Solution Focused practice; engaging with the client as a first-person, rather than a third-person

Mark McKergow

Abstract

I propose that Solution Focused (SF) practice can be seen as a distinctively first-person, as opposed to third-person, approach. This difference points to what we do and think, almost instinctively, when we sit down with a client and take them seriously, seeking to help them build their language and experience rather than seeking to interpret their words to build an intervention. This distinction both shines a light on some key (but sometimes overlooked) elements of SF and points to some of the difficulties faced in seeking to establish it as a mainstream modality of therapeutic, helping and caring practice.

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