Episodes

"If you agree to become guest on my podcast then I can't promise you'll sell a million books." The fact that I wrote these words in my email to Pam and she still agreed to talk to me only increased …

We are all familiar with the Big Issue vendors on the streets of our cities. I was privileged to talk to a few of them in Manchester UK. The Big Issue magazine is now worldwide and provides a legal income …

One of our favourite NLP mantras which in most cases is true. "The problem you have now was once the solution to another problem." A sure fire bit of wisdom and it was interesting to hear Rich Rolls mention this …

Since I began people geeking I've been reading books, watching YouTube and listening to podcasts by the guru's, the masters of change. I recently became fascinated by that subliminal backlog of life advice that in most cases I'd never followed. …

Ray Edwards is getting himself ready to climb Kilimanjaro. At 19500 ft it's a challenge for any climber but Ray is a quadruple amputee. When we spoke he was able to describe the circumstances that brought him here and his …

Welcome to the Action Factory Podcast - We are expats living here in France and one thing we notice that's honoured here in Europe is Armistice day. Nothing moves on the day and in our rural area most shops and …

Doing the podcast here has taken me back a few years to the thing I loved most during ten years on FM radio. Talking to the most interesting and fascinating people I could find. For that reason and because thousands …

Welcome to the solutions toolkit podcast from the Action Factory. I'm Michael Dawson Yes, I've neglected you but saying I've been busy probably won't cut it. For the 9th time I took it upon myself to cycle the Tour De …

I believe that solution focused workers don't need to be therapists and they don't need problems to solve. Having had comments both in person and online about my attitude towards traditional therapists and their methods I thought it worth some …

I suffer from solution focused bias, I see it everywhere. Yesterday I was reading a very old book called the power of the subconscious mind by Dr John Murphy. It was first published in 1963. Although John Murphy doesn't refer …

There are a number of principles behind the solution focused approach that are unchanging under any circumstance. Like Issac Newtons laws of motion they apply in every situation. Whether you're a professor of solution focused therapy or simply my aunt …

The three overlapping circles that define a solution focused worker. In other sessions we have spoken about how much power and influence a solution focused worker might have over a therapist. A solution focused worker is not a therapist, they …

Solution focused working, I just don't get it mate! From experience this is a fairly common reaction form other services or those outside the 'cult' They see the results and are often stunned by them but should we really care …

The S.I.M.PL.E acronym is something we use in our training to give workers something to grasp onto when the conversations stall. It's never a first resort but can act as a good last resort and get you to the shore, …

It's your fault, not the clients! This week I'm talking about those times when your work seems to be heading off course or stalling. Before you hit the rocks you need to head for some lifeboats and save yourself. This …

Questions, questions, questions in SFBT. I passionately believe that our role when using the solution focused approach is to be the curious inquisitor. To resist offering solutions at all costs and to use our curiosity to probe the problem from …

Welcome to the solution focused toolkit podcast. Moving on from the last episode I wanted to expand a little bit more on what we do after delivering our own 'working' version of the miracle questions and where those answers might …

The Miracle Question and you. The whole reason for us developing the solution focused toolkit training was because we know the solution focused model will not copy and paste into your work environment. That's why when you join us for …

Since we launched the podcast there have been a few comments and questions from various channels. In this episode I thought I'd pause to answer a few of them. Please keep your comments and questions coming in although in future …

Do you trust the cops? Whether you do or don't, you might be making assumptions about them that can cloud your judgement and the way you engage with them. So what about your client's, when dealing with your clients what …

There are four big reasons why therapy works and most of them don't involve the therapist. It's an uncomfortable truth that the main components in a positive outcome are held by the client themselves. In this episode I talk about …

It's so easy to get lost in the depths of academia when dealing with people and problems. However I challenge the idea that the certificates and diplomas are actually necessary? After all, the people who really came up with the …

In this very quick episode I wanted to talk about the solution focused attitude within your service. Not the wonderful talk strategies we employ but the fabric of the service itself. The feel of the whole, the physical signals that …

Like many of the tools we introduce 'stories' are not strictly endorsed within the solution focused arena. However our work isn't for the therapy room, it's for the workplace. I know from experience in business and in all my roles …