Workshop: Even BRIEFer

Elliott Connie, Biba Rebolj

Solution focused brief therapy is an approach that is constantly evolving. One of the key contributors of this evolution during the past 25 plus years has been Chris Iveson, Harvey Ratner and Evan George at BRIEF. In their work they have moved from goals towards preferred futures, from tasks towards summaries, from exceptions to problems towards instances of the preferred future happening already. In essence, SFBT has become even briefer and the developments at BRIEF have introduced even more minimalism into SF conversations: the descriptions. At the heart of the most minimalistic intervention lie rich and detailed descriptions of the preferred future.

In this workshop the presenters will show you two videos of two different sessions where the majority of the time is dedicated to pure description of clients preferred futures and will talk about doing more with less by merely working with descriptions. This workshop will be about this minimalistic approach going into the next generation of BRIEF clinicians.

The task of the therapist has not become easier by this minimalistic approach – in contrary, the therapist is there to support and facilitate the client in her process of description with questions that help create the picture with as many details as possible. The challenge for the therapist is twofold:
– not try to make any sense or use of the information provided, created or discovered
– stay on the surface, close to and with the client and persistently keep asking useful questions without the temptation to search for the (hidden) meaning or make assumptions about what client might do the next day.

Participants will have an opportunity to learn the skills of persistent questioning through small group exercises and group discussion. The process will be backed up by videos showing a significant change already during sessions by using mere descriptions.

Elliott Connie, MA, LPC is a psychotherapist that practices in Keller, Texas. He has worked with thousands of individuals, couples, and families applying the solution focused approach to help them move their lives from the current problems towards their desired futures. He is the founder and Executive Director of The Connie Institute, an organization that conducts trainings to help clinicians to master the Solution Focused Approach in their work as well as developing training materials and conducting research. He is recognized around the world speaking at national and international conferences and events in such places as throughout the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Russia, Switzerland, England, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Scotland, Holland, Canada, and Asia training practitioners to apply solution focused questions and techniques in their work. He has authoered or co-authored 3 books including “The Art of Solution Focused Therapy”, “Solution Building in Couples Therapy” and “The Solution Focused Marriage”.. He was mentored by noted authors and practitioners such as Bill O’Hanlon, Chris Iveson and Linda Metcalf.

A. Biba Rebolj is founder and creative director of the first institute for the Solution Focused Approach in Slovenia (Ribalon). Since 2007 she works as a trainer in the youth field. Solution Focused Approach found her in 2014 and it was love at first sight with BRIEF, especially because of its minimalism and simplicity. Currently she works as a Solution Focused coach, trainer and facilitator for individuals, teams and groups within youth and business settings. Her work is imbued with beliefs that simplicity at work is the ultimate sophistication and that change is constant and inevitable.

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