal, and realistic terms”
(Miller in Hoyt, 1994)
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What will need to happen for you to say it was a good idea to
come, or to talk to me?
How will you know when the problem is better or solved? What
will be the first or smallest sign? What parts of that are already
happening?
If I had a video camera, what would I see and hear that would
tell me it was solved?
When you are no longer…, what will you be doing instead?
Goals are always stated as the presence, not the absence of
something.
“Crystal Ball Technique” (deShazer)
“Miracle Question” (Insoo Kim Berg)
Exception Questions
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How has the problem improved since the time it was
the worst? (66% report positive pretreatment change
– Hoyt, 1994)
What are some times when the problem was less
troublesome for you or you were managing it better?
What was different about those times, or how were
you different then?
What have you tried that’s been successful?
What would it take to recreate or maintain these
improvements?
Scaling Questions
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How would you rate where you are now, with 1 being the
worst ever and 10 meaning that it’s completely resolved?
(baseline at beginning of conversations)
What tells you that you are at that number?
What will be different (in your life, family…) when you have
moved up on the scale one number? What will it take to
move from where you are to there?
On a 1 to 10 scale, rate how hopeful or confident are you that
you can…?
On a 1 to 10 scale, rate how willing you are to do whatever it
takes to make this outcome happen?
How would you rate where you are right now? (subsequent
sessions)
Endurance Questions
(when things don’t seem to be getting better)
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How do you manage to cope with…?
How do you overcome the urge to…?
How did you know that…would help
you? Where did you learn to do that?
How have you prevented this from
becoming worse?
Seeing how bad things have been, how
come they aren’t worse?
Sample Homework Tasks
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“First Session Formula Task” (deShazer)
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Pay attention to what is happening that you would like to have
continue to happen and report it next time.
Just notice how…is different when you….
Just notice how you are different when….
Try an experiment and see what happens when
you… or try something different.
Try to predict how many times…will occur the next
day.
Write your goals down on paper and figure out which
one you want to work on first.
Considerations for the Application of
SFBT Techniques
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Use social amenities
Introduce what will happen
Listen, acknowledge,
validate, and attend
Form a non-judgmental, inviting
alliance with client
Make the client the expert
Move client from problem talk to
goaling/solution talk
Presuppose change by saying
“when” instead of “if” and “will”
instead of “would”
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Ask what is better at the
beginning of subsequent
sessions
Find out what the client did
to create the change
Reinforce and amplify the
client’s solutions
Help client feel “on track”
Ask them how they will
continue the changes
Let the client determine
when they’re ready to end
therapy
Successful Applications
of SFBT
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Schools
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Students with diagnoses
Academic or social
problems
Parenting groups
Student groups
Consultations
Behavior issues
Family therapy
Couples and marriage
therapy
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Adolescents in correctional
facilities
Eating disorders
Domestic abuse
Alcohol abuse
Addictions
Smoking cessation
Grieving
Professional Supervision
Ask Yourself the “Miracle Question”
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Say you go home and go to sleep tonight and while
you are sleeping a miracle occurs.
When you wake up tomorrow, your problem has
completely disappeared.
What will be the first thing you notice that is different?
Who will be the first to notice and what will they see
that is different?
What little piece of your miracle is already
happening?
Specifics to our Family Solutions
Center
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Physical setting
Procedures
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What the client experiences
Outcome and Session Scales
Data
The physical components of the FSC
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Centrally located in District
Comfortable and private area for session room and
observation team
AV equipment obtained “in house”
Privacy considerations
Procedures/Paperwork
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Borrowed heavily from other centers
Created forms, brochures and logs “in-house”
Set up policies and procedures as far as:
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How to access appointments, cancellations
Consent for involvement, taping, and sharing
information with school or referral source
Client handouts to help explain the process
Marketing materials (brochure)
Session logs
Rating scales (using SRS© and ORS©)
Marketing/Referrals
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FSC staff main source of referrals
District’s principals,counselors, nurses and
truant office
Mailings to local helping agencies,
pediatricians offices, community groups
Client word of mouth
Booking appointments
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One staff member handles the scheduling
and “phone orientation”
staff scheduling
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No shows
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reminder calls, remain invitational + grateful towards families
Staggered appointment times
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In house email to alert staff of schedule for the week
Staff,family pairing accommodated
allows time for meet and greet, paperwork and privacy
Staff supervision
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Already exists in the programs layout, very positive staff
reactions
What clients can expect during
initial meeting
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Greeted at door,escorted to meeting room
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Review specifics of model
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Discuss team format, video camera, informed consent,
confidentiality, paperwork & scales
Process explained
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Helps put families at ease,sets relaxed tone
40 min. talk, 5-7 min break, 10 minute follow up
(compliments and feedback)
Session begins with some variation of…
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What brings you in today?
How do you want things to change?
End session with compliments, feedback, homework
Follow up letter
Follow up sessions
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Greeted at the door
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escorted to “waiting room”
complete outcome scale
Move to meeting room
Begin session with
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What’s better?
What changes have you noticed? How did you make that happen?
If negative, How did you manage to deal with that?
Presenting Issues and Concerns
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Adolescent “attitude”
School problems
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behavior, attendance, grades
Parent/child conflicts
Parenting style struggles
Blended family concerns
Common Diagnosis's
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ADHD, Bipolar, Major Depression, PTSD, Anxiety,
Separation Anxiety,ODD, PDD
Outcome & Session scales
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Completed at the beginning (outcome) and
end (session) of each appointment
Four items to rate, a subjective scale that
extracts the client’s view of themselves.
Allows for “course correction” or possibly
determining if the “relationship is meeting the
needs of the client”
Outcome Scale
Individually
Session Scale
Relationship
Personal well-being
Interpersonally
Family, close relationships
Goals and topics
Socially
Work,school,friendships
Approach or method
Overall
General sense of well-being
Overall
Outcome Scales
Carole ORS
Monte ORS
12
10
9
10
8
7
8
Individually
Interpersonally
6
Socially
Overall
4
Individually
6
Interpersonally
5
Socially
4
Overall
3
2
2
1
3/9/06
2/23/06
2/9/06
1/26/06
1/12/06
12/29/05
12/15/05
3/9/06
2/23/06
2/9/06
1/26/06
1/12/06
12/29/05
12/15/05
12/1/05
12/1/05
0
0
Staff/Hours/Clients
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8 members on the “coaching” staff
Sessions are held 4-8pm Tuesdays and
Thursdays
In 6 months of operating
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22 families involved
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3 had only first session
9 had less than 4 sessions
10 had 4 or more sessions
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5 from elementary
11 from middle school
6 from high school
Future Considerations
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Hours of operation
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Staff training
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Client and staff availability
Increasing size of team
Become a “training center for grad students”
Procedural updates
Factors that enhance “counseling”
outcomes
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Client factors- 40%, personal strengths,
talents, resources, beliefs, social supports
Relationship factors- 30%, empathy,
acceptance, warmth, joining with client
Expectancy factors- 15%, hope, motivation
and expectations for change
Model/technique factors- 15%, theoretical
orientation and intervention techniques
employed by the therapist
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Lambert, 1992
What it all boils down to
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Directing the conversation to how they want
to have things be, rather than how they are.
Talking about how to expand those moments
when the problem is not occurring.
Maintaining a positive “reframing” attitude
Moving the conversation from complaining to
planning.
Sources of Information
www.talkingcure.com Duncan,Miller
www.brief-therapy.org Insoo Kim Berg
www.lsnlifecoaching.com
www.brieftherapynetwork.com
Email
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Key characteristics of the approach
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Clients have resources and strengths to
resolve their complaints
Change is constant
The “counseling” is to help identify and
amplify the change
Don’t need to know much about the
complaint, in order to resolve it.
Not necessary to know cause, function or
history of the complaint to resolve it.
A small change is all that is necessary
A change in one part of the system can affect
change in another.
Reality is subjective, be with the client.
Solution Focused “Brief therapy”
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Short term therapy
Based on strengths and client’s goals
No long assessments
No diagnosing, pathologizing or blaming of
clients and families
Focuses on what is working and expanding
that to produce more successes.
Begin at clients definition of reality (problem)
and go from there
Common conversation starters
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What brings you in today?
How can we be helpful?
How do you want things to change?
What’s going on that you want to be different?
How is this a problem for you?
What else would be different, about you about them?
When things are different, what will you be doing
then?
What else will be better?
(Presumption of success)
Searching for exceptions
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Look for when the problem is not happening or not as
bad, have them scale to define levels
When was the last time the problem wasn’t taking up
your time.
What have you tried? What worked? Even a little bit.
How did you get yourself to do that?
Goaling questions
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To help client identify their goals
What will they begin to notice as different as
things begin to get better, does any of it
happen now, and if so, how does that
happen. What can they do to make it happen
more.
The goal is always stated as the presence of
something, rather than the absence of
something.
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“I’ll enjoy reading to my kids, I’ll be able to talk
calmly with my husband, rather than I won’t be
depressed.”
Scaling Questions
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On 1-10 where are you in regards to
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Confidence in change, motivated
What tells you that you are a 4
What will you need to see more of to be at
a 4.5 or 5
When you are one point higher, what will
be different in your life, with family, with
friends.
Later sessions
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Start off with presumption of success,
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What’s better, how did you make that
happen, what else is better, what have you
noticed, now that you are doing…, what
else do you notice, reinforce effort, do
more of what is working,
If nothing is better, how are you managing,
keeping it from getting worse?, how did
you get yourself to … despite…
Why the FSC?
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Identified a need in the community
Family struggles not quite severe enough for
referral to mental health agency
Issues that may not have been rectified by
conventional counseling approaches
The limitations of school day family
interventions
Typical outpatient “medical” approach not
always the right fit for families.
FSC Development Timeline
2003
Initial interest by staff from a grad class in SFBT.
2004
Planned site visits during in-service for multiple staff members
3-04
Full Day Workshop SFBT
2005
Additional site visits by interested staff
2005
Grant dollars released making the FSC a possibility
9-05
Formed advisory group
10-05
Department-wide elective training for 2 and 1/2 days
11-05
Developed FSC staff team from those who trained and
expressed an interest
Opened Center
11-05
Considerations
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Physical Needs
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Location
Furnishings
Equipment
Paperwork
Process Considerations
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Participation
Communication
Payment Structure
Marketing
Referrals