1. *
Abby Tucker
The University of Mississippi
COUN 594

2. * Solution-focused model provides the language
for children to find their own solutions
* Uses “solution thought” and “solution talk”
* Focuses on solutions rather than problems
* Enable children to use their internal resources
for growth and development within their own
environment
* Through the language of play children can find
their own solutions
* Primarily uses art, sand tray, and puppets as
medium of play
*

3. * The use of hypothetical goals to help clients
see what is possible
* Goals provide foundation for solution-focused
process; goals should be
concrete, behavioral, measurable and positive
* Techniques:
* Goal Setting
* Miracle Question
* Exceptions
* Scaling
* Solution Message
*

4. *
* Concrete, Positive, Behavioral, and Measurable
* Must be important to the child
* Enables children to display goals through their
play
* “wows” and “hows”
* Helps them discover what they are capable of
and encourage them to continue using these
skills

5. *
* What would happen if the problem were
magically solved
* Helps child visualize how life would be
different; provides positive feelings and
creates new behaviors
* Relationship questions
* Provides detail
* Expands and Clarifies the “miracle”

6. *
* Either little pieces of the miracle or times
when the problem did not exist
* Helps children recall times that they avoided
the problem; which helps provide a guideline
for solutions, empowerment, and success
* Helps children appreciate their own success
* Identify and access an internal locus of control;
taking responsibility for their own behaviors

7. *
* Scaled 1-10
* Visual Representation
* Sets tone for the new learning process
* “What do you have to do to get to a ___?”

8. *
* Visual representation of child’s efforts to find
his or her own solution
* Credits
* Series of compliments and affirmations
* List of positive attributes
* Bridge
* Commitment and Willingness to work on goal
* Solution Task
* Aim
* “miracle day”

9. * Help child discover what it is that they want to
achieve; establish goals
* Aid child in articulating goals through play
techniques
* Help child communicate goals by making
“therapeutic assumptions”
*

10. * Collaborators in identifying goals
* Work to find solutions that benefit the entire
family
* Respect and Encourage Child’s goals
*

11. * Variety of mental health diagnoses
* The issue that brings client to therapy is not
important, it is what is discovered that is
* Helps child envision what they want and
develop skills to get to that state of being
*

12. * 78% (12 and under)
* 89% (13-18)
* Success with children as young as 5
* Not recommended for pre-kindergarten
children
* High satisfaction level among children and
parents
* Inspired families to find solutions and make
changes
* Well respected and successful in school settings
*

13. * Maturity level of child
* Developmental skills to grasp the concept
* Therapeutic assumptions may be incorrect if an
inadequate amount of time is spent developing
the therapeutic relationship and level of
involvement
* Parents respecting their children’s goals;
letting children work on their goals vs. parents
goals
* Directive vs. Non Directive
*

14. * In solution focused play therapy, therapist
believe that children know what they want but
sometimes struggle to find the necessary skills
to get there.
* Through solution focused play therapy, the
therapist and child work together to develop a
solution to the childs problems.
*

15. *
* Nims, D.R., & Schaefer, C.E. (2011). Solution-
focused play therapy: Helping children and
families find solutions. Foundations of Play
Therapy (pp.297-312). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley
& Sons