This week’s book learning is from ‘Switch’ by Chip and Dan Heath.
One of the biggest shifts in the world of therapy was to focus on solutions rather than problems. Thus, solution focused therapy was born.
A key part of that switch was actually just one question from the counsellor.
“Can I ask you a strange question? Suppose you go to the bed tonight and sleep well and while you are sleeping, a miracle happens and all your troubles are solved. When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first small sign you’d like to see that would make you feel the problem is gone?”
For a couple undergoing counselling, the conversation progressed..
“I’d be happy to feel at ease. I’d be more pleasant to Bob, not jumping down his throat all the time.”
“What will you do instead?”
“Well, there would be more understanding and we would listen more to each other.”
“How can you tell?”
“Well, I guess we’d make eye contact and nod at the right places. Yes, we’d both respond to what the others were saying. ”
I thought it was a very cool insight. We all know big problems are solved by breaking them down into small, actionable chunks. But, thinking of solutions in terms of small signs feels both realistic and fun!
I can’t wait to test the miracle question on myself..
Here’s to solving our problems by asking ourselves the ‘miracle question’ this week!
A Learning a Day 