Peter De Jong

Solution-Building Conversations: Co-Constructing a Sense of Competence with Clients

The authors examine the social constructionist nature of solution-focused therapy. The therapys components are illustrated through the presentation of a first-session conversation between Insoo Kim Berg as therapist and a 19-year-old mother, who states that she is “stressed out and depressed.” As the conversation develops, the young mothers sense of herself changes and the integration of the therapys components become apparent. Next, existing outcome research is reviewed. Although descriptive in nature and limited in scope, research suggests positive outcomes for diverse clients and presenting problems. Finally, several connections are made between solution-focused procedures and social constructionist theory: the social construction of reality, language as the medium and substance of meaning, client change through the construction of new meanings, the client as expert, taking a collaborative stance, reflexivity, drawing on client strengths, and solutions as co-constructions.

Learning Solution-Focused Interviewing Skills: BSW Student Voices

This article describes the 15-year evolution of a course devoted to teaching solution-focused interviewing skills to BSW students and the role these students played in the courses design. We drew inspiration from the strengths perspective that implies that just as practitioners can learn much about how to practice from clients, social work educators can learn much about how to teach from students. We describe the course, the student input influencing its design, and student response, including a qualitative data set that indicates what students believe contributes most to their learning. The emerging picture of the teaching and learning of interviewing skills is viewed against the backdrop of related research and theory, and the implications for social work education are addressed.