More Than Miracles

The State of the Art of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

Steve de Shazer, Yvonne Dolan

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9780789033970, 9780789033970
• eBook ISBN: 9781136863806
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: History & Theory in Psychology
• Index: Psychology

The latest developments in this groundbreaking therapy approach! More Than Miracles: The State of the Art of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a ground breaking, intellectually provocative book, revealing new advances in the widely used, evidence based Solution-focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) approach. The final work of world renowned family therapists and original developers of SFBT, the late Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg (who passed away shortly before the book’s release) this definitive resource provides the most up-to-date information available on this eminently practical, internationally acclaimed approach. New revelations about the impact of language in therapeutic change are presented precisely and clearly, illustrated with real life case examples that give readers a "hands-on" view of the newest technical refinements in the SF approach. Challenging questions about the applications of SFBT to complex problems in "difficult" settings are given thoughtful, detailed answers. The book’s unique design allows the reader to "listen in" on the lively discussions that took place as the authors watched therapy sessions. The solution-focused brief therapy approach is based upon researchers observing thousands of hours of psychotherapy sessions and studying which questions and responses were most effective in helping people develop solutions to their problems. More Than Miracles: The State of the Art of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is the most up-to-date, comprehensive review of this approach. This book discusses the latest developments in the fields of family therapy, brief therapy, and psychotherapy training and practice. A succinct overview orients the reader to the current state of SFBT, and provides three real life case transcripts that vividly illustrate the practical applications of SFBT techniques. The seminar format of More Than Miracles: The State of the Art of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy allows readers to:

• sit in on surprising psychotherapy sessions
• eavesdrop on the authors’ commentary about the sessions
• get a comprehensive overview on the current state of SFBT
• review and understand the major tenets of SFBT
• learn specific interventions, including the miracle question and the reasons for asking it
• understand treatment applicability
• read actual session transcripts
• understand the "miracle scale"
• get insight into the unique relationship between Wittgenstein’s philosophy and SFBT
• better understand SFBT and emotions
• examine misconceptions about SFBT
• and more

More Than Miracles: The State of the Art of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is illuminating reading for psychotherapists, counselors, human services personnel, health care workers, and teachers.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Chapter 1. A Brief Overview
• Chapter 2. I Feel Really Confused
• Chapter 3. The Miracle Question
• Chapter 4. The Miracle Scale
• Chapter 5. The Friendly Stomach Discussion
• Chapter 6. Don’t Think, But Observe
• Chapter 7. My Real Self
• Chapter 8. Private Experience and the Verb “To Be”
• Chapter 9. SFBT and Emotions
• Chapter 10. Questions, Misconceptions, and Joys
• Conclusion
• References
• Index