Chapter 3.The Yes-Set
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The yes-set is a solution-focused skill that involves creating a conversation in which both the clinician and patient say yes and agree on as many aspects of the conversation as possible. The yes-set is a metaphor for the patient’s acceptance of the intervention message or any therapeutic suggestion(de Shazer 1985; Erickson 2009). Getting the answer yes as many times as possible throughout the conversation is another tool that helps build the therapeutic alliance. Developing the yes-set skill involves asking questions that are likely to be answered in the affirmative early on and throughout the interview, and it involves taking the time to pause the conversation in order to confirm these areas of agreement. Yes-set skills also maintain the focus of the conversation on the patient’s needs and goals through carefully constructed questions. Constructing a conversation in which enough time is spent talking about areas of agreement strengthens the yes-set. When patients talk about things that they agree on and can say yes to as often as possible, they become less defensive and more eager to engage collaboratively within the conversation.
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