Additional information
by Laurie Barrow (Illustrator), Ella De Jong M. Ed (Translator), Paolo Terni (Author)
Change is hard and requires efforts - yet, sometimes it can be made easier with some simple strategies. This book teaches children and their educators some simple, evidence-based strategies to make change easier. As they stroll through the forest, Mr. Monkey and Ms. Elephant encounter different characters facing different problems, from Mrs. Squirrel who wants to cross a stream to Mr. Bear who wants to be loved. Both Mr. Monkey and Ms. Elephant have good intentions and try to help their friends. Mr. Monkey uses a traditional problem solving approach, whereas Ms. Elephant uses a solution-focused approach, and it is the latter that saves the day. A page of commentary aimed at educators, which includes quotes, key concepts and additional references, accompanies each of the 9 short stories for children from 5th grade and up. This is one of the few attempts made so far to popularize solution-focused practice, an innovative and radically different approach to change and to problem solving. Coaches, consultants and managers, in addition to therapists, are increasingly using Solution-Focused practices to deliver value to their clients quickly and effectively.
Author Biography
Dr. Paolo Terni is originally from Italy, but he lives and works in California. In his life, Paolo has applied the principles outlined in this book to achieve excellence in many pursuits, ranging from mastery of the English language (677/677 in the Test of English as a Foreign Language, 1996) to excellence in the art of coaching (ICF Professionally Certified Coach); from running marathons to achieving two graduate degrees with honors (Doctor in Philosophy, 1994: Master in Applied Positive Psychology, 2014) in two different continents (State University of Milan, Italy; University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA). Paolo works as an educator and has been facilitating workshops and coaching leaders since 1997. Organizations, executives and professionals hire Paolo when they need to achieve sustainable change in a short time; when they want to achieve excellence; and when they want to leverage their strengths and values to create their own signature leadership style. Always eager to learn, Paolo is currently involved in research projects focusing on character strengths, mindsets and passion for work. A published author (Coaching leaders, 2007, author; Doing something different: Solution-focused brief therapy practices, 2010, contributor), Paolo's writings range from peer reviewed articles to self-help books (The 10 Ingredients for Mastery, http: //www.amazon.com/10-ingredients-mastery-excellence-psychology-ebook/dp/B014I72KB2).
