ABSTRACT

Solution-focused therapies (SFT) offer a wide range of resources for therapists. Many of these resources empower clients to be more active in the therapy process and subsequently more in charge of the changes that occur in their life situations. For example, scaling questions (de Shazer, 1994) can help clients assess the severity of a problem in order to recognize changes as they occur. The Miracle Question (Berg, 1993) encourages clients to imagine a reality that is already in the process of becoming and into which the client can move. I have learned that the “notice the difference” directive (de Shazer, 1991) is a particularly effective intervention that has evolved in SFT. Because of its simplicity, I suspect that therapists tend to underrate its effectiveness and therefore underutilize this intervention.