ABSTRACT
Solution-focused (SF) therapists and consultants are often called into a milieu that is saturated with problem-focused thinking and discouragement and asked to change the situation to something more positive and hopeful by applying SF thinking and techniques. While there are several ways to begin the SF process, complimenting is among the simplest, easiest, and most useful. It can quickly lead to noticeable transformations that can be amplified using other SF techniques. There at least three types: direct, indirect, and self-compliments. Direct compliments involve observing for what seems to be useful or successful in clients and then, thinking these observations may be helpful to bring to clients’ awareness, doing so with direct statements. For example, “I can see from the way you talk to your child that you are a thoughtful mother.” Such statements are sincere observations and interpretations of which clients may not have been aware and sometimes have difficulty accepting no matter how genuinely given.
