Ali Berquez is Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) at the Michael Palin Centre (MPC), a Registered Certified European Stuttering Specialist and Chair of the UK’s National Stammering Clinical Excellence Network. She contributes to the Centre’s clinical work and development of therapy programmes, teaching, writing, and research, and offers clinical supervision to therapists in and outside the MPC. Ali started training in Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) with BRIEF in London in 1999 and completed a BRIEF certificate in Solution Focused Practice in 2019. Her SFBT research has focused on exploring parents’ and children’s expectations from therapy and what parents and children notice over time.Martha Jeffery is a Highly Specialist SLT at the MPC. Before speech and language therapy, she had a former life in conference organisation and banking. She came across SFBT in her first job as an SLT in 2009, but it wasn’t until she started at the MPC in 2013 that it became embedded in her practice. Over time, she learned not to dread the ‘What have you been pleased to notice?’ question in team meetings and supervision and to enjoy the way it turned her perspective around. She has an Advanced Certificate in Solution Focused Brief Therapy from BRIEF’s year-long programme in 2021.

"The first text to focus uniquely on the use of the approach in the field of stammering, this book is indeed a ‘Practical Guide’, setting out the model clearly and taking us step by step through the key elements of practice. The theory is illuminated and brought to life through a wealth of case descriptions and pieces of transcript which will not only inform readers, setting out how the approach can be put to work, but will also inspire. This book shines a light on a path that many Speech and Language Therapists will choose to follow and in so doing they will also be part of shaping the future of Solution Focused Brief Therapy with Children and Young People who Stammer and their Parents." Evan George, BRIEF

• List of figures Foreword by Evan GeorgePrefaceAcknowledgements1 Introduction You (the reader) and SFBT An introduction to Solution Focused Brief Therapy A brief history of SFBT at the Michael Palin CentreCurrent thinking about stammering and how SFBT helps us Our assessment process and SFBT How we use SFBT in therapy – an eclectic approach 2 Our First Solution-Focused Conversation Meeting the person, not the problem Exploring best hopes Looking for solutions and what’s already working using scaling Compliments Summing up and ending the session 3 Progress over Time What’s going well Thinking more about scaling and best hopes Broadening the view of selfWhen it’s not going so well Process of change and coping with setbacks How to manage diverging hopes Follow-up sessions with young adults When to meet again Ending therapy 4 Solution-Focused Conversations with Children and Young People Talking to younger children Exploring best hopes with younger children Exploring the concept of scaling Using metaphors and imagery Talking to young people Children and young people with learning or language needs Autistic children and young people Children and young people with physical disability Children and young people with emotional health needs 5 Solution-Focused Conversations with Parents Why include parents? Parenting children who stammer Parenting children with additional needs Working systemically 6 Using SFBT in Groups Working in groups The benefits of group therapy7 The Evidence Base, the Benefits, and the Challenges The evidence base for SFBT Benefits of SFBT Challenges of SFBT Frequently asked questions 8 Other Applications of SFBT Exploring a stammering ‘toolkit’ using a SF perspective Handling criticism using SFBT SFBT in other settings 9 Becoming a Solution-Focused Therapist Therapist skills Using SFBT in supervision 10 Conclusion ResourcesBibliographyIndex

Ali Berquez is Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) at the Michael Palin Centre (MPC), a Registered Certified European Stuttering Specialist and Chair of the UK’s National Stammering Clinical Excellence Network. She contributes to the Centre’s clinical work and development of therapy programmes, teaching, writing, and research, and offers clinical supervision to therapists in and outside the MPC. Ali started training in Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) with BRIEF in London in 1999 and completed a BRIEF certificate in Solution Focused Practice in 2019. Her SFBT research has focused on exploring parents’ and children’s expectations from therapy and what parents and children notice over time.Martha Jeffery is a Highly Specialist SLT at the MPC. Before speech and language therapy, she had a former life in conference organisation and banking. She came across SFBT in her first job as an SLT in 2009, but it wasn’t until she started at the MPC in 2013 that it became embedded in her practice. Over time, she learned not to dread the ‘What have you been pleased to notice?’ question in team meetings and supervision and to enjoy the way it turned her perspective around. She has an Advanced Certificate in Solution Focused Brief Therapy from BRIEF’s year-long programme in 2021.

"The first text to focus uniquely on the use of the approach in the field of stammering, this book is indeed a ‘Practical Guide’, setting out the model clearly and taking us step by step through the key elements of practice. The theory is illuminated and brought to life through a wealth of case descriptions and pieces of transcript which will not only inform readers, setting out how the approach can be put to work, but will also inspire. This book shines a light on a path that many Speech and Language Therapists will choose to follow and in so doing they will also be part of shaping the future of Solution Focused Brief Therapy with Children and Young People who Stammer and their Parents." Evan George, BRIEF

• List of figures Foreword by Evan GeorgePrefaceAcknowledgements1 Introduction You (the reader) and SFBT An introduction to Solution Focused Brief Therapy A brief history of SFBT at the Michael Palin CentreCurrent thinking about stammering and how SFBT helps us Our assessment process and SFBT How we use SFBT in therapy – an eclectic approach 2 Our First Solution-Focused Conversation Meeting the person, not the problem Exploring best hopes Looking for solutions and what’s already working using scaling Compliments Summing up and ending the session 3 Progress over Time What’s going well Thinking more about scaling and best hopes Broadening the view of selfWhen it’s not going so well Process of change and coping with setbacks How to manage diverging hopes Follow-up sessions with young adults When to meet again Ending therapy 4 Solution-Focused Conversations with Children and Young People Talking to younger children Exploring best hopes with younger children Exploring the concept of scaling Using metaphors and imagery Talking to young people Children and young people with learning or language needs Autistic children and young people Children and young people with physical disability Children and young people with emotional health needs 5 Solution-Focused Conversations with Parents Why include parents? Parenting children who stammer Parenting children with additional needs Working systemically 6 Using SFBT in Groups Working in groups The benefits of group therapy7 The Evidence Base, the Benefits, and the Challenges The evidence base for SFBT Benefits of SFBT Challenges of SFBT Frequently asked questions 8 Other Applications of SFBT Exploring a stammering ‘toolkit’ using a SF perspective Handling criticism using SFBT SFBT in other settings 9 Becoming a Solution-Focused Therapist Therapist skills Using SFBT in supervision 10 Conclusion ResourcesBibliographyIndex

Ali Berquez is Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) at the Michael Palin Centre (MPC), a Registered Certified European Stuttering Specialist and Chair of the UK’s National Stammering Clinical Excellence Network. She contributes to the Centre’s clinical work and development of therapy programmes, teaching, writing, and research, and offers clinical supervision to therapists in and outside the MPC. Ali started training in Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) with BRIEF in London in 1999 and completed a BRIEF certificate in Solution Focused Practice in 2019. Her SFBT research has focused on exploring parents’ and children’s expectations from therapy and what parents and children notice over time.Martha Jeffery is a Highly Specialist SLT at the MPC. Before speech and language therapy, she had a former life in conference organisation and banking. She came across SFBT in her first job as an SLT in 2009, but it wasn’t until she started at the MPC in 2013 that it became embedded in her practice. Over time, she learned not to dread the ‘What have you been pleased to notice?’ question in team meetings and supervision and to enjoy the way it turned her perspective around. She has an Advanced Certificate in Solution Focused Brief Therapy from BRIEF’s year-long programme in 2021.

"The first text to focus uniquely on the use of the approach in the field of stammering, this book is indeed a ‘Practical Guide’, setting out the model clearly and taking us step by step through the key elements of practice. The theory is illuminated and brought to life through a wealth of case descriptions and pieces of transcript which will not only inform readers, setting out how the approach can be put to work, but will also inspire. This book shines a light on a path that many Speech and Language Therapists will choose to follow and in so doing they will also be part of shaping the future of Solution Focused Brief Therapy with Children and Young People who Stammer and their Parents." Evan George, BRIEF

• List of figures Foreword by Evan GeorgePrefaceAcknowledgements1 Introduction You (the reader) and SFBT An introduction to Solution Focused Brief Therapy A brief history of SFBT at the Michael Palin CentreCurrent thinking about stammering and how SFBT helps us Our assessment process and SFBT How we use SFBT in therapy – an eclectic approach 2 Our First Solution-Focused Conversation Meeting the person, not the problem Exploring best hopes Looking for solutions and what’s already working using scaling Compliments Summing up and ending the session 3 Progress over Time What’s going well Thinking more about scaling and best hopes Broadening the view of selfWhen it’s not going so well Process of change and coping with setbacks How to manage diverging hopes Follow-up sessions with young adults When to meet again Ending therapy 4 Solution-Focused Conversations with Children and Young People Talking to younger children Exploring best hopes with younger children Exploring the concept of scaling Using metaphors and imagery Talking to young people Children and young people with learning or language needs Autistic children and young people Children and young people with physical disability Children and young people with emotional health needs 5 Solution-Focused Conversations with Parents Why include parents? Parenting children who stammer Parenting children with additional needs Working systemically 6 Using SFBT in Groups Working in groups The benefits of group therapy7 The Evidence Base, the Benefits, and the Challenges The evidence base for SFBT Benefits of SFBT Challenges of SFBT Frequently asked questions 8 Other Applications of SFBT Exploring a stammering ‘toolkit’ using a SF perspective Handling criticism using SFBT SFBT in other settings 9 Becoming a Solution-Focused Therapist Therapist skills Using SFBT in supervision 10 Conclusion ResourcesBibliographyIndex