What will you do$?$:

Think of a time that things do not go well for you. $($a$)$ When does that happen and $($b$)$ what part of that problem situation will you do differently now?:

$($a$)\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

$($b$)\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

Application$/$worksheet created by Ron Coffen, Ph$.$D$.,$ based on work by Bill O$$Hanlon $($possibilitytherapy$)$ and Scott D$.$ Miller, Ph$.$D$.($solution$-$focused therapy$)$

How to make things go better by finding and using solution patterns.

Think of something that somebody else does that makes the problem better. Try doing what they do the next time the problem comes up$.$

OR

Think of something that you have done in the past that made things go better. Try doing that the next time the problem comes up$.$

Examples:

Bill often got angry at his classmates. Bill noticed that when Tom gets angry, Tom says something really crazy that doesn$$t make sense. When someone called Tom a bad name, Tom would say something like, $$You are just saying that to make me feel good!$$ or $$Ouch$!$ That hurts my funny bone!$$ Bill decided to try to plan some silly things to say the next time someone made him mad. When he used one of the silly sayings, he actually felt less angry and the other student did not know what to say except, $$You$$re crazy!$$ And Bill could just ignore that because it was not a threat.

Bill remembered that one time when he got angry he sat at his desk and scribbled and scribbled and scribbled on a piece of paper instead of yelling or threatening and that helped him stay out of trouble and out of a fight. Bill tried it the next time he got mad. It helped!

What will you do$?$:

Think of something that somebody else does that works to make things go better. What is the person$$s name and what do they do that you will try?:

$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

Think of something that you have done in the past that helped make things go better. What did you do that you will do next time?:

$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$