TCU: NEWS & EVENTS

Counseling expert to speak at TCU




Fort Worth, TX

1/24/2006

TCU's School of Education will host their Green Honors Chair public lecture on "Working on What Works" with Insoo Kim Berg, Monday, February 6, 5:30 p.m. in the Kelly Alumni Center. The event is free to the public, but reservations are required. To obtain an e-mail reservation, contact Dr. Becky Taylor at e.taylor@tcu.edu or Dr. Frank Thomas at f.thomas@tcu.edu for e-mail confirmation.

Almost three years ago, Berg and her colleagues started building a solution-building process in the middle school environment. The main premise of the process, called the "Working on What Works" (WOWW) approach, is to intervene in behavior problems in the students' natural environment - the classroom.

"By training teachers in a new approach to addressing classroom behavior problems, school counselors can help students - and teachers - successfully deal with problems at their source," said Berg.

Along with her partner the late Steven de Shazer, Berg developed solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), which is becoming one of the most commonly used and effective theories in school counseling. Berg, co-founder and executive director of Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee, has published eight highly acclaimed books in 10 years. Her most recent books include "Tales of Solutions" (2001), "Building Solutions in Child Protective Services" (2000), and "Interviewing for Solutions" (1997 and 2001, 2nd ed.). A native of Korea, Berg balances her heritage with Western scientific training in her clinical practice and teaching.

Berg is a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the National Association of Social Workers and the European Brief Therapy Association. She serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, the Family Psychology and Counseling Series, and Family Process and is a guest editor for Families in Society.

"Insoo Kim Berg was chosen for her world-renown expertise in brief therapy, particularly as it relates to school counseling, private practice, and agency services," said Becky Taylor, education professor at TCU. "We are very pleased to have her present at TCU, as she is known around the world for her focus on identifying and building on what works and solutions rather than exploring problems and the past. Her theory has been successfully applied with all ages, different cultures, and in different venues."  

For more information on TCU's School of Education, visit www.soe.tcu.edu or contact Dr. Taylor at e.taylor@tcu.edu or Dr. Thomas at f.thomas@tcu.edu.

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