Supervising Social Workers (1970-1978) involved in various community development projects in the Vaal Triangle (Sharpeville) our work was squarely based on Transactional Analysis -considered a novel approach for family services in those days, especially in the rural areas! We were spontaneously dubbed "miracle-workers" by the people (clients) and communities - solely due to the change that was visible in such quick and lasting ways.
After my sons and I moved to Pretoria I first began to consult to organisations as a Certified Organisational Transactional Analyst (ITAA). Here I founded PROFACT (short for PROFessionsal in ACTion) in 1979.
In 1989 - 1990 I did my Coach Training at 3M in the USA - and here I heard of SF Brief Therapy. My curiosity drove me to reading all I could find. The concept of Solution-Focused practices -as body of knowledge- resonated with my values vision and beliefs. So when I began with post graduate studies all I wanted to do was put in "research terms" all that "miracle-workers" achieved in changing the lives of my clients for the better…
What I am most proud of / grateful for???
I completed the first transdisciplinary PhD on SF Practices by making full use of an “email” Supervising Committee and Solution-List-serves and discussion forums... that is as far as I could establish. (2003-4)
My recent research investigated the impact of change on work-life integration in the South African context – with specific reference to SF in Emotional, Physical and Spiritual Intelligences.
The love of being involved in corporate work took me to Namibia...then from Malawi to Madagascar, Middelburg to Mosselbaai, from Nelspruit to New Zealand... sadly never to a SOL-event
Dominik Godat
