How can you use solution-focused therapy to give respectful feedback to peers?

1 Establish rapport

The first principle of solution-focused therapy is to establish rapport with your peer, which is the feeling of trust, respect, and understanding that you share with someone. In order to build rapport, it is important to show genuine interest and curiosity in your peer's perspective, goals, and experiences. Additionally, active listening skills such as paraphrasing, reflecting, and asking open-ended questions can help foster collaboration. Affirming and supportive language can also be used to acknowledge your peer's efforts, achievements, and challenges. It is important to avoid judgmental, critical, or blaming language such as labeling, diagnosing, or generalizing your peer's behavior or situation.

3 Explore solutions

The third principle of solution-focused therapy is to explore the solutions that can help your peer to achieve their goals. Solutions are the actions, strategies, or resources that your peer can use or access to overcome the challenges or gaps that prevent them from reaching their goals. To explore solutions, you can ask your peer what they have done or tried in the past that worked or helped them in similar situations. Additionally, you can help your peer identify and amplify their strengths, skills, and resources they can use or develop to address the feedback topic. Moreover, provide specific and constructive suggestions or examples of solutions that are relevant, realistic, and respectful for your peer. Lastly, use collaborative and empowering language such as inviting your peer to choose or co-create the solutions rather than imposing or prescribing them.

4 Evaluate progress

The fourth principle of solution-focused therapy is to evaluate the progress that your peer has made or can make towards their goals. Progress is a way to measure how close your peer is to achieving their goals, as well as the challenges they face along the way. To evaluate progress, you can ask your peer how they measure success, monitor and celebrate their progress, provide positive feedback, and use reinforcing language. By applying these four principles when giving feedback to a peer, you can create a positive and respectful feedback culture and enhance your peer support skills.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?