A forward-looking and preference-oriented language for brief therapy. Situating themselves within pragmatic and postmodern environments, the authors detail their personal decision to move away from a language of problem and solution focuses to therapy as personal consultation, a mutual inquiry of client preferences and possibilities. Filled with numerous examples of consultant-client dialogue, this book spells out options within conversation whereby client preferences, possibilities, and optimism may emerge. AUTHORBIO: John Walter and Jane Peller live in Evanston, Illinois.