Solution-Focused Basics Overview – 3.75 CE Contact Hours:

This abbreviated course is designed to introduce nurses and others in the medical profession to Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) as it was originally developed by Insoo Kim Berg and Steve de Shazer. Nurses and other medical professionals will learn how they can use this different way of thinking about problems and solutions to address patient needs and to effectively engage and de-escalate challenging patients. They will practice these skills in a supervised setting. This course is specifically designed to ensure medical professionals can leave the classroom and effectively implement these skills with patients.

Upon completion of this course, nurses and other medical professionals will be able to:

1. Recognize the unique aspects of solution-focused philosophy and differentiate it from problem-focused models.
2. Identify three concrete tools that would be most effective in their work setting that they can immediately begin to use with their patients.
3. Verbalize the effective use of the three tools they identify in number two above.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. Jan 29, 2025 (8:30-12:30) This Class Date is Online
2. April 25, 2025 (8:30-12:30) This Class Date is Online
3. Sept 19, 2025 (8:30-12:30) This Class Date is Online
4. Nov 14, 2025 (8:30-12:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the patients work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their patients.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

Using Solution-Focused Thinking to Help Patients Cope with Grief/Loss – 3.75 CE Contact Hours:

This course is designed to introduce nurses and other medical professionals to solution-focused thinking as it was originally developed by Insoo Kim Berg and Steve de Shazer and teach them how to use these principles to effectively engage and help patients who are dealing with loss and grief. Nurses and other medical professionals will learn to identify signs of grief and gain the ability to effectively use questions and other solution-focused interventions to assist in the grief process. Nurses and other medical professionals will learn protective factors and how to use solution-focused thinking to decrease potential long-term effects of grief and loss. This course is specifically designed to ensure that nurses and other medical professionals can leave the classroom and effectively implement these skills with those with whom they work.

Upon completion of this course, nurses and other medical professionals will be able to:

1. Recognize the unique aspects of solution-focused philosophy and differentiate it from problem-focused models.
2. Understand how solution-focused thinking can be effectively used with patients in order to increase hope and assist them through the grief process.
3. Identify five concrete tools that would be most effective in their work setting that they can immediately begin to use with their patients to increase hope and assist them through the grief process.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. Jan 29, 2025 (1:30-5:30) This Class Date is Online
2. April 25, 2025 (1:30-5:30) This Class Date is Online
3. Sept 19, 2025 (1:30-5:30) This Class Date is Online
4. Nov 14, 2025 (1:30-5:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the patients work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their patients.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

Protecting Professional Resiliency (AKA Using Solution-Focused Thinking to Prevent Burnout) – 6.5 CE Contact Hours:

This course is designed to introduce nurses and other medical professionals to solution-focused thinking as it was originally developed by Insoo Kim Berg and Steve de Shazer and teach them how to use these principles to prevent and reverse professional burnout. Nurses and other medical professionals will learn to identify signs of professional burnout and stress and develop an “emergency roadside repair kit” to assist them in preventing the potential negative impact. Nurses and other medical professionals will learn protective factors and how to use solution-focused thinking to decrease and address potential stress in the work place.

Upon completion of this course, nurses and other medical professionals will be able to:

1. Recognize the unique aspects of solution-focused philosophy and differentiate it from problem-focused models.
2. Recognize the signs of professional burnout and stress.
3. Understand the role of the “emergency roadside repair kit” in preventing and reversing burnout.
4. Gain the ability to use the “emergency roadside repair kit” to prevent and reverse burnout in the workplace.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. Feb. 14, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
2. April 10, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
3. July 7, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the patients work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their patients.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

Solution-Focused Animal-Assisted Brief Therapy – 6.5 CE Contact Hours:

This course is designed to introduce nurses and other medical professionals to the concept of the human-animal bond and teach how animal-related conversations and interactions can help create positive change in their patients. Medical professionals will understand how the physiological and psychological changes that an animal’s presence (including the thought of a family pet) brings can be used in motivating, calming, and teaching patients. Professionals will learn how to incorporate their patients’ family pets into conversations and homework assignments that will bring the concepts to life. Standards of practice for training and using a therapy dog in client sessions will be reviewed as well.

Upon completion of this course, nurses and other medical professionals will be able to:

1. Recognize the patient traits that would make the patient likely to benefit from animal-related interventions in the clinical setting.
2. Describe five physiological and/or psychological benefits animals can have on humans.
3. Identify three ways in which animal-assisted conversations and interventions would be most effective in their work setting.
4. Gain the ability to effectively implement the strategies identified in number three above with their patients.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. Feb. 5, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
2. Dec. 15, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the patients work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their patients.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

Solution-Focused Supervision and Management – 6.5 CE Contact Hours:

This course is designed to introduce nurses and other medical professionals to solution-focused thinking as it was originally developed by Insoo Kim Berg and Steve de Shazer and teach them how to use these principles to motivate staff and effectively lead others. Skills will be taught to effectively address challenging work-place behaviors. Basic agency culture and creating team/program safety will also be reviewed. Lastly, paperwork and dealing with governing agencies will be explored.

Upon completion of this course, nurses and other medical professionals will be able to:

1. Recognize the unique aspects of solution-focused philosophy and differentiate it from problem-focused models.
2. Identify five concrete tools that would be most effective in their work setting that they can immediately begin to use with their supervisees and peers.
3. Verbalize the effective use of the five tools they identify in number two above.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. Jan. 17, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
2. Mar. 3, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
3. May 23, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
4. Oct. 23, 2025 (8:30-4:30) Littleton Training Center
5. Dec. 10, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the patients work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their patients.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

Nurturing Professionals in a Challenging Environment - 6.5 CE Contact hours:

This class is designed for supervisors and managers to help them learn to support their staff using Solution-Focused Practice. Many medical professionals have no idea the emotional toll involved in the helping professions, and are not equipped to manage the stress, client stories, and expectations. This class looks at how subtle shifts in language can have a tremendous shift in the conversations. We look at how to talk about client cases in a way that does not trigger secondary trauma and compassion fatigue. We look at how to help employees create bonds of success with their co-workers rather than trauma bonds. We address how to help young or inexperienced workers manage their emotions while gaining confidence in their skills. Difficult team norms, gossiping, etc. are also addressed.

Upon completion of this course, nurses and other medical professionals will be able to:

1. Understand the unique aspects of solution-focused thinking and be able to differentiate this model from problem-focused models.
2. Understand the key factors needed in building a resilient workforce.
3. Be able to identify three tools you can use immediately with workers.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. May 22, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
2. November 12, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the people work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with those with whom they work.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Basics – 13.0 CE Contact Hours:

This course is designed to introduce nurses who are actively involved in helping patients with behavioral change to Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) as it was originally developed by Insoo Kim Berg and Steve de Shazer. Nurses will understand how this approach is unique from other models, will learn the six SFBT interventions, and will practice these skills in a supervised setting. This course is specifically designed to ensure that nurses can leave the classroom and effectively implement these skills with patients.

Upon completion of this course, nurses and other medical professionals will be able to:

1. Recognize the unique aspects of solution-focused philosophy and differentiate it from problem-focused models.
2. Describe the six solution-focused interventions and the purpose of each.
3. Identify five concrete tools that would be most effective in their work setting that they can immediately begin to use with their patients.
4. Demonstrate the effective use of the five tools they identify in number three above.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. Dec. 9 & 10, 2024 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
2. Jan. 27 & 28, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
3. April 7 & 8, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
4. June 16 & 17, 2025 (8:30-4:30) Littleton Training Center
5. Aug. 18 & 19, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
6. Oct. 21 & 22, 2025 (8:30-4:30) Littleton Training Center
7. Dec. 8 & 9, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the patients work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their patients.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

:: Topic Specific Classes (These classes are designed for psychiatric nurses and those who specialize in behavioral change. No Prerequisites are required, but might be helpful)::

Working with Externally Motivated Patients – 6.5 CE Contact Hours:

This class is specifically designed for nurses who are actively involved in helping patients with behavioral change, who work with patients who are externally motivated by the courts, child welfare, their parents or partner, or other sources. It provides a solid review of the fundamentals of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy while placing special emphasis on how to engage challenging patients and how to find a common goal. This course is specifically designed to ensure psychiatric nurses can leave the classroom and effectively implement these skills with challenging patients.

Upon completion of this course, psychiatric nurses will be able to:

1. Demonstrate the ability to think from a system’s perspective and use this perspective to identify a common goal.
2. Demonstrate the ability to hear what is at the patient’s heart despite the patient’s complaints.
3. Demonstrate the ability to hear patients’ successes despite system complaints.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. Feb. 13, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
2. Oct. 24, 2025 (8:30-4:30) Littleton Training Center

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the patients work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their patients.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

Solution-Focused Substance Misuse Treatment – 6.5 CE Contact Hours:

This class is designed for nurses who are actively involved in helping patients with behavioral change, who work with patients who are misusing substances. It provides a solid review of the fundamentals of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy while placing special emphasis on the unique factors that are in play when working with this population. This course is specifically designed to ensure psychiatric nurses can leave the classroom and effectively implement these skills with challenging patients.

Upon completion of this course, psychiatric nurses will be able to:

1. Demonstrate the ability to think from a system’s perspective and use this perspective to identify a common goal.
2. Understand how SFBT is different from the commonly used approaches for treating substance misuse and why SFBT is effective with this population.
3. Understand how SFBT views the concepts of “denial” and “resistance” and why this different view is effective with this population.
4. Understand the concept of neutrality and the role it plays when working with substance involved patients.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. April 9, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
2. Nov. 13, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the patients work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their patients.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

:: Intermediate to Advanced Classes (These classes are designed for psychiatric nurses and those who specialize in behavioral change and require prior attendance of the Solution-Focused Basics Overview or the Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Basics class listed above or the equivalent.)::

Advanced Solution-Focused Brief Therapy – 6.5 CE Contact Hours:

This training is recommended for those who have already learned the basics, have been practicing on their own, and now want more in order to fine tune their work with patients. In this unique class, the instructor works with the students to help them identify what is currently working in their practice of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and helps them to identify areas of growth they would like to address. These targeted areas of growth form the agenda for the class. This class is designed to be taken multiple times in a "practice lab" fashion.

Upon completion of this course, nurses will be able to:

1. Recognize when the patients’ answers to solution-focused questions are superficial and understand how to effectively intervene to deepen the interventions.
2. Understand the role of balancing Being, Cognition, and Behavior questions in order to achieve clinical depth while asking the Miracle Question.
3. Increase their ability to be purposeful in each solution-focused question.
4. Implement the use of solution-focused interventions to help themselves continue their efforts in mastering SFBT.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. March 6, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
2. May 1, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
3. June 18, 2025 (8:30-4:30) Littleton Training Center
4. Aug. 20, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
5. Nov. 11, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the patients work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their patients.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

Solution-Focused Group Therapy – 6.5 CE Contact Hours:

This course is designed to teach nurses who are actively involved in helping patients with behavioral change who have been previously introduced to Solution-Focused Brief Therapy as it was originally developed by Insoo Kim Berg and Steve de Shazer how to implement this approach within a group setting. How to address group norms and how to find a group theme will also be addressed. This course is specifically designed to ensure nursing professionals can leave the classroom and effectively implement these skills with patients.

Upon completion of this course, psychiatric nurses will be able to:

1. Recognize the unique aspects of solution-focused group and differentiate it from problem-focused group models.
2. Understand the role and function of a group theme.
3. Understand the group skeleton and how it serves as the foundation for effective solution-focused group structure.
4. Recognize five common group norms that undermine group effectiveness and how to intervene.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. Dec. 12, 2024 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
2. March 4, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
3. June 20, 2025 (8:30-4:30) Littleton Training Center
4. Sept. 18, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
5. Dec. 11, 2025 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the patients work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their patients.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

Individual Training Services:

Individual sessions are available for professionals who have already learned the basics and would benefit from private conversations to help them apply these concepts with their patients or within their work setting. These sessions are scheduled at whatever frequency would be helpful and can be done via telephone, Zoom, or in person. We provide these services to professionals who live throughout the country as a follow-up to our training as well as to enhance learning acquired elsewhere.

Group Support/Consultation Services:

This group for professionals is offered monthly for those who have completed a minimum of 2 days of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy training at the Denver Center for SFBT (or the equivalent training by a solution-focused trainer) or who are actively engaged in individual training services and want supportive services to effectively implement SFBT in their own work. Monthly group consultation for supervisors and managers is also available.

Cancellation Policy:

We must receive your written request to cancel seven business days prior to the course date in order to receive a full refund. All refunds will be less a five percent administrative fee. Cancellations received after seven days will not receive a refund, but a credit will be given to enroll in another training class. No future class credit will be given for "no shows." There are no minimum enrollment limits for any of our classes since we believe some of the best learning can occur in small groups. However, should a class need to be canceled due to instructor illness or weather, you will be given a full refund, or you may enroll in another class. Denver Center for SFBT is only liable for the cost of the class registration fees should a cancellation occur.

IASTI:

Denver Center for Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a member of the International Association of Solution-Focused Teaching Institutes (IASTI). We are now offering the International Solution-Focused Practitioner Certificate. All classes and activities at Denver Center for SFBT count toward this certificate. The certificate, while not a clinical license, reflects basic knowledge, training, and practice in Solution-Focused practice. We are among the first in North America to offer the internationally reciprocal Solution-Focused Practitioner Certificate based on the official standards recently set by IASTI. The member Institutes of IASTI represent training institutes who are committed to high quality training and supervision in the Solution-Focused model, and represent a longstanding tradition in providing Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, coaching, consulting, supervision, and training.

E-mail questions or request more information about our solution-focused therapy training: tpichot@denversolutions.com