Mental Health Article - While I was working at a crisis line with the largest mental health organization in the world, I answered hundreds of calls per month, actively listening to others who were struggling mentally, probed and asked various questions and made sure I got clarity on the reasons they were calling, certain conditions and concerns. I tried to assist them with very specific tangible resources to help them or their loved ones manage their conditions. In this article, I will highlight one of the most impactful types of problem-solving therapies and a mind-set called, Solution-focused therapy I have found helpful for others.
Solution-focused therapy at it's heart is about simplifying, giving a healthier context to your life, your current circumstances when paired with positive and hopeful thinking. Using quick solutions, a certain way you talk about your current problems plays a powerful role in a healthier transition, adding more peace and clarity on your stressful circumstances. You can get some much needed relief, a return using this type of approach and how to influence change .
To increase your chances on change, people having a greater understanding of their current conundrums and solving their challenges is almost like working out a math problem. Simplifying and working your problems at various angles, breaking it down to certain specific parts and discussing changes with a professional therapist what necessary changes are needed to be made, solution talk. By using solution talk, a person can be quicker to thrive and flourish with the focus on solutions over problems.
Simple ingredients needed for this type of approach is building and focusing on what works, identify what they want as opposed to what they don't want which is attached to worrying, also called "stuck in their problems" and could lead to more harmful things such as anxiety and depression.
“According to this view, people may need only a shift of perspective to release their potential. Part of that shift involves changing the way people talk about their problems."
(Book reference, The Essentials of Family Therapy)
Impactful Resource
One of my favorite resources (above) on this subject is a book called, The Essentials of Family Therapy, by authors Michael P. Nichols and Sean D. Davis. The authors discuss in length this type of approach and how this therapy works. One way it can be effective is by using certain types of therapeutic techniques that include very focused, clear and concrete goals so you and your therapist can measure progress. It can also include the "miracle question", where they can visualize mentally and communicate with fine details while activating a certain type of problem-solving mind-set, a mental picture of their goals.
Also mentioned in this helpful book are simple steps for impactful results such as "constructive actions" they can actually take instead of trying to get others around them to change. It is much easier to make adjustments such as finding a better job with a more positive environment. As opposed to others around you changing at your work environment and draining your positive energy and adding new stress to you life. By visualizing yourself in a better work environment, taking small tangible steps, constructive actions, you can get some much needed relief and start to see yourself as a "problem-solver".
A technique such as a shift in perspective, certain things blocking them from using their strengths for positive outcomes will aid them and a reason why this type of model is so helpful because of the speed and quickness of seeing some results and mental relief. And the client, or the person struggling, can hopefully start to verbally and mentally eliminate certain problems and see some progress and feel some much needed relief.
Building on Positives and Bringing Attention to Your Past Successes
The authors also highlighted certain techniques usually used in solutions-focused therapy that includes, do much more of what works, do things differently such as changing your routine, go slow and be more analytical, less emotional are just a few helpful suggestions mentioned.
Go outside into nature, exercise or find a comfortable chair on your porch next to your favorite plant. Take some time to invest back into yourself, write in a journal, what are a few things you are good at? Break it down into your soft skills (natural skills) and your hard skills (technical skills). Do whatever you need to do that brings you some joy and peace. Put a flashlight on your strengths and build on them rather than what you don't want to do, so in turn the focus is on the solutions that will pair with positive outcomes.
Do this every day, rinse and repeat, continue repetition until you understand you have the authority to make beautiful changes in your life, stand out from others, by using a solutions-focused approach.
Give A Tip Today (link in graphic below) to the contributors of Breathe & Eat Chocolate, Mental health & Food Forum, creating an ad-free, creative space with helpful strategies for families battling a mental health crisis.
