In Solution Focused work the past, present and future all have a role. We find it most useful to emphasise the future in our first meetings.

We have moved from an information giver to an information seeker.

We purposefully engage our clients in conversations about how they hope their future to be. We follow clients in a solution focused direction, taking care to construct our question on their last answer.

Here are some of my favourite questions to increase your repertoire:

What would be the first sign that that was happening?

What would be your special way of doing that?

What would most please you about doing that?

How would that be good for you?

How would you do that- in a way that was good for you?

What would you become more interested in?

How would that show itself?

What’s telling you that would be the right thing to do?

Who knows you best……..what would they be pleased to notice about you?

Just like the movie, we can offer our clients a time machine. Life is different when we can see a future!

What a gift we can offer to our clients! How are you taking care to do this?

Have you made your list yet?

Growing up I would spend ages with my sisters preparing our lists of present wishes. Finally, all our hard work would be tossed onto the fire – that way Santa would get our letter!

My youngest sister was the cleverest; she would always put ‘surprises’ at the bottom of her list. I figured that was cheating (and complained to my parents!) but after a couple of years I learnt it was a good strategy!

After working with a client this week, I got to thinking that a description of a preferred future is very much like a list of desired presents.

However, just like with Santa, we do not have to specify or even talk about something in order for it to come true. ‘Surprises’ are always reported within improvement.

This realisation was a turning point in my own practice development. I was freed from trying to talk about all areas of clients’ lives. I discovered that solution-focused health improvement is just as much about the process as the actual content of sessions.

Just like with Christmas presents, clients will surprise us with improvements that we didn’t know they wanted and yet are exactly what the person wants.

Santa knows best. Enjoy your surprises!