Coaching practices for Problem Solving Therapy When Starting Out

Describe almost anything you are working through and IX Coach finds the practices whose real-world fit is closest. For Problem Solving Therapy When Starting Out, 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"
• I’ve got maybe two ideas for what to do about this and both feel hopeless, so I shoot every other thought down before I even finish it
• I’m brand new to this and they’ve thrown me straight at problems I have no clue how to start, so I just sit there guessing and backtracking and getting nowhere
• I know exactly what I’ve decided to do, but it’s been sitting in my head for days going nowhere
• The moment a problem shows up I lock onto the first fix that comes to mind and start running with it

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. Generate solutions without premature evaluation
   List as many potential solutions as possible before judging any of them.
   Problem-Solving Therapy, Made Practical
3. Study a fully worked example before attempting a new problem type
   Read through a completely solved example and understand each step before you try to solve anything yourself.
   The Worked Examples Effect: Learn Faster by Studying Solutions First
4. 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.
5. Implement the chosen solution with a concrete plan
   Translate the chosen solution into specific actions, times, and checkpoints.
   Problem-Solving Therapy, Made Practical
6. Adopt a "not-knowing" stance before problem-solving
   Delay solution-generation by first articulating what you genuinely do not know about a problem.
   Beginner's Mind (Shoshin), Made Practical
7. Build a positive problem orientation
   Treat problems as normal, solvable challenges rather than signs of personal failure.
   Problem-Solving Therapy, Made Practical
8. 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
9. 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.
10. 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

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