Solution Focused is an Act of Social Justice

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The second day of my annual conference featured 2 plenaries and not a dry eye in the place. Here’s why, and why it matters to you if you want to practice SFBT.

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You know, so here we are. We’re at the end of day number two of the Solution Focused University Conference that I host every year. This is our third year, and today was emotional, man. Like, today was amazing. Today was incredible. We had plenary lectures from Anne Rambo and Rebekka Ouer together and then one from Linda Metcalf. And I want to talk to you about something that was highlighted in particular, in all of the plenaries.

But in particularly from the message of Anne Rambo and Bekka Ouer and what they were talking about was using Solution Focused

Brief Therapy as an active social justice and the work that they do with historically marginalized communities like the LGBT community and

people of color, teenagers of color, people without as many financial resource is as others. And they were talking about how sometimes just asking people what they want and then validating their desires in pursuit of what they want,

as opposed to questioning their methods or their problem as to why they’re in therapy. To give you an example if I’m a teenage boy and I am being mistreated in school,

and I’m being bullied in school and I am a teenage person of color. And I’m not, I’m not feeling respected and I lash out and

I get angry and I like punch another student. Most of the world would say that I have an anger problem,

but in Solution Focused Brief Therapy, we want to ask that person what it is they’re hoping to achieve from our conversation.

And it’s very likely not to treat this person as if they have an anger problem, because the treatment they’ve been receiving, ‘angry’ is a valid response. And we

have to treat people as if they’re not the problem or the situation is not the problem. They have a valid response to be feeling the way they’re feeling and that, and turn that into “but what are you hoping to achieve?”

I think Solution Focused Brief Therapy to steal Anne Rambo’s words or Anne and Bekka’s words, to use this approach is an act of social justice,

because we so much value the relationship and what the client wants and we’re so dedicated to treating people as if they have value.

And it’s so easy in this approach to get bogged down, trying to study and learn, like what are the techniques of this approach,

and how to ask the miracle question. And scaling question, exception finding. But the basis of any healing relationship is treating the person that you are working with from a position of care,

and equality and justice and value and then all of the other things you do make sense after that.

So this was a really, really cool day. We got one more day to go. I’m super excited about that.

This is a three day event we do every year. Um, I mean there were times today there wasn’t a dry eye in the room like people crying,

and realizing that the work we do is far more impactful for the greater good than I think we realize. So as you guys watch this video, I hope you recognize that Solution

Focus Brief Therapy is significantly more than just a collection of questions and techniques. It’s a way of viewing people that honors who they are and what their life experiences are.

So I hope that that sticks with you. It’s certainly gonna stick with people that are here in Austin at this event,

and I hope it carries everybody forward. So with that, look, if you’re watching this video on my YouTube channel,

if you haven’t done so already, hit the subscribe button. Make sure you hit the bell so you get notified every time I post content and head on over to my website www.elliottconnie.com,

and make announcements there. Join my email list. You can stay up to date with what I’m doing, where I’m going, and I’ll see you guys in the next video.