`I recommend this book to anyone who lives or works with families, children or teenagers' - Nurturing Potential `This is a valuable book, worth attention in every child and family service. My own agency has ordered a copy!' - Robert Cumming, Nurturing Potential `John Sharry's book is a jewel in the solution-focused literature. It is clearly and engagingly written, draws on a host of ideas from different therapeutic approaches and is packed with practical examples. There is no better book on strengths-based therapy with children and adolescents. Every team should have one' - Chris Iveson, Brief Therapy Practice Counselling Children, Adolescents and Families describes an innovative approach to therapeutic work which builds on the strengths of children and their parents. As the author's experience shows, helping clients to focus on potential solutions rather than problems can be a powerful means of engaging them in the therapeutic process, even in the most conflicting family circumstances. Harnessing the client's personal, family and community resources in this way also helps counteract their feelings of powerlessness and the possibility of increasing reliance on professional services. Part One outlines the basic principles of a solution-focused and strengths-based approach, tackling such thorny issues as how and when to use diagnosis. Part two describes creative applications of the approach, using groupwork, play-based activities and video feedback. Part Three, examines practical issues which arise in more 'difficult' cases, such as child abuse and suicidal teenagers and children. This book is aimed at professionals and trainees in fields including social work, mental health, childcare, education, psychotherapy and counselling.
John Sharry is Principal Social Worker in the Department of Child and Family Psychiatry at Mater Hospital, Dublin. He is also the author of Solution-Focused Groupwork (SAGE, 2001).
Foreword - Scott D Miller PART ONE: BASICS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE APPROACH Establishing the Context Guiding Principles of Practice Engaging and Motivating Families Becoming Child and Adolescent Centred The Structure of a Strengths-Based Session Constructive Understanding Formulation and Diagnosis PART TWO: SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS AND APPLICATIONS Strength in Numbers Parenting Groups Groupwork with Children and Adolescents Pausing at Solutions - John Sharry, Grainne Hampson and Mary Fanning Strengths-Based Video Feedback Defeating Temper A Case Study PART THREE: SOME CHALLENGING CONTEXTS Working with Suicidal Adolescents - John Sharry, Melissa Darmody and Brendan Madden Working with Child Abuse and Neglect - John Sharry and Declan Coogan
`This is a valuable book, worth attention in every child and family service. My own agency has ordered a copy!' - Robert Cumming, Nurturing Potential `This book is highly recommended for counsellors, social workers and students. It is also an excellent resource for therapists who are interested in exploring alternative approaches to intervention. The simple language and expression makes the book a joy to read and the information easy to digest` - Journal of Family Studies `John Sharry's book is a jewel in the solution focused literature. It is clearly and engagingly written, draws on a host of ideas from different therapeutic approaches and is packed with practical examples. There is no better book on strengths-based therapy with children and adolescents. Every team should have one' - Chris Iveson, Brief Therapy Practice "It took me a long time to read this book. It is just that I found the pages so rich in ideas to engage clients and to focus on possible solutions that I deeded to stop and reflect and absorb what I had read. By his practical approach to the work, illustrated throughout the text by an array of real case examples, Sharry has produced a rich resource from which the reader can consider the ideas, reflect upon them and integrate them into his/her own practice. Taking a long time to read it is the only way to do this properly." -- Tim Looker * Steinkopff Springer Darmstadt *
