A solution-focussed approach to time-limited counselling

Abstract

Counsellors routinely work in situations with students, parents and colleagues, where they need to use interpersonal helping and counselling skills. This function has been recently compounded by the emergence of multiple demands which place a new set of challenges on counsellors. Given that many counsellor training programs do not include time-limited counselling techniques, counsellors have traditionally drawn on more problem-focussed, longer-term theories when helping others. This has not always been appropriate or successful. Traditional counselling theories suggest that only highly trained counsellors should be involved in interpersonal helping, simultaneously placing a major emphasis on the clinical nature of problems. This paper presents a relatively new approach to counselling that does not delve intrusively into the past, and is not restricted to professional counsellors. Solution-focussed brief counselling techniques lend themselves well to the education context, and with appropriate attention, can be utilised by counsellors who will become more intentional and f acilitative in their daily interactions.