The Therapist's Notebook on Strengths and Solution-Based Therapies ─ Homework, Handouts, and Activities

The Therapist's Notebook on Strengths and Solution-Based Therapies offers multiple pathways for those in helping relationships to employ strengths and solution-based (SSB) principles and practices as a vehicle for promoting positive change with individuals, couples, and families. The 100 exercises in this book are based on a series of core principles that are not only central to solution-based therapies; they have been demonstrated through research as essential to successful outcome. Readers will learn about processes and practices that are supported by research and are collaborative, competency-based, culturally sensitive, client-driven, outcome-informed, and change-oriented. The text is categorized into seven parts, each formatted similarly to ensure easy accessibility. Practitioners will find their therapy enhanced, with a greater ability to improve their clients' well-being, relationships, and social roles.

Bob Bertolino, PhD, is a licensed marital and family therapist and assistant professor of rehabiltation counseling at Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Michael Kiener, PhD, is a certified rehabilitation counselor and action research associate in the Center for Teaching Excellence at Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Ryan Patterson, MSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and director of clinical services at Youth in Need, Inc., in St. Louis, Missouri

Part I: Becoming Strengths and Solution-Based (SSB): Creating a Context for Change. The Philosophical Inventory: Expanding Awareness and Impact of Beliefs. Dismantling Your Status Quo: Challenging Assumptions and Gaining Insight. Creating New Meaning: All Our Actions are Meaningful. Taking the "ic" Out of the Person: Seeing the Core Within. Composing Your Theoretical Worldview: What I Believe. Me, Myself, and I: Understanding Personal Strengths. How I Describe What I Do: Examining Personal Theory and Principles of Change. The Key is Collaboration: Working "with" Clients. Expectations and Next-pectations: Learning Clients’ Preferences for Therapy. The Body Knows: The Influence of Words. What are Words for? Terminology as a Pathway of Connection. Individuality, Uniqueness, and Strength: Working with People Who Have a Long List of Labels. Becoming the Hero of Your Own Story: Changing Narratives and Lives through a Creative Process. Part II: Getting Focused: Exploring Strengths and Solutions in Information-gathering. It’s Your Life: Creating Space for the Client’s Story. Hello, My Name is: Meeting Yourself Again. Lowering Walls and Building Bridges: Initial Steps in Creating Collaborative Relationships. Stone Soup: Acknowledging Strengths, Potential, and Contributions to Change. Stenographer: I Said What?. What’s the Effect? Exploring the Influences of Problems. What Does That Look Like? Translating Ambiguity Through Action-Talk. G-O! Focusing on Goals and Outcomes. Goals for Goal Setting: Charting a Clear Course. From Problem-Talk to Solution-Talk: Creating Possibilities Through Language. Future Screening: Creating a Vision for the Future. Destination Imagination: Envisioning the Future Through Miracles, Dreams, and the Extraterrestrial. I Can See Clearly Now: Developing a Future Focus. From Here to Where? Service Planning for Change. In Many Ways: Mapping Paths of Change. The Spokes of Life: Cultivating Resources. What Tips the Scale? Weighing the Benefits of Change. Embracing Your State: A Race with Yourself. Matching Up: Creating a Fit Between Therapist and Client. The Filing Cabinet: Categorizing My Favorite Methods. Song for Myself: Celebrating Strength, Capacity, and Individuality. Part III: Reconnection to Self: Experience, Affect, and Emotion. Getting in Touch with Emotion: Hearing What Feelings Have to Say. The Culture of Emotion: Aligning Emotion and Change. Flipping the Switch: Tuning into Self. "And" Now for Something Completely Different: The Use of Words to Build New Connections. It’s All Me: Embracing Internal Experience. In a Moment’s Notice: Internalizing the Experience of Now. The 360° Self: Integrating Internal Experience and Aspects of Self. Body Over Mind: Settling Down Through Abilities. Let it Be: Accepting What Is. Let the Music Do the Talking: Sometimes Words Are Not Enough. Using Positive Relationships to Enhance Positive Change: What Makes You Feel Good? Finding Meaning with Therapeutic Tattoos: Looking For Strengths In Unusual Places. The Oasis of the Mind: The Return Of Memories Past. Part IV: Exploring New Worlds of Possibility: Changing Perspectives and Perceptions. Life Pursuits and the Meaning of it All: Why Am I Here? The Inner Limits: Interviewing Self for Solutions. What in the World? Noticing Between Session Change. Pollyanna Grows Up: From Positives to Strengths. The Art of the Frame: Using Reality-Defining Language. Completing the Puzzle of Your Life: Putting the Pieces Together. My Biography: In Your Own Words. 20,000 to 1: It Only Takes One. Dear Diary: What Were My Strengths Today? Life Witnesses: Meaningful Connections and Enduring Relationships. Gratitudes: Appreciating Others. Vantage Point: Multiple Angles, Multiple Solutions. History is Now: The Wisdom of Others. The Road Less Traveled: Exploring the Hidden Possibilities During Life’s Most Challenging Times. Being the Author of Your Life: Say What You Need to Say. More on Meeting Yourself Again: Living with Yourself. Part V: Lives in Motion: Changing Patterns of Action and Interaction. Getting off the Hamster Wheel: Going Forward With Purpose. The Collaborative Counselor: Two Heads are Better Than One. Keeping the Momentum: Being Proactive and Enhancing Change. You Don’t Say: The "No-Talk" Client. Changing It Up: Altering Problem Patterns. Being a Creature of Habit: Identifying, Establishing, and Maintaining Rituals. The Economy of Movement: When Smaller Changes Lead to Bigger Ones. Decision-Making and a Healthy Amount of Worry: Making Stress Your Friend. From Mountains to Mole Hills: Taking Things One Step At a Time. Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens: What are My Favorite Things? Replacing Street Behavior: Walking the Fine Line. Taking Stock: Clients’ Increasing Their Control over Their Lives. Shuffling the Deck: Creating Cards to Create Change. Part VI: Narratives of Transformation? Change, Progress, Transitions, and Endings. Building Momentum: Extending Change in the Future. Developing Your Own Take Home Message: Tell Me What You Think. Filling the Void: It Can Be Better Than You Thought. Creating Your Own GPS: A New Map For A New Day. Building the Fire Inside: Sustaining Change in Your Life. Giving Credit to Yourself: A New Look In the Mirror. The Crossroads of Change: Maintaining New Patterns. In Honor of You: Incorporating Ritual Into the Transition Process. Sharing the Credit: Acknowledging the Contributions of Others. Maintaining the Course: Negotiating Future Hurdles. Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Preparing Clients for their Next Great Adventure. Spreading the News: Strengthening New Stories. Where Do We Go From Here? Using Original Goals as Benchmarks for Charting a Future Course. Part VII: Creating a Culture of Care and Respect: Consultation, Supervision, and Development. The Reflective Consultation: A Conversational Approach to Generating Change. You Say You Want a Revolution: Taking the Initiative to Cultivate Change. Bringing Out the Best: Assessing Organizational Strengths. Putting Out the Fire: How Supervisors can Help Stave off Burnout. Effectively Using an Airplane Oxygen Mask: Practicing Self-Care, First. The Windmill: Generating Energy Through Congruence. The Inner Mister Rogers: Cultivating Acceptance and Compassion During Supervision. The Benefits of Self-Reflection: Maximizing Counselor Effectiveness. Interviewing Your Supervisor: Is Your Supervisor as Strengths and Solution-Focused as You Are? Reinventing the Cookbook: Proactive And Reflective Ways to Use this Book. We are Only as Strong as Our Weakest Link: Strengthening the Use of this Book.