Norma S. Guerra - Böcker

Written for educators and professionals, this book examines the cultural challenges Latinos/as encounter as they move from one social setting to the next. Problem solving is presented as a skill, strategy, and protective factor in the development of resiliency and self-efficacy. This solution-oriented approach facilitates Latino/a personal and professional development in processing the unexpected. The book introduces the LIBRE Model problem-solving activity as the tool to negotiate positive change by (1) affirming cultural competency, (2) supporting self-regulated decision making, (3) monitoring self-engagement styles, and (4) developing resiliency toward smoother transitions. The goal is to provide the reader with partnering tools that will empower Latino/a engagement, personal management, and active self-agency in managing decisions, challenges, and choices.

Written for educators and professionals, this book examines the cultural challenges Latinos/as encounter as they move from one social setting to the next. Problem solving is presented as a skill, strategy, and protective factor in the development of resiliency and self-efficacy. This solution-oriented approach facilitates Latino/a personal and professional development in processing the unexpected. The book introduces the LIBRE Model problem-solving activity as the tool to negotiate positive change by (1) affirming cultural competency, (2) supporting self-regulated decision making, (3) monitoring self-engagement styles, and (4) developing resiliency toward smoother transitions. The goal is to provide the reader with partnering tools that will empower Latino/a engagement, personal management, and active self-agency in managing decisions, challenges, and choices.

Clinical Problem Solving: Case Management integrates innovative problem solving techniques with a case management approach to therapy. Guerra introduces the LIBRE Model (Listen-Identify-Brainstorm-Reality-test-Encourage) and LIBRE Model Stick Figure Tool as integral social cognitive behavioral methods that establish a client-clinician partnership in which the client can learn to identify and develop goals toward self-regulated, sustainable mental health. Guerra provides practitioners with a clear and engaging framework for successfully implementing the LIBRE Model, outlining how clinicians can prepare for their role, calibrate their personal engagement with each client, collect client data, and ultimately demonstrate client growth and development.

Students continue to be bombarded with technology, social media and demands on their attention, this book represents fifteen years of data collection presented within two case studies. Demonstrated is the value of identifying student patterns of attentiveness integrated within the theoretical frameworks of initial and sustained attention to identify theme patterns of attentiveness. Introduced is the LIBRE Model, a strength based problem-solving approach with the ability to assess patterns in attention and manage attention.This book addresses strategic thinking and engagement style attentiveness within a problem-solving exchange. The importance of examining the cues, self-reported identities, context, and cultural content that are observable in the language problem-solvers share is established. Attention is also revisited to explore what it looks like when examined within a problem-solving context. Building upon theoretical concepts in application to problem solving to provide insight to student attention to self and others. Providing opportunity for educators and professional insight to better connect with students.

Students continue to be bombarded with technology, social media and demands on their attention, this book represents fifteen years of data collection presented within two case studies. Demonstrated is the value of identifying student patterns of attentiveness integrated within the theoretical frameworks of initial and sustained attention to identify theme patterns of attentiveness. Introduced is the LIBRE Model, a strength based problem-solving approach with the ability to assess patterns in attention and manage attention.This book addresses strategic thinking and engagement style attentiveness within a problem-solving exchange. The importance of examining the cues, self-reported identities, context, and cultural content that are observable in the language problem-solvers share is established. Attention is also revisited to explore what it looks like when examined within a problem-solving context. Building upon theoretical concepts in application to problem solving to provide insight to student attention to self and others. Providing opportunity for educators and professional insight to better connect with students.

From Serving to Thriving: Our Journey to Becoming a Student-Thriving Institution outlines the Hispanic-Serving institution’s strategic serving-to-thriving plan and pathways implemented to create Student Thriving environments and support Latina/o/x student success. Each chapter provides information, lessons learned, and key takeaways or action steps others can apply in their setting. The developed Thrive framework includes ecological considerations, key responsible stakeholders in decision making roles, actions-in-activity, and student voices in defining what thriving means on a HSI campus.This book provides a context for where to begin; providing a demographic presentation of the authors, their students, and what they have in place. Data is presented to illustrate graduation trends and historical progress, acknowledging that despite progress, there are still equity gaps to address. The authors place emphasis on student thriving as a pathway to become Hispanic thriving.This text also provides implemented strategies and lessons learned so that others can find advantage from the author experience as they take a deeper look to who they are as they address the HSI integrated space from serving to thriving within a social community that is designed for success and leadership.

From Serving to Thriving: Our Journey to Becoming a Student-Thriving Institution outlines the Hispanic-Serving institution’s strategic serving-to-thriving plan and pathways implemented to create Student Thriving environments and support Latina/o/x student success. Each chapter provides information, lessons learned, and key takeaways or action steps others can apply in their setting. The developed Thrive framework includes ecological considerations, key responsible stakeholders in decision making roles, actions-in-activity, and student voices in defining what thriving means on a HSI campus.This book provides a context for where to begin; providing a demographic presentation of the authors, their students, and what they have in place. Data is presented to illustrate graduation trends and historical progress, acknowledging that despite progress, there are still equity gaps to address. The authors place emphasis on student thriving as a pathway to become Hispanic thriving.This text also provides implemented strategies and lessons learned so that others can find advantage from the author experience as they take a deeper look to who they are as they address the HSI integrated space from serving to thriving within a social community that is designed for success and leadership.

From Problem-Solving to Responsible Decision-Making is a comprehensive and culturally responsive problem-solving approach that addresses the complexities of culture, identity, and the impact of decisions on individuals, families, and communities. It is a guide for problem-solvers seeking to make better-informed decisions in professional and personal situations. I see the usefulness of this resource for my college students who face the daunting task of making daily decisions with significant and long-lasting consequences. Counselors can use this primer to help students understand how developing self-identity and self-actualization can improve problem-solving skills. By employing the LIBRE Model (Listen, Identify, Brainstorm, Reality Test, Encourage), individuals can contextualize how their decision-making ultimately impacts not only themselves but the whole of those they care about. Ultimately, the best decision for the individual is the decision that they can fully embrace and keeps them whole. Problem-solving can be a powerful exercise with valuable insights leading to a better understanding of yourself and your place in the community and within the family. The unique element of this text lies in its ability to provide historical familial terms so the reader can insert their family context to gauge how they might respond. In hindsight, when employing problem-solving and responsible decision-making, clarity of who the beneficiaries are becomes clear; a worthy reflection for anyone who cares about others. There is a resonant humanizing effect in understanding how difficult certain decisions can be, yet there must be an employed process of decision-making. The LIBRE Model has been used effectively for some years by counselors and individuals seeking to make responsible, efficient, and timely decisions.

From Problem-Solving to Responsible Decision-Making is a comprehensive and culturally responsive problem-solving approach that addresses the complexities of culture, identity, and the impact of decisions on individuals, families, and communities. It is a guide for problem-solvers seeking to make better-informed decisions in professional and personal situations. I see the usefulness of this resource for my college students who face the daunting task of making daily decisions with significant and long-lasting consequences. Counselors can use this primer to help students understand how developing self-identity and self-actualization can improve problem-solving skills. By employing the LIBRE Model (Listen, Identify, Brainstorm, Reality Test, Encourage), individuals can contextualize how their decision-making ultimately impacts not only themselves but the whole of those they care about. Ultimately, the best decision for the individual is the decision that they can fully embrace and keeps them whole. Problem-solving can be a powerful exercise with valuable insights leading to a better understanding of yourself and your place in the community and within the family. The unique element of this text lies in its ability to provide historical familial terms so the reader can insert their family context to gauge how they might respond. In hindsight, when employing problem-solving and responsible decision-making, clarity of who the beneficiaries are becomes clear; a worthy reflection for anyone who cares about others. There is a resonant humanizing effect in understanding how difficult certain decisions can be, yet there must be an employed process of decision-making. The LIBRE Model has been used effectively for some years by counselors and individuals seeking to make responsible, efficient, and timely decisions.

Although empirical evidence indicates that HSIs (Hispanic Serving Institutions) are making some progress in recognizing that enhancing the racial and cultural experiences of Latino/a/x students, “Latinx-enhancing” is part of their role as institutions that enroll and serve large numbers of minoritize students (Garcia, 2019), there are still institutional gaps on prioritizing opportunities for Latino/a/x students to engage in leadership development.Latino/a/x students often rely on informal out-of-college support systems found in their community-- comunidad, such as family and peers to thrive within college (Ceballo, 2004; Easley, et al, 2012), it is important to assist them in their development and implementation of strengths-based problem-solving communication approach (Guerra, 2015, 2016).