Competency-Based Counseling: Building on Client Strengths (Creative Pastoral Care and Counseling Series)

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Summary: Table of Contents
Review: Chapter 1 -- Why Competency-Based Counseling? (Biblical themes and a competency-based model; Research supporting short-term counseling; What kind of problems do people bring to counseling? The presence of "brief" in all counseling movements; The Mental Research Institute approach to problem resolution; Steve deShazer and solution-focused brief therapy) Chapter 2 -- Assuming a Competency-Based Stance (the counselee's perceptions of the world; three ways people mishandle problems; change is inevitable; rapid change is possible; viewing people as competent; not looking for the cause of the problem) Chapter 3 -- A Map for Competency-Based Counseling -- Part I: Getting Oriented (focusing on the present and future, not the past; focusing on observable actions; focusing on tasks, not insight; focusing on goals; if it works, don't fix it; if it doesn't work, do something different, not more of the same; counselees are the experts; focus on the possible; look for exceptions to the problem; how to establish a positive relationship with the counselee; creating goals that are achievable, concrete and behavioral, relevant, and positive) Chapter 4 -- A Map for Competency-Based Counseling -- Part II Getting on the (Short) Road to Change (Using future-oriented questions; the miracle question; scaling questions; coping questions; finding exceptions; highlighting pre-session change; enhancing existing and recent successes that are meaningful to the counselee; keeping change going) Chapter 5 -- Two Case Examples of Competency-Based Counseling; Chapter 6 -- Resource Focus (Premarital interviews; cell ministry in the local church; how to define family wellness: communication, connectedness, and spirituality) Chapter 7 -- A Cautionary Note to "Go Slowly" (guarding against a Pollyanna approach; using counselee feedback; how to avoid becoming a "solution-forced" counselor)