Solution Focused Counseling at Work!

People experience life differently when they can look at a problem and know that they can take steps to solve it. The moment hope enters the conversation, everything can change.

You are about to hear a recording of an actual school counseling conversation with a fourth-grade student. His parent told me he was “giving her a hard time” and cried over minor things. The student felt like his mom yelled instead of listening. I used a solution-focused strategy to help him reframe his problem. The goal was to help HIM discover a solution, which was no easy task. A week later, he found me and told me he was experiencing life differently!

Andy’s Story

During our time together, I shared a story about the student I call Andy in my training. At the end of his 6th-grade year, I asked him to be a guest on my podcast. His parents agreed to let him participate, and he shared with me from his heart. Honestly, this is one of my most treasured episodes. I know you will enjoy listening to his story and perspective.

1. What are your best hopes for this chapter of your life?

2. What are your intentions for this conversation?

3. What does living with intention mean to you?

4. What do you need to let go of right now?

5. What can you do instead of what you have done In the past?

6. What will others notice on the day that you are the best version of yourself?

7. What are the values that you hold most dear?

8. What if you looked at yourself the same way your pet looks at you?

9. What is the most hopeful version of yourself?

10. If your problem disappeared, what would be different about today?

11. What is the first thing you would notice if this struggle was gone?

12. When a hopeless thought happens, what can you think instead?

13. What would you be doing if your next task was easy?

14. If this problem was easy to solve, what would you do next?

15. If you did know, what would you know?

16. On a perfect day, what are you doing?

17. When did the best version of you show up?

18. What difference does it make when you live by your values?

19. What made you feel in touch with the real you?

20. What if a miracle happened and this problem was not a problem anymore?

21. What transformation is happening in your life right now?

22. What new thoughts helped today go slightly better?

23. What did you notice that was slightly better than yesterday?

24. What difference will it make when you focus on your transformation?

25. What were you doing when the most hopeful version of yourself showed up?

26. What is something new that you are curious to learn about?

27. What would be different if you could eliminate the fear about this?

28. What or who is helping you move towards your best hopes?

29. What can you do to be the best version of yourself?

30. What can you do to help others feel more hope today?

31. What are you most curious to find out about this week?

32. What evidence can you find that proves you are getting closer to your best hopes?

33. What brings you closer to hope?

34. What small thing can you do right now that will make you proud of yourself?

35. What can you do now to show kindness to your future self?

35 SOLUTION-FOCUSED Questions

Take Solution Focused skills with you!

As a participant in this workshop, you can access the mini-course and three-day communication challenge: Lead Conversations With Hope. Over three days, you will get guidance and reminders in your email to give you the confidence you need to have solution-focused conversations. Your email is a safe and convenient spot you can access anytime. The best part is that you can save your lessons and review them long after this conference. But you don’t have to wait. The content can be previewed by clicking the button.