SOLUTION FOCUSED COUNSELING

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There are many approaches to counseling – special techniques, styles, short or long term duration, and more. But in the world of EAP services, solution-focused counseling has been found to be the most effective mode for creating a powerful intervention and getting significant results for employees and their family members. Solution focused counseling is just as it sounds – it aims to identify and work towards a solution specific to an individual and their circumstances.

What makes this type of counseling different is that the emphasis is not so much on the history of the problem or the cause of the problem as much as it is about envisioning the positive outcome sought for the issue.

Once that positive change is identified, the work is to practically build a plan to achieve the desired goal.

By nature, EAP solution focused counseling is short term - we often use the term "an on-ramp to services". This means that from the very start, the counselor and employee/family member are active and engaged in identifying action steps, coping strategies, and needed resources for the EAP member to move forward independently, with reduced stress, increased confidence and a sense of capability and control over life at work or at home.

Solution focused counseling is positive and strengths-based – it does not seek to dwell on negative experiences beyond the practical purpose of identifying what has gone wrong. Instead, the emphasis is on exploration of what has gone ‘right’, ways to increase feelings of control, and new, sensible approaches to dilemmas.

Counselors let the EAP member take the lead in this effort, and serve to support and clarify along the way. There may be times where solution focused counseling is not the ideal approach. In those cases, during the first EAP sessions the counselor and employee assess the situation and may instead evaluate options for more specialized, longer term counseling.

As always, the EAP counselor serves as a sounding board and a helpful resource to identify options and strategies.

To learn more about how EAP’s solution focused counseling can help you feel and be your best at work and in your personal life, click the ‘Need Assistance’ button or call us today!

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