1. If you do not ask helpful questions, you may well not get helpful answers.

“How can I help you?” This is not a helpful SF question. For a start it assumes that the SF practitioner has some answers and will be the catalyst for change. It also takes some of the autonomy and direction away from the client, and is focused on the immediacy of the time spent with the practitioner.

Now, think about this question:

“How will you know coming here has been useful after you have left here?” 

The client is invited to think about what might happen in the session that could be beneficial afterwards, in the real world, day to day. There is an invitation to thing about things changing in someway post session. The focus is on the future. This could be followed up (dependent on client answer) with “what might others notice that tells them you coming here was useful?” Again, a future focus and an indicator that change is expected and noticeable.

More tips to come 🙂