What is Problem solving?

Problem solving is something that everybody does already. Implicit problem solving routinely involves thinking about something that you need to sort out and deciding on what you are going to do about it. e.g. 'I feel a bit guilty about not having contacted my Mum for a while, I'll give her a call this evening'. Often implicit problem solving moves very quickly from problem to some sort of action without much in between. Commonly the decided action is then put off and/or avoided so that a few days later the problem reappears and the person again feels guilty about not contacting his mother and further resolutions of action are made. This implicit problem solving can end up stengthening the very problem that it is trying to address.

• There is a difference between implicit and more deliberate explicit problem solving methods. Explicit problem solving is part of Cognitive Behavioural methods in that it is a method which links together thoughts and actions.
• Implicit problem solving works fine for many situations but for more tricky issues it may be ineffective for several reasons
• The wrong issue is being focussed on. In this case, the problem is being experienced as about guilt towards his mother whereas the main difficulty may be something different i.e. finding it difficult to talk to his mother etc.
• Too rapid focus on action before considering a range of options.
• Planned actions are located at some vague point in the future.

Moving from implicit to explicit problem solving- general tips

• Generally try to slow the process down...
• avoid getting into discussion of actions for as long as you can get away with!
• Try to elaborate the problem as fully as you can
• e.g. (from example above). 'what's your Mum like?' 'Does she like people calling her?'
• Develop some options
• At first, try to develop as many options as possible. Opportunities for humour to lighten mood may arise. May suggest some useful and some more wacky ideas. Reduce options to a few possibles.
• Try to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of different options - see Weighing Pros and Cons
• Some options will be harder, more effort and some will be more likely to work. Get client to determine criteria as to how to evaluate what is likely to work.
• Dont choose option for client!
• Easily done as often best option is very obvious to you but not to client. Avoid persuading.
• Encourage options that may inolve one small immediate action
• Texting a message may often be a first step. In the example above, just texting the client's Mum to say that he is thinking of her etc may be something to shift pattern of avoidance.

A 'checklist' problem-solving model:

This is a checklist that may be usefully adapted to fit the needs of a situation: Problem-solving checklist

Problem solving: an example

Young person (Sam) angry with friend for coming on to her boyfriend. Describes how she plans to 'batter' her friend for this. This will make Sam feel better. This is implicit problem solving. Sam wants to find relief from her anger. Hitting and hurting her friend will achieve this.

• Problem solving approach would start by being really interested in Sam's belief that this will make her feel better. How does this work? What would you feel like afterwards etc?
• Opening up other options.

Are there any other ways of feeling better in this way? What other things bring relief? However, 'battering' works best okay? Are there any downsides to 'battering'? Would these downsides apply to other options? Are there other options which relieve anger as well? Would thye have similar risks and consequences?
Obviously this example rasises some ethical dilemmas as the therapist would not want to convey encouragement for violence to others but it si provided here to indicate that problem solving can be applied to wider issues than may be generally recognised.