Clues: Investigating Solutions in Brief Therapy

by Steve De Shazer

How do solutions develop? This question leads de Shazer to a provocative discussion of all the solution-related things that client and therapist do during a session, which ultimately point to a task that says, "Now that you know what works, do more of it." Once therapist and client are focused on investigating solutions rather than problems, therapy inevitably becomes brief―sometimes only on session. Engaging cases, often with surprising twists, illustrate this practice-based theory of brief therapy with a wide range of complaints. Some of these, such as drug addiction or severe marital record, previously have been thought to be too "difficult" for brief therapy. however, as de Shazer shoes time and again, once therapist and client together discover "what works," obstacles in the pathway to solutions disappear. An innovation is de Shazer's computer analysis of therapy sessions, which provides a map for analyzing situations and finding solutions. Pieces of the computer program are highlighted with individual cases, enabling the reader to move easily from the map to the territory and back again. Both theoretically stimulating and clinically sound, de Shazer's investigations turns up clues with the potential to revolutionize the way psychotherapy is thought about and practiced.

Genres: Psychology, Social Work, Counselling

224 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1988

Reviews

[Pat Morris-jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written. Some of it was a bit too technical for me. Other bits were great and thought provoking. However it's written for many. I was enthused into the fact that he based some of his practice on Milton Erickson, a bit of a hero of mine as I do hypnosis. As did this guy. A lot of concepts are similar to NLP too so I can use all my skills in this great therapy.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s with very mixed feelings I finished this book. In many parts to technical and to many analysis of how to evaluate processes - really boring in my opinion and not useful for my daily job.
But the cases he showed and solutions were really interesting. From this part of the book I can take some ideas for my work.

[Azuma · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is good book.
i think good cycle and bad cycle.
exceptions and complaint is key words to soluition for good life.
i want to read many times.