Workshop 1
Solution-Focused Counseling in Schools
This workshop provides practical strategies of Solution-Focused Counseling (SFC), a culturally respectful, research-supported approach to building school solutions from the unique strengths and resources of preschool through secondary students. Strategies include building collaborative relationships with “resistant” students, creating goals that matter, asking change-focused questions, building on strengths and resources, collecting feedback, and empowering small changes. Demonstrations, videotapes, experiential exercises, and practice activities help participants apply workshop techniques the very next day on the job.
Workshop 2
Solution-Focused Counseling (or “Therapy”) with Children, Adolescents, and Families
This workshop presents practical techniques of Solution-Focused Counseling (SFC), a culturally respectful, research-supported approach to helping young people and families improve their lives by recognizing and building on what is “right” in their lives—personal strengths, small successes, and natural resources. Techniques include building collaborative relationships, developing practical goals, building creative interventions from people’s strengths and resources, and collecting systematic client feedback. Demonstrations, videotapes, experiential exercises, and practice activities are used to help participants apply workshop techniques the very next day on the job.
Workshop 3
Building Change-Focused Relationships that Work: A Toolbox of Practical Strategies for Counselors and Consultants
The quality of a helping relationship strongly influences service outcomes in counseling and consultation. This workshop provides a toolbox of practical, research-supported strategies for building relationships that help young people and their caregivers address concerns and goals at school and elsewhere. Strategies include validating, complimenting, cooperating, collecting feedback, writing letters, and building on what is “right” with people. Demonstrations, videotapes, experiential exercises, and practice activities are used to help participants apply workshop techniques the very next day on the job.
Workshop 4
When Everything You've Tried Hasn't Worked: Creative Techniques for Difficult Behavior Problems
This workshop equips teachers, counselors, parents, and other helping professionals with a toolbox of creative techniques for addressing difficult problems that are unresponsive to conventional techniques. Based on systems theory, brief therapy, and research on “what works” in changing persistent problems, this session demonstrates how to “do something different” versus more of the same when faced with chronic problems at school or elsewhere. Techniques include reframing, externalizing, being unpredictable, asking change-focused questions, building resilience/resource interventions, and interviewing the internalized other. Demonstrations, videotapes, experiential exercises, and practice activities are used to help participants apply workshop techniques the very next day on the job.
Workshop 5
Solution-Focused Strategies for Working with Parents in Schools
This workshop provides practical strategies for partnering with parents in respectful ways that engage their support in resolving school problems. Based on family therapy techniques and research on helping people change, workshop strategies include using solution talk, reframing, instilling hope, interviewing the internalized other, working with so-called “resistant” parents, and integrating solution-focused practice into parent-teacher meetings, parent counseling and consultation, and parent education programs. Demonstrations, videotapes, experiential exercises, and practice activities are used to help participants apply workshop techniques the very next day on the job.
Workshop 6
Interviewing Students for School Solutions
This workshop translates the popular book, Conducting Student-Driven Interviews into practical, step-by-step guidelines for talking with preschool through high school students in ways that help them improve their lives and resolve school problems. The workshop demonstrates dozens of language and questioning strategies aimed at connecting with hard-to-reach students, increasing students’ investment in school solutions, and creating customized interventions “one student at time.” Demonstrations, videotapes, experiential exercises, and practice activities are used to help participants apply workshop techniques the very next day on the job.
Workshop 7
How to Dramatically Improve Outcomes with Client Feedback
This workshop describes PCOMS (Partners for Change Outcome Management System), an ultra-brief, culturally sensitive, evidence-based method of improving outcomes through the systematic collection of client feedback. PCOMS offers two practical tools for collecting session-by-session feedback to improve outcomes “one client at a time” and provide socially just, culturally responsive services. Demonstrations, videotapes, experiential exercises, and practice activities are used to help participants apply workshop techniques the very next day on the job.
Workshop 8
The Power of Hope: Practical Strategies for Building Hope with Students, Teachers, and Parents
Hope is a powerful asset for students, teachers, and parents. Participants will learn what hope is, why it is so important, and how to nurture it. Videotapes, real-world examples, and live demonstrations are used to illustrate many practical strategies for building hope with students and their caregivers-- future-focused questions, value-driven goals, locating exceptions, resilience questions, and resource activation. Short practice exercises will help participants implement hope-building interventions the very next day on the job.
Workshop Presenter Bio
John J. Murphy, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology & Counseling at the University of Central Arkansas and a sought after trainer and practitioner of client-directed, strengths-based approaches with young people, families, and school problems. He was public school teacher before receiving a PhD in psychology and completed post-doctoral training in systemic family therapy with Barry Duncan at the Dayton (OH) Institute of Family Therapy. John spent 13 years as a full time school psychologist in Covington (KY) Public Schools, a high poverty urban district, and he continues to work regularly with students and schools as well as adults and families in private practice. He was named by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) as one of the top five school psychologists in the United States in 1993, and received the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Writer of the Year Award for the popular book, Solution-Focused Counseling in Schools (currently in its 3rd edition; 2015). He also authored Conducting Student-Driven Interviews (2013, Routledge Press), Strengths-Based Therapy (with Jacqueline Sparks; Routledge Press, 2019), and Brief Intervention for School Problems (with Barry Duncan; 2nd ed.; Guilford Press, 2007). His books have been translated into many different languages, and his therapeutic work is featured in various contemporary venues including Fast Company magazine, the NY Times bestseller Switch, and the DVD series, Child Therapy with the Experts. He is a Project Director with the Heart & Soul of Change Project, an international research/training initiative that promotes client-directed services for marginalized persons of all ages and circumstances. Dr. Murphyhas provided training and consultation to thousands of school psychologists and other mental health professionals, teachers, and parents throughout the US, Canada, China, Europe, Japan, New Zealand, and elsewhere.
Additional Information about Workshops
John Murphy Workshop Information for Sponsors (Equipment, Handout, Books, etc.)
Handout. I will provide a camera-ready handout for my training workshop scheduled with your agency two weeks before the workshop or earlier on request. The handout can be copied front and back for efficiency sake.
Equipment. Unless otherwise noted, equipment needs are as follows:
Lapel (clip-on) microphone
Laptop computer with Power Point 2013 and Windows Media Player; remote controller/laser pointer for advancing power point slides and pointing to slides with laser beam
LCD projector (and cord to connect to laptop) for Power Point and videotape projection (all videos are digital and will be embedded into the power point presentation)
Audio projection capabilities (PA system, portable speakers for laptop) to allow participants to hear the videos (it is important that videos can be heard throughout the workshop room)
One table in front for workshop materials
3 chairs in front of room for “live” demonstrations
Books (available at discounted rates for workshop sponsors and participants)
Murphy, J. J. (2015). Solution-focused counseling in schools (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association. (800-422-2648; www.counseling.org)
Murphy, J. J. (2013). Conducting student-driven interviews: Practical strategies for increasing student involvement and addressing behavior problems. New York: Routledge. (800-634-7064; www.routledge.com)
Murphy, J. J., & Duncan, B. L. (2007). Brief intervention for school problems: Outcome-informed strategies (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford. (800-365-7006; www.guilford.com)
DVD (from Child Therapy with the Experts training series)
Solution-Focused Therapy with Dr. John J. Murphy (“Child Therapy with the Experts” Training Series)
This professionally produced DVD includes: (a) a discussion between Dr. Murphy and the series’ hosts; (b) a full-length therapy session with a single mother and her two children; and (c) a lively question/answer session between Dr. Murphy and an audience of therapists in Chicago. Contact Dr. Murphy to order at: jmurphy@uca.edu or www.psychotherapy.net
Handout. I will provide a camera-ready handout for my training workshop scheduled with your agency two weeks before the workshop or earlier on request. The handout can be copied front and back for efficiency sake.
Equipment. Unless otherwise noted, equipment needs are as follows:
Lapel (clip-on) microphone
Laptop computer with Power Point 2013 and Windows Media Player; remote controller/laser pointer for advancing power point slides and pointing to slides with laser beam
LCD projector (and cord to connect to laptop) for Power Point and videotape projection (all videos are digital and will be embedded into the power point presentation)
Audio projection capabilities (PA system, portable speakers for laptop) to allow participants to hear the videos (it is important that videos can be heard throughout the workshop room)
One table in front for workshop materials
3 chairs in front of room for “live” demonstrations
Books (available at discounted rates for workshop sponsors and participants)
Murphy, J. J. (2015). Solution-focused counseling in schools (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association. (800-422-2648; www.counseling.org)
Murphy, J. J. (2013). Conducting student-driven interviews: Practical strategies for increasing student involvement and addressing behavior problems. New York: Routledge. (800-634-7064; www.routledge.com)
Murphy, J. J., & Duncan, B. L. (2007). Brief intervention for school problems: Outcome-informed strategies (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford. (800-365-7006; www.guilford.com)
DVD (from Child Therapy with the Experts training series)
Solution-Focused Therapy with Dr. John J. Murphy (“Child Therapy with the Experts” Training Series)
This professionally produced DVD includes: (a) a discussion between Dr. Murphy and the series’ hosts; (b) a full-length therapy session with a single mother and her two children; and (c) a lively question/answer session between Dr. Murphy and an audience of therapists in Chicago. Contact Dr. Murphy to order at: jmurphy@uca.edu or www.psychotherapy.net