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Counselling Children, Adolescents and Families
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Counselling Children, Adolescents and Families
A Strengths-Based Approach

First Edition
  • John Sharry - Mater Hospital & Brief Therapy Group, Dublin


December 2003 | 183 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
`I recommend this book to anyone who lives or works with families, children or teenagers' - Nurturing Potential

`This is a valuable book, worth attention in every child and family service. My own agency has ordered a copy!' - Robert Cumming, Nurturing Potential

`John Sharry's book is a jewel in the solution-focused literature. It is clearly and engagingly written, draws on a host of ideas from different therapeutic approaches and is packed with practical examples. There is no better book on strengths-based therapy with children and adolescents. Every team should have one' - Chris Iveson, Brief Therapy Practice

Counselling Children, Adolescents and Families describes an innovative approach to therapeutic work which builds on the strengths of children and their parents. As the author's experience shows, helping clients to focus on potential solutions rather than problems can be a powerful means of engaging them in the therapeutic process, even in the most conflicting family circumstances. Harnessing the client's personal, family and community resources in this way also helps counteract their feelings of powerlessness and the possibility of increasing reliance on professional services.

Part One outlines the basic principles of a solution-focused and strengths-based approach, tackling such thorny issues as how and when to use diagnosis. Part two describes creative applications of the approach, using groupwork, play-based activities and video feedback. Part Three, examines practical issues which arise in more 'difficult' cases, such as child abuse and suicidal teenagers and children.

This book is aimed at professionals and trainees in fields including social work, mental health, childcare, education, psychotherapy and counselling.

Scott D Miller
Foreword
 
PART ONE: BASICS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE APPROACH
 
Establishing the Context
 
Guiding Principles of Practice
 
Engaging and Motivating Families
 
Becoming Child and Adolescent Centred
 
The Structure of a Strengths-Based Session
 
Constructive Understanding
Formulation and Diagnosis

 
 
PART TWO: SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS AND APPLICATIONS
 
Strength in Numbers
Parenting Groups

 
 
Groupwork with Children and Adolescents
John Sharry, Grainne Hampson and Mary Fanning
Pausing at Solutions
Strengths-Based Video Feedback

 
 
Defeating Temper
A Case Study

 
 
PART THREE: SOME CHALLENGING CONTEXTS
John Sharry, Melissa Darmody and Brendan Madden
Working with Suicidal Adolescents
John Sharry and Declan Coogan
Working with Child Abuse and Neglect

`This is a valuable book, worth attention in every child and family service. My own agency has ordered a copy!' - Robert Cumming, Nurturing Potential

`This book is highly recommended for counsellors, social workers and students. It is also an excellent resource for therapists who are interested in exploring alternative approaches to intervention. The simple language and expression makes the book a joy to read and the information easy to digest` - Journal of Family Studies

`John Sharry's book is a jewel in the solution focused literature. It is clearly and engagingly written, draws on a host of ideas from different therapeutic approaches and is packed with practical examples. There is no better book on strengths-based therapy with children and adolescents. Every team should have one' - Chris Iveson, Brief Therapy Practice


"It took me a long time to read this book. It is just that I found the pages so rich in ideas to engage clients and to focus on possible solutions that I deeded to stop and reflect and absorb what I had read. By his practical approach to the work, illustrated throughout the text by an array of real case examples, Sharry has produced a rich resource from which the reader can consider the ideas, reflect upon them and integrate them into his/her own practice. Taking a long time to read it is the only way to do this properly."

Tim Looker
Steinkopff Springer Darmstadt

This book is an excellent resource for teaching my module on counselling children and families, it is very readable and informative.

Ms Alison Taylor
Children Young People and Education, University of Suffolk
October 19, 2020

A new perspective on the world of the child and the adolescent and the families in therapy from a strengths based approach. To give hope is what this book is all about! It gives invaluable practical examples of how this approach can be used in everyday and challenging situations. The step-by step lay-out gives the beginner counsellor or therapist a solid structure for therapy.

Dr Petro Erasmus
Psychology , North-West University
June 29, 2013

I felt it was a good addition to the coursework, the students found the book easy to digest and demonstrated good examples of principles. Will use for future classes

Ms Teri Hughes
Psychology Dept, Suny College at Old Westbury
December 17, 2012

Thank you for this great book. It is one that is being picked up alot by my students in my lectures. A few have said they will be purchasing it

Miss Naomi Whale
childcare, City of Bath College
December 9, 2012

Ideal as a supportive text or for those students who want to extend their learning beyond that which is required.

Mrs Jo Pothecary
Foundation Studies, Wiltshire College
November 9, 2012

This is useful book, adpoting a "strengths based" approach to working with children and families. The theoretical roots are in solution-focussed therapy, and the book begins with several chapters setting the scene of the approach, and describing its adaptations to children and families. There are good sections on groupwork. A useful book to recommend as a supplementary text both to trainees in mental health professions and to others whose work brings them into regular contact with children and families.

Ms Jane Keeton
Psychology , Wolverhampton University
July 22, 2010

An excellent strengths based resource which is very accessibley written for students

Ms Hilary Jenkinson
Dept Applied Social Science, University College Cork (NUI)
February 10, 2010

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