Presupposing Agency and Responsilbility

[Coert Visser]

In their wonderful book Becoming Solution-Focused in Brief Therapy, John Walter and Jane Peller describe the usefulness of using question to our clients which contain presuppositions which form invitations to clients to enter a different way of thinking. These questions reflect that we see them as capable, responsible people who want to and can make sensible decisions. Here is a dialogue from their book (page 160-162) which is a nice example of how that can be done. In the book the authors explain how many of questions presuppose agency and responsilbility. I have removed those explanations. Can you spot how the questions presuppose agency and responsibility?

School counselor:	What is your goal in coming here, Marie?
Marie:	I would like to be doing my homework. But I just cannot seem to get it done.
School counselor:	So are there times when you get some of the homework done now?
Marie:	Yes, but usually it is when I am interested in the work, or I am in a good mood.
School counselor:	How do you get yourself to be interested? I am sure there are other things you could be interested in, at that time.
Marie:	Well, I don’t know. I just get into it, and then it is okay.
School counselor:	How do you decide to get into it?
Marie:	Well I want to pass and I know I have to do something.
School counselor:	Oh, you want to pass. That is important to you, to pass?
Marie:	Yes, I do not want to repeat freshman year and I am tired of wasting time in class.
School counselor:	So, you want to do more things like getting into the work so you can pass. Are there other things you are doing to help yourself pass?
Marie:	Sometimes, when I am in a good mood. But I just wish I was as smart as my sister. Everything is easy for her.
School counselor:	Yeah, I guess that might be easier. So how do you do it given that it does not come as easy for you?
Marie:	I just tell myself “I want to pass” and then I do it.
School counselor:	But it does not sound easy at all and it sounds like you are not always in a mood where you feel like doing it. So, how do you decide to do it even though it is not always easy or you are not always interested at first?
Marie:	Well, I just tell myself, I have other things that my sister does not have-and so I just do it and sometimes it gets easier.
School counselor:	Really? How do you do it and make it get easier?
Marie:	Oh, I just stop thinking about the fact that I do not want to do it and then get into it.
School counselor:	So you shift your thinking and make it more interesting for yourself or at least get some done. That is great! I am impressed how you do that even when you are not in the mood or crazy about doing the work. If you continued to do more of that-deciding to get into it because you want to pass-would you think you were more on track to getting more homework done and getting what you want from coming here?
Marie:	Yeah, I do feel better when I make myself do it and think I am going to pass.
School counselor:	I can see that and you have been doing some more of that lately as you decided you wanted to pass and do something with your class time. How do you think you will keep doing this?

[Elta Boshard]

Hi Coert, Thanks for the reminder - and I immediately went to my bookshelf to get my copy the book - need to reread a number of books, but I'll be going to the explanations first.