One of our strengths as a publisher (we think) is our ability
to create resources that can be used by anyone. Our resources
are designed to be simple and suggestive rather than complex and
prescriptive. They don't aim to provide neatly-wrapped answers
to questions, but instead help to create the conditions in which
conversation and reflection can take place.
Despite
our best efforts to simplify language, you may come across specialised
terms which we have adopted to describe our approach to human
service work. Here are some of them:
Strengths-based
St
Luke’s has received broad recognition for its commitment
to community building and social justice leadership. In part,
this reputation is built on the ‘strengths-based’
philosophy that it attempts to articulate. Find out more about strengths-based social work practice at this Wikipedia article. At the heart of
this approach is the understanding that people are their own best
experts on their lives and that each person has strengths they
can uncover and develop. Moreover, the strengths that reside in
every individual and collectively in teams are the best resources
for tackling change.
Wayne McCashen explores St Luke's understanding and practice of strengths-based work in his book The
Strengths Approach, published by us.
Seriously
Optimistic ®
We
like to describe Innovative Resource’s publishing and bookselling
activities as ‘seriously optimistic’. Beneath the
colour and humour in our publications is a serious intent. The
phrase ‘seriously optimistic’ also hints at the profound
influence that St Luke’s ‘strengths-based’ approach
to human service delivery has had on the books and resources we
publish. While our resources use simplicity, humour, colour and
design to express the joy of creativity and light-heartedness,
we do take our optimism seriously. 
This serious optimism reflects our deeply-held belief that everyone
has strengths, and that hope and respect are always possible.
We are serious about building a fair and just society and we remain
optimistic about the ability people have to re-story their lives
to fight oppression, however they experience it. We are also optimistic
about the possibilities for change and transformation, not only
in the lives of individuals but also in families, organisations,
communities and beyond.
Yes, we do use colour, humour and good quality design to express
our optimism. But beneath our (at times) light-hearted approach
to publishing is a serious intent – to do our bit to make
our world a little better.
Solution-focused
brief therapy
Reproduced and adapted from the website of the Brief Therapy Institute
of Sydney. For further information, please visit their website
at www.brieftherapysydney.com.au.
Solution-Focused
Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a short-term goal-focused therapeutic
approach which helps clients change by constructing solutions
rather than dwelling on problems. Elements of the desired solution
are often already present in the client's life, and become the
basis for ongoing change. The ability to articulate what the changes
will be like is more important than understanding what led to
the problem.
The approach was developed by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg
and their colleagues at the Brief family Therapy Center in Milwaukee.
SFBT is based on the idea that, if our aim is to help clients
CHANGE, we ought to use things related to how change happens rather
than concentrating on how problems develop. Understanding the
details and 'cause' of the problem is often not necessary to finding
a solution. The important questions are: ‘how does the client
want things to be different?’, and ‘what will it take
to make it happen?’.
Envisioning a clear and entailed picture of how things will be
when things are better creates hope and expectation, and makes
a solution possible. SFBT focuses on the future (and how it will
be better when things change) and focuses on the establishing
and elaboration of clear goals. Goals direct the therapy process
and help it remain focused and brief (if we don't know where we're
going, we don't know when we've got there!). SFBT also focuses
on client strengths and resources, as a way of helping clients
recognize how to use their resources to bring about changes.
Narrative
Approach / Narrative Therapy
Reproduced and adapted from the website of the Dulwich Centre.
For more information, please visit their website at www.dulwichcentre.com.au.
Narrative therapy is an approach to counselling and community
work. It regards people as the experts in their own lives and
views problems as separate from people. Narrative therapy assumes
that people have many skills, competencies, beliefs, values, commitments
and abilities that will 
assist
them to reduce the influence of problems in their lives. The word
‘narrative’ refers to the emphasis that is placed
upon the stories of people’s lives and the differences that
can be made through particular tellings and retellings of these
stories.
Narrative
therapy involves ways of understanding the
stories of people’s lives. It
also involves ways of re-authoring these stories in a collaboration
between the therapist/community worker and the person whose life
is being discussed. It is a way of working that is interested
in history, the broader context that affects people’s lives
and the ethics or politics of therapy. These are some of the themes
which make up what has come to be known as ‘narrative therapy’.
Of course, different people engage with these themes in their
own ways. Some people choose to refer to ‘narrative practices’
rather than ‘narrative therapy’ as they believe that
the phrase ‘narrative therapy’ is somewhat limiting
of an endeavour which is constantly changing and being engaged
with in many different contexts.
Journalling
There are as many forms of journalling as there are people who
like to scribble, doodle and draw, make lists, write poetry, imagine
conversations, and document their dreams or family events.
Journalling is increasingly becoming recognised as a powerful
therapeutic tool that professionals can offer to clients to encourage
remembering and reflection. Many people are especially drawn to
their notebooks and journals in times of challenge and transition
to help them make sense of what is happening in their lives. Journalling
can also be a valuable tool for goal-setting and monitoring our
emotional and mental wellbeing.
Quite simply, there is great power in being able to name, record
and express a feeling or experience; even if that experience is
a painful or negative one. It is healing to express the truth
as we experience it. Finding the right words or image is like
shining a clear light on that experience. And then—sometimes—a
piece of magic takes place; the experience can be more lightly
held.
Very importantly, through journalling our experiences can be told
very safely using metaphors, imagined characters and stories.
Many of Innovative Resources' card sets can be used as a prompt
for journalling. Our Shadows
set uses watercolour artwork to invite the viewer to reflect on
their experiences and explore the meaning of the 'shadows' in
their lives. Our Inside
Out Journalling Kit was created as a celebration
of creative writing and as a ‘seriously optimistic’
tool for change.
Are
there other terms that you think should be listed here? If so,
please email us
and let us know.
