Solution Focused Practice in Asia

This book is a collection of solution focused practice across Asia, offering case examples from the fields of therapy, supervision, education, coaching and organisation consulting. It demonstrates the usefulness of the solution focused approach in the Asian context by providing practice based evidence, and highlights the diversity of application. By sharing real case examples in action across Asia, it is the aim of this book to stimulate the curious and inspire the converted. It gives readers a taste of what it is like to use this approach within an Asian context, in different areas of practice and within a broad spectrum of clinical issues. The examples offer exciting and creative ways in which solution focused practice can be used within the Asian context – with the hope that more practitioners will be curious enough to give solution focused practice serious consideration as a viable, evidence-based practice.

1. Introduction to Solution Focused Practice in Asia: Creative Applications in Diverse Fields

Part I: Solution Focused Practice in Therapeutic Settings in Asia
2. Introduction to Solution Focused Practice in Therapeutic Settings in Asia
3. The Solution Focused Approach in Therapeutic Settings: From Cannot to Can: Like a Dream Come True
4. Chinese Cultural Values and Solution Focused Therapy
5. Solution Focused Interventions in Addictions Treatment in Asia: ‘Breaking the Bonds of Shame and Isolation’
6. The Unsung Heroes and Heroines: Uncovering Clients’ Hidden Strengths and Resources within a Singapore Mental Health Setting
7. From Helpless and Hopeless to Empowerment and Recovery: Using Solution Focused Brief Therapy with Clients with Psychosis
8. Simpler and Simpler! The 10-minute Solution Building Approach in a Psychiatry Setting
9. Being Bilingual
10. A Perfect Match
11. Solution Focused Play Therapy: Working with Children in the Philippines
12. The Solution Balloon: An Effective Tool for Applying SFBT with Children and Families
13. Working with Taiwanese Mother-Child Relational Conflict Using the Solution Focused Brief Therapy Framework: A Practice-Based Reflection
14. ‘There were so many Little Things’. Working Creatively with Clients

Part II: Solution Focused Practice in Supervision in Asia
15. Introduction to Solution Focused Practice in Supervision in Asia
16. From the Blind Leading the Blind to Leading from One Step Behind: Experiences from Running a Solution Focused Supervision Group for Case Managers
17. I’ve Done it Before, I Can Do it Again: Words of Wisdom from a Speech Therapist Supervisee
18. Solution Focused Supervision with Hong Kong Counselling Students
19. From Solving Problems to Finding Solutions: A Change in Perspective for Consultation and Supervision in an International School in Hong Kong
20. The Utilisation of a Solution Focused Approach in the Supervision of a Government Welfare Project in South Korea
21. Be the Supervisor You Wish to See in the World
22. ‘Pulling Up the Shoots to Help Them Grow’ and Other Oriental Pearls of Solution-Focused Wisdom

Part III: Solution Focused Practice in Education in Asia
23. Introduction to Solution Focused Practice in Education in Asia
24. Working with Young People when they say ‘I Don’t Know’
25. ‘Not Knowing’: Curiosity as a Tool for Working with Students from Different Cultures
26. Solutions for Challenging Dilemmas in Cambodian Education
27. Resetting the Bar: Solution Focused Scaling with Children in Hong Kong
28. The Melding of Two Different Cultures: Finding Balance Between School and Home
29. Primary Aged Students Find Solutions in Asia
30. Turning Bullies to Allies
31. ‘Amy the Amazing’ Implements ‘Project Control’ : Building Collaboration between Student, Parents and the School
32. Why Should I? Working with Troubled Youth in Singapore

Part IV: Solution Focused Practice in Coaching in Asia33. Introduction to Solution Focused Practice in Coaching in Asia
34. Solution Focused Coaching for Business Solutions
35. Metaphors Creating Miracles: The Power and Pitfalls of Using Metaphors in SF Coaching
36. The Solution Focused Huddle: Assisting Employees Amidst Organisation Redundancy
37. Solution Focused Team Facilitation: Co-creating our Shared Future
38. Look for the Silver Lining
39. Application of Solution Focused Coaching in Occupational Therapy for Mental Health Recovery in Hong Kong
40. SF Coaching in Asia Through an Intercultural Lens
41. Truly More than a Miracle: Why ‘Keqing’ and not ‘Jiaolian’ in Chinese?: Working with the Solution Focused Approach in China

Part V: Solution Focused Practice in Organisations in Asia 42. Introduction to Solution Focused Practice in Organisations in Asia
43. ‘SF Inside’: Why the ‘SF Inside Concept’ can be Useful in Organisational Development
44. Managing Change and Organisational Culture
45. Change your Conversation, Change your Organisation: SF Consulting Leveraging Strategic Methods of Collaboration
46. ‘Work Smarter, not Harder’
47. See it and Make it Happen!
48. Conflict Resolution Goes Mother Goose
49. The Solution Focused Approach in a Children’s Home
50. Working Less, Doing More

Debbie Hogan is Managing Director at the Academy of Solution Focused Training Pte Ltd.

Dave Hogan is Director at the Academy of Solution Focused Training Pte Ltd.

Jane Tuomola is a lecturer in clinical psychology at James Cook University, Singapore.

Alan K.L. Yeo is a consultant at Balanced Consulting.

"Asia is a big continent with many voices; by adding those voices to the international Solution Focused community this book is making a uniquely important contribution to the development of future practice in all its forms." - Chris Iveson, BRIEF London.

"This book stands out as an exemplar of how Solution-Focused practices can be appropriately adapted and applied to the Asian cultures and situations described. It will stand out as a wonderful text for anyone studying either SF practices in a variety of areas (counselling, schools, management, organizations, coaching) or adaptations of a major approach to particular cultural contexts. It is written in reader-friendly language, easily perused and adapted to one’s own practice." - Thorana S. Nelson, PhD, Professor Emerita, Utah State University