EBTA – European Brief Therapy Association solution-focused since 1993

EBTA structures blog            23 October 2012

EBTA has continued to evaluate and discuss its mission and structures during the recent conference in Torun and by the task group assigned for making proposals for new structures.

Discussions in Torun

In Torun the EBTA board formally decided to assign the task-group to come up with one or two possible new structures, including statutes, finances and an estimate of the implications of the suggestions. The suggestions should be made before the Spring meeting in April 20^th 2013. The task-group consists of Peter Sundman (coordinator), Helene Dellucci, Ferdinand Wolf, Svea van der Hoorn and Caroline Klingenstierna (resigned 30.9.12).

The board also decided to use the enclosed ‘flower’ structure as a discussion platform for the ongoing discussions about the structures. The ‘flower’ indicates that EBTA could take on new tasks, like hosting SF national associations and training institutes as well as continue with old tasks, like supporting research.

There was a first open meeting for the national associations in Torun. The associations presented themselves and discussed the possibilities for cooperation. More on this topic here http://blog.ebta.nu/task-groups/supporting-national-s-f-associations-cooperation

The participants of the Torun conference were asked to fill in a questionnaire about their expectations of EBT. The results showed that almost all, who answered, wanted EBTA to go on with its present tasks. The majority also wanted to have an on-line journal and information about therapists. About half wanted EBTA to set up a certification system. The certification/accreditation was discussed during an open meeting, where it got both support and criticism.

Task-group in October

The task-group decided in October to use the EBTA web site as a site for the material produced by the task-group and public discussions. – This blog is part of this work. We will try to make it possible for people to voice their best hopes and invite and record communications about the work of the EBTA structure task-group. We will also invite specific people for their contribution / expertise.

At the moment we are working on these issues.

• EBTA position on accreditation. There are clearly divided opinions. The Eastern European countries are more interested in getting support that SFBT is a serious therapeutic approach. Long time supporters of EBTA do not want EBTA to be a regulalive body. Would their desire be served by EBTA being a research platform?  Could  the ‘flower’ structure host both view points in separate forums?
• EBTA relationship with National Associations – see proposal on the flower drawing document
• EBTA as an open source structure / resource rather than a regulating structure.
• EBTA providing resources and guidelines about SF to structures that regulate, train etc
• EBTA as a place where documents in a variety of languages can be located. Perhaps volunteers from EBTA make translations into other languages?
• EBTA as a reputable resource for research repository, or a place with links to where research relevant to credibility, status and stature of SF can be found.
• What changes do the present statutes allow? How to make changes in the statutes?
• Does EBTA want to be an institution with something to deliver and to what extant does it act as a connector between other structures?

Next structure task-group meeting is November 11^th.

Peter Sundman

task-group coordinator

EBTA flower structure:

EBTA has set up a network for SF-practitioners at this address
http://ebta-network.ning.com,  welcome to come and join in!
When signing up: If you have trouble finding your confirmation email. Please check your email “trash”.

Here we hope you will find inspiration and support in your everyday practice. This is the place where we hope you always can meet your peer Solution Focused practitioners. On this pages the focus is on Solution Focused practises within Mental health care, Counseling, Social services and Education in Europe and beyond.

You can join a group for networking or create your own group (please email me if you like to do that: I will need the information : name of the group; and a short description and will get back to you as soon as I can). Or start a discussion under Forum. Load up your favorite youtube clipp or what ever you like.

If you like to share some material please mail me or have other ideas. I hope everything work OK ,but if there is problems let me know!

Have fun!
Please respect the the network ethics that is copied below!

Caroline, ebta network manager

Network ethics

All members have a right to feel welcomed and appreciated

For all members to feel respected it is important to only describe other people, organisations and networks in a way that they themselves would agree is accurate. It is not allowed to campaign against any individual or group. This means that some questions may not be suitable for this forum, and in that case we hope you will use another way of communicating with like minded people or direct to the person or organisation concerned. If you feel that you or someone else is not being treated fairly on this network please contact the web manager as soon as possible. This is a responsibility all members share. This rule will be strictly upheld and individuals who don’t respect this will be excluded.

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Practitioners of Solution Focused treatments acknowledge the open source ethos of Solution Focused Practices and give credit to the developers and others they refer to. They make no claims about ownership or exclusive use of Solution Focused ideas. They conduct and report research competently (Peter Sundman et al, SF-practice definition 2012).

This means that if you know who said it first (or who said it to you) – you should write who it was when you refer to it, and if you don’t know who said it to you, but you know you did not come up with it yourself – say that!

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Network members are advised to be restrictive with forwarding their own products in their role as network members. Please contact the webmaster to suggest ways that this sort information can be available at selected places. If you are arranging a national or local Solution Focused conference please contact the administrator to put this information under “Events”.

Hi,
During the last year, the EBTA-board has worked on an organizational layout that we hope will be a good start for the coming development of EBTA. Please surf our web site to find out how EBTA works and what is on the horizon for us. This is a first layout, a starting point to build from. We hope it will prove to be a useful platform for collaborations and developments that will benefit the Solution Focused community. We invite you to contact us with suggestions and questions.

All the best form,

Caroline Klingenstierna, EBTA Web manager, on the behalf of the EBTA structure task-group (click to get more information of this task-group)