Transcript The Balkan context

Question:
How does SFBT language
work
in different contexts ?
SFBT
in the Balkan context
European South,
or The Northern
Mediterranean
region
The Apennines
How many states
exist here ?
3
Languages spoken:
1
Religions:
1
The Pyrenees
States:
4
Languages:
5 -6?
Religions:
1
The Balkans
States:
12 - 13 ?
Languages:
20 – 30 ?
Religions:
???
Elias Canetti :
Ruschuk was the first
window through
which I observed all
races, listened to all
languages, studied
all habits, and got
to know all nations
that anyway got
along quite well in
this microcosm.
A Balkan man…
Summer of 1944
Fall of 1944
Winter of 1944/45
Spring of 1945
Summer of 1945
Economy – GDP per capita
Economic development
Rapid, often unexpected changes
Largely unplanned
Often uncontrolled
Acquired skills can become useless
New skills need to be developed
The habit of changing habits often useful
Political environment
-
-
-
Continuing fragmentation of small
countries into even smaller ones
Different levels of state
engagement in social matters
Increasing influence of European
policies in the social field
A Bulgarian politician –
Simeon Saxe-Koburg-Gotha
 1937
- 1943
 1943 - 1967
 1967 – 1987
 1987 - 2001
 2001 - 2005
 2005 - 2008
 2010
Traditional way of help search
Inside – outwards approach:
◄ Family ►
◄◄ Relatives ►►
◄◄◄ Friends ►►►
◄◄◄ Neighbors ►►►
◄◄ ◄◄ Colleagues ►► ►►
◄ ◄◄ ◄◄ Strangers ►►► ►►
And only when natural groups fail in finding solutions
Professional helpers and institutions
Professional context
- Overall poor development of therapy & counseling
- Interest in fast working approaches
- Uneven distribution of professional resources
- Difficulties attending professional meetings
- Domination of biological approaches to therapy
- Presence of naturally developed SF activities
Language context
Diversity of spoken languages
Confusion over many categories
Invalidation of definitions useful in the past
High level of emotional expression
Common use of Tarzanian (body) language
Overall instability of meaning (paradox)
Implications for doing therapy
In this region therapy needs to be:
$ - Cheap
♥ - Perceived as natural and close to clients
♪♫ - Fitting the extreme diversity of cultures
⅞ ≤☺≥ ⅜ - Adaptive to personal needs
≈ ? ≠ - Able to make use of meaning instability
SFBT rumor in Bulgaria so far:
Started 1993 – Dr. Anton Karshutski
Steve de Shazer and FKC team
Two training centers in Sofia & Ruse
EBTA 1997 Conference in Sofia
Trained professionals: 300 – 400 ?
Practicing the SF way: 60 – 70 ?
After getting in touch with it:
Not interested – 20 % ?
Using some of the techniques – 60 % ?
Mad about it – 20 % ?
Specific use of the SF approach
- Referrals come mostly from friends and relatives
- Personal relationship is valued over method
- Scaling often gets answers between figures
- Compliments tend to be used carefully
- Asking questions for homework often better
than behavioral tasks
- End of therapy does not necessarily mean end of
relationship
The dangers of going there
So:
How many of you come
from a Balkan country ?
How many have already
been there ?
Well then…
When
do you plan
your next trip
to the Balkans ?