John J. Murphy & Barry L. Duncan 
Brief Intervention for School Problems 
Outcome-Informed Strategies

Every interaction with a young person who is struggling is an opportunity for change. This highly practical guide helps school practitioners find effective solutions to academic and behavioral problems through brief counseling. It shows how to build on the ideas and resources that students, parents, and teachers bring to the intervention process, within an innovative, research-supported, time-limited framework. Extensive case material illustrates the authors’ creative approach to building solutions and ‘busting problems’ by putting clients in the driver’s seat. Filled with real-world examples from both elementary and secondary settings, the book presents creative strategies for addressing disciplinary problems, poor academic performance, anxiety, compulsive behaviors, and other common difficulties.

Table of Content

1. Kenny: An Introduction to What Works


2. Empirical Foundations of Effective Intervention


3. Assessment 1: Recruiting the Heroic Client


4. Assessment 2: Becoming Outcome Informed


5. Brief Intervention: Solution Building


6. Brief Intervention: Problem Busting


7. Medication, Children, and Schools: The Guidelines Still Apply,
with
Jacqueline Sparks


8. Frequently Asked Questions


Appendix A: Index of Client Examples


Appendix B: Outcome and Session Rating Scales


Appendix C: Making the Numbers Count

About the author

John J. Murphy, Ph D, Professor of Psychology and Counseling at the University of Central Arkansas, is a practitioner, author, and trainer of brief therapy and strengths-based approaches with children, adolescents, and school problems. Dr. Murphy is a former public school teacher who has been cited as one of the top five school psychologists in the United States. He is a Section Director in the Heart and Soul of Change Project and a featured therapist in the video training series, Child Therapy with the Experts. He continues to practice in schools and to train people throughout the United States and overseas. His website is www.drjohnmurphy.com.

 


Barry L. Duncan, Psy D, is a therapist, trainer, and researcher with over 17, 000 hours of clinical experience. He is Director of the Heart and Soul of Change Project (www.heartandsoulofchange.com), a practice-driven training and research initiative that focuses on what works in therapy and substance abuse treatment, and more importantly, how to deliver it on the front lines via client-based outcome feedback. Dr. Duncan has authored or coauthored over 100 publications, including 15 books. His most recent books include the second edition of the bestselling
Heart and Soul of Change and
On Becoming a Better Therapist. He is the codeveloper of the Outcome Rating Scale and Session Rating Scale.