Coaching practices for Problem Solving Therapy During a Big Change

Describe almost anything you are working through and IX Coach finds the practices whose real-world fit is closest. For Problem Solving Therapy During a Big Change, these are the strongest matches in the current practice library.

Does this sound like the set of challenges you might be facing?

• I finally tried something and it only half-worked, and my whole brain went "see, nothing I do ever works"
• The second a problem lands my gut reaction is "of course, this is just me, I can’t handle anything"
• I’ve got a few options on the table but I keep drifting toward whichever one scares me least instead of whichever would actually fix things
• The storm has finally passed and my kid is calm again, and I keep wanting to either just move on or fix the situation for them
• We keep rolling out new processes and reorgs to fix this thing and nothing moves the needle

Practices that may help

1. Evaluate the outcome and adjust
   After implementing, honestly assess what worked, what didn’t, and what to do next.
   Problem-Solving Therapy, Made Practical
2. Build a positive problem orientation
   Treat problems as normal, solvable challenges rather than signs of personal failure.
   Problem-Solving Therapy, Made Practical
3. Problem-Solving Therapy, Made Practical
   Problem-Solving Therapy (PST), developed by Nezu and D’Zurilla, treats depression and anxiety by building structured, step-by-step problem-solving skills — targeting the learned helplessness and avoidance that occur when people face stressful life problems without an effective coping framework. Multiple randomised trials support PST for depression, especially when linked to real-life problem load.
4. Evaluate solutions against costs, benefits, and fit
   Rate each solution on likelihood of success, personal costs, and fit with your values.
   Problem-Solving Therapy, Made Practical
5. Problem-solve together once the child is calm
   After the emotional storm passes, invite the child to find a solution with you.
   Emotion Coaching (John Gottman)
6. Diagnose the challenge before choosing the response
   Ask whether the problem requires new expertise (technical) or new values and behavior (adaptive).
   Adaptive Leadership, Made Practical
7. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Building On What Works
   Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), developed by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg, directs attention to what already works — client strengths, past successes, and desired futures — rather than to analyzing problems. Meta-analyses report small-to-moderate positive effects across a range of presenting issues, with particular strength in behavioral problems and depression in adult populations.
8. The Formula First-Session Task and Between-Session Noticing
   Assign between-session observation tasks that direct attention toward what’s already working.
   Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Building On What Works
9. Manage emotional arousal before and during problem solving
   Use a brief calming strategy when emotions are too high to solve problems effectively.
   Problem-Solving Therapy, Made Practical
10. Exception Finding: When Is the Problem Already Less Severe?
    Identify times when the problem was absent or less severe — these are evidence that solutions already exist.
    Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Building On What Works

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