Customer Reviews

A Guide to Possibility Land: Fifty-One Methods for Doing Brief, Respectful Therapy

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This book presents a powerful, positive approach to working with clients. O'Hanlon is truly a visionary who has helped create an approach to working with clients that is positive, affirming, and solution focused. He has helped create an approach that focuses on solutions rather than pathology. This book (and all of his others) should be required reading for new and experienced therapists. Buy a copy for a friend.

I gave 4 stars in an earlier review which was lost in the transfer. After re-reading the book, I like it even more. This is not a book that some people will take to right away. It is more like notes or hand-out on 51 therapeutic techniques. The line drawings of animals by Sandy Beadle have nothing to do with the content. The authors admit that this is a "weird collaboration". When you look through the book again and again, the animals take on personality and emotions. It is amazing that a few simple lines can be so expressive. You can just enjoy the art-work. The sketchy descriptions of each method, with "defintion, rational, examples", are like the line drawings, simple in outline, but very rich in meaning. They follow the general order of O'Hanlon's Possibility Therapy: 1. Acknowledgement and Possibility. 2. Change the Viewing. 3. Problems and Goals. 4. Resources. 5. Change the Doing. You get the flavour of O'Hanlon's wisdom, his use of stories and simple language and his sense of humour. You can easily understand why he has been so popular and successful and even appeared on Oprah's Show. These methods can possibly be developed into game cards not only for therapists, but for anyone interested in growth. With any skills, we need to practise. This book helps us to practise in smaller steps and acquire new outlooks and behavior for a more creative living.

I'm a psychologist practicing in a college counseling center, and I love this book! This slim, easy-to-read volume contains a plethora of strategies which encourage you to view client problems from a new, solutions-oriented perspective. Each strategy is presented in a simple, one-page description that includes both a rationale for the technique as well as specific examples of how to use the technique with clients. The strategies are divided into five main categories: Carl Rogers with a Twist, Change the Viewing, Map Problem and Goals, Connect with Internal and External Resources, and Change the Doing. The book is laced with humor--e.g., goofy drawings and therapist lightbulb jokes at the end--and the techniques themselves frequently illustrate how to draw humor into the therapeutic process. At times, O'Hanlon seems to take this a bit too far, with the risk being that his methods will appear invalidating to the client, but I believe that his strategies can be adapted so that this is not the case. Furthermore, the tools offered in this book are compatible with all theoretical orientations and presenting problems. This is an excellent book for helping all therapists stay fresh and engaged in their work, and it is the one therapy handbook that I always turn to when I'm feeling stuck with a client.

Every psychotherapist will benefit from mastering the powerfully effective change-evoking strategies in this easy to follow and fun to read guide book. This book is required reading for any clinician who is committed to creating a climate in which clients can make the changes they desire in their lives rapidly and effectively.

As a psychotherapist I was also excited to check out some new brief therapy ideas. However like a few other reviewers I found the book to be a collection of cases that offered pithy one liners and quick come backs to people exhibiting genuine pain and difficulty. I'm not sure what the point is in dismissing their concerns as silly or shutting them down. It seemed belittling to me. One case comes to mind where a client was expressing that they feel their personality is lacking and the retort was "I guess you need a personality transplant!" Well, now that their concern has been mocked where do you go from there? Do you do the transplant or laugh it off and dismiss their issue? I don't know what the author intended next because each case ends with the punch line. I expect a drum roll at the end of every page.

For the beginning or advanced therapist this is a wonderful compilation of useful tips. A great way to learn to integrate possibility therapy into your practice.Highly recommended.

Great little book. Get it and reap the wisdom O'Hanlon has aquired fro years a helping others!

This book was very disappointing. The idea behind the techniques is a good one, however the execution and context of these is off. They come across as disrespectful and patronizing. The authors' style of presentation of the material is annoying as well.

As a therapist I was excited about possibly learning some great techniques...Most of this stuff is real airy-fairy, bordering on New Ager stuff....Not real life useful techniques...