Life coaching principles and practice

Solution focused coaching involves viewing people as unique, competent, and responsive to suggestions (Visser, 2012). This approach is a respectful change approach (Bodien, 2011) in that it acknowledges and works with the perspective of the client defined solutions that are unique to the client. The solution focused change approach is based on several assumptions (from Bodien, 2011):

Problem analysis and problem diagnosis are not needed to achieve positive change and to solve problems.

This assumption indicates that the focus in the solution focused change approach is on understanding what is desired by the client as opposed to defining and trying to ascertain what factors of the client's history contributed to their current situation or complaint. Thus, solution focused change approach is proactive and allows the client to get right to work as opposed to spending time ruminating on history, causes, etc.

Assumption 2. Vividly describing the desired future is the beginning of a positive change.

This assumption indicates how proactive solution focused change approach is. This model indicates that change does not begin by describing problems or history, but begins when people begin to envision what they want. This leads to a more positive attitude, more optimistic outlook, and movement towards what the client desires as opposed to ruminating over past issues that cannot be changed.

Assumption 3. The intensity of problems fluctuates constantly. Finding out what worked in the past helps to find solutions for the problem and to achieve success in the future.

The one aspect of solution focused change that deals with the person's history is looking at what worked for the person in the past. By defining what worked in the past, the coach and the client can better understand what will work in the future. Again, this is a more proactive approach moving toward positive change and that the type of change the client desires. Instead of ruminating on past problems and their origins the coach and the client work on future solutions based on past successes.

Assumption 4. Small positive steps are sufficient to evoke a chain of positive changes.

This assumption indicates that the process of change is a stepwise process that is designed to fit the needs of the individual, not to conform to some general model or theory. Thus, any positive change can be built upon, learned from, and used to help a client move forward towards their desired goals. Change occurs one step at a time, not all at once. This allows for more individualized approach to change.

Assumption 5. Internal solutions are preferred to external solutions, if they are available.

People are individuals in that each person has experiences, knowledge, and solutions that are unique to them. Internal solutions come from the experience and personal understanding of the person; external solutions come from outside the person such as experts, theory, etc. The solution focused change approach recognizes that internal solutions will always work better in the future for the client because the client understands them, does not have to go to outside sources to have them explained, can implement them, and is comfortable with them.