Director of Helsinki Brief Therapy Institute
Finland

Psychiatrist, registered trainer-psychotherapist, teacher of solution-focused therapy, director of Helsinki Brief Therapy Institute Ltd. Approved Supervisor of the American Association of Marital and Family Therapy 1995-2000.

Ben has worked for years with his colleague Tapani Ahola developing various ideas and practical tools pertaining to solution-focused psychology.

Ben's publications include, among others, "Never too late to have a happy childhood", "Solution Talk - hosting therapeutic conversations" and "Kids' Skills: Practical and playful solution-finding with children"

His most recent book "Kids' Skills in Action: Stories of practical and playful solution-finding with children" was published in July 2010 in Australia by St. Lukes Innovative Resources.

Several of Ben's books have been translated to a number of languages. His first book on Kids' Skills His was originally written in Finnish but has since been published in additonal 11 languages including Japanese and Chinese.

In 1986 Ben founded, together with Tapani Ahola, The Helsinki Brief Therapy Institute, Ltd, which provides professional training in solution-focused psychotherapy. The institute's three year training program is accredited in Finland.

In addition to his work in the field of solution-focused psychotherapy Ben has also been active exploring other applications of solution-focused psychology such as coaching, leadership training, team building, education and parenting.

Together with Tapani Ahola he has developed a solution-focused method for coaching and managing change called reteaming and a concept for teaching solution focused leadership and communication they call the Twin Star.

Together with Tapani Ben has also developed a number of methods to help children and adolescents overcome problems. Kids' Skills is a solution-focused approach to helping children solve all sorts of problems together with their family and friends, Steps of Responsibility is a constructive way of dealing with the wrongdoings of pupils at school. Most recently Ben and Tapani have developed a solution-focused parenting program tentatively titled Kids' Skills for parents. which is being piloted in Germany, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Canada and Australia.

Ben teaches in and lectures in his own country as well as abroad. In Finland he is well known for his informative psychological program on national TV which he hosted for several years during 1990's and 2000's. Currently Ben is working with radio hosting a biweekly two hour call in program on YLE, National Finnish Radio.

Ben lectures internationally and has over the years had engagements in all Scandinavian countries, in several european countries including Germany, Austria, Spain, Hungary, Poland, Holland and England as well as overseas including USA, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada, Singapore, Taiwan, China, Israel and Egypt.

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