“I’m Going to Ask You a Very Strange Question”: A Conversation Analytic Case Study of the Miracle Technique in Solution-Based Therapy

This article reports on a conversation analytic case study of the miracle technique as it is used in a solution focused therapeutic interview. It shows and describes the interactional structures and practices that are used to deliver the theoretical principles of the approach. An announcement by the therapist that a strange question would be asked marked the launch of the technique. Following the question announcement the therapist used a miracle story to provide the client with requisite background knowledge to answer the question. The question asked the client how she would be able to tell her problem had been miraculously solved. The therapist was able to progress the interview in therapeutically relevant ways by using repeats and modified repeats of the client’s responses to progress the interview. This study contributes to a better understanding of how the miracle technique is actually accomplished providing a sound empirical basis for future research and training using the approach.