Dr. Mark Gillen, Founder of Solution Focused Counseling and Coaching LLC, provides professional development training, supervision, coaching and presentations for school, clinical and community mental health counselors.

Mark was trained at the Brief Family Therapy Center, where SFT originated, and has practiced Solution Focused Therapy since the mid-1980s. He worked as a school counselor, adventure therapist, clinical therapist in a day treatment program and 20 years as a university faculty member. He has been training others on the use and application of SFT for almost 40 years.

About Solution Focused Counseling and coaching

Expert training and Support

As the founder and CEO of Solution Focused Counseling and Coaching this is my commitment to you:

Provide training and support that enhances your counseling, recognizing your strengths and building upon them.

Services Available: Clinical Supervision and Coaching

What is it?

Meeting with small groups of counselors to offer support and feedback that allows them to be as effective as possible.

What did participants get from the sessions?

Here is what they had to say:

"Grounding myself within my work - consistent reminders about maintaining the roots of my counseling experience and continuing to use that to guide my work."

"An outside ear, that would ask questions that don’t come with an insider context or knowledge. A person with only the story they heard from me asks different questions."

"I always have take-aways that I can either utilize immediately or reflect on. Also, I appreciate the validation I get from doing this particular career in the schools. We don't always receive that from other professionals."

"Mark provided time for collaboration and discussion for our team. The reflective collaboration and discussion of practices we want to commit to routinely and consistently was valuable for our team."

Dr. Gillen individualizes his work with each group based upon their goals.
Contact him for more information and options.

What have participants said about Dr. Gillen's presentations?

"He was an amazing presenter!!! So engaging and passionate about SFT."

"Mark is engaging, informative, and real. He doesn't give you a bunch of BS. He is straight forward, open, and honest about his practices and the results he sees. He connects with the audience and adds an amazing sense of humor to his presentation."

Presentation topics:

Solution Focused Counseling and how to apply it to your work.

Group Counseling Skills that will enhance your work.

Busting burnout: Supervision and Coaching practices.

What are we missing in education? How about relationship building and good listening skills?

How cancer made me a better counselor.

Presentations
and
Keynote Speaker

My latest book

What readers have said about my book:

I’ve always been bothered when people spend too much time discussing problems and not enough is left to discuss solutions.
This was true even before I began my counseling program with Dr. Gillen where he trained us the use of Solution Focused Therapy.
Through that training, I realized that my frustration with problem-focused conversations was legitimate. It wasn’t just impatience; it aligned with a counseling theory approach that emphasizes focusing on solutions rather than dwelling on problems.

Sometimes you have to be your own therapist, and now I feel it’s time to get Dr. Gillen’s book, so I can stay grounded when others spiral into problems. Thank you, Dr. Gillen, for being a great professor in my learning journey!

-Abdirashid S.

This book is brief-42 pages-and focused on ideas that will enhance your work. .mp4

It is more than the miracle question.
Deconstructing Solution Focused Therapy.

What makes this book unique?

**My training in solution focused therapy started at the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin in the mid-1980's.

**The book is a practical, research‑informed guide to Solution Focused Therapy (SFT) specifically for school counselors.

It functions like a self‑paced professional development training, designed to be revisited over time.

Just purchased your masterpiece and can’t wait to dive in!

-Danyelle F.

Such a good book and resource on solution-focused therapy. Definitely recommend.

-Brandon W.

I would ask a question and Dr. Gillen’s response was “what do you think?”. Reflecting back I see that his confidence in me and my abilities was the challenge because he believed in me and that I DID know the answer. I was forced to reflect on what I learned, my experiences and search for my own answers, as I must do as a professional. I will be forever grateful for learning from the best.

Kim H.

School Counselor

Get in Touch

We are here to provide the guidance and institutional support you need. Reach out to schedule a consultation.