solution focused therapy homework

Mental health professionals: Take 30% off your order of any size by using coupon code "April2024" at checkout! This offer expires April 30, 2024.

• Forgot Password?
• Add Practice Listing
• Terms and Conditions

10 Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) Exercises & Activities to do with your Clients

Solution-focused brief therapy was developed by Milton Erickson, Insoo Kim Berg, Steve de Shazer, and others, as an empowering treatment modality (Seligman, Reichenberg, 2010). Counselors work in collaboration with their clients to explore and identify skills, knowledge, and resources that the clients currently have to work through their problems and challenges (Seligman, Reichenberg, 2010). Keep reading to learn 10 solution-focused brief therapy exercises and activities you can do with your clients.

View all of our Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Worksheets

During SFBT sessions, Counselors work to help the client find times when the problem or challenge was absent, and times when it was less severe (Seligman, Reichenberg, 2010). These moments are then explored to see what was different about them, and how the clients faced the challenge.

Skills commonly used during solution-focused brief therapy include active listening, empathy, open-ended questions, explanations, reassurance, and suggestions (Seligman, Reichenberg, 2010). SFBT Counselors and Therapists rarely use confrontation and interpretation in their work (Seligman, Reichenberg, 2010).

Counselors who use solution-focused behavioral therapy should be actively engaged during sessions, communicate acceptance, suggest actions that encourage change, and use solution talk to create an environment that can effectively utilize solution-focused brief therapy. 

Coping Skills Worksheets Bundle PDF Templates

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Worksheets Bundle

Mental health concerns that can benefit from solution-focused brief therapy.

Solution-focused brief therapy can be applied effectively to a range of mental health concerns (Seligman, Reichenberg, 2010). With an encouraging and empowering nature, most clients respond well to SFBT and solution-focused behavioral therapy exercises.

Solution-focused behavioral therapy can be an effective treatment approach for clients who are experiencing communication challenges, anxiety , substance misuse and abuse, behavioral problems, and other relationship challenges. Additionally, it can be helpful for individuals who are struggling with their self-esteem .

Similar to other treatment modalities, solution-focused behavioral therapy is not appropriate for every client. Clients who experience severe mental health concerns including active mania, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorders would likely not benefit from solution-focused behavior therapy.

Additionally, solution-focused behavioral therapy focuses on the present and future moments. It does not incorporate a person’s past, which some clients benefit from exploring and processing. This can include individuals who are carrying shame and guilt and some trauma -related mental health concerns. 

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Activities

If you have decided to use solution-focused brief therapy exercises in your sessions, you have a variety of options to choose from. Solution-focused behavioral activities provide clients with an opportunity to explore their own resources and strengths, as well as identify changes that they would like to work towards in their life. SFBT activities can also provide Clinicians and Therapists with an opportunity to introduce new skills and perspectives that can support clients and their goals.

Examples of solution-focused behavioral therapy treatment activities include:

• Clients who feel overwhelmed when exploring various problems or challenges they have can often benefit from breaking the problem down into smaller pieces. This can include identifying what the challenge is, what has contributed to it, what helps the concern, and what compounds the distress the individual experiences. TherapyByPro offers a Problem and Solution Worksheet that can act as a guide for this in therapy sessions. Allow for time in future sessions to follow up about the client’s ability to engage in behaviors that would help them move past their identified problem. 
• The Miracle Question is a popular and simple Solution Focused Behavioral Therapy exercise that you can incorporate into your session. With this, you can ask your client to imagine that while they are sleeping tonight, a miracle occurs that has their problem or challenge resolved. What would their life be like tomorrow? There are many ways that the miracle question can be worded, so find the way that feels natural and authentic for you and your counseling style. The miracle question can help clients explore the benefits of changing their behaviors, and barriers that may be preventing them from making progress toward their goals.
• Identifying and working towards goals can often feel overwhelming for our clients. As Counselors, we can help our clients break down goals that feel like a lot into smaller, more digestible, pieces. This can include exploring different behaviors that the client can incorporate into their day that work towards accomplishing their goals. Providing clients with a worksheet, similar to the Goal Setting Action Plan Worksheet offered by TherapyByPro, can act as a reminder outside of sessions regarding what they can do to make forward progress. Allow for time in future sessions to assess any progress made toward the client’s discussed goal.
• The use of scaling questions is another SFBT technique that can be used in sessions. Scaling questions can be used to gauge their current experiences as they relate to goals. As an example, you may ask your client on a scale of 1-10, how prepared do they feel to make a change in their behavior today? Scaling questions can be used to explore the progress they have made, the intensity of their distress, and the level of impairment they are experiencing.  Using the same scaling question in later sessions can help both parties develop an understanding of progress that is, or isn’t, being made.
• Identifying strengths, skills, and attributes can help clients recognize their ability to accomplish challenging tasks. The Overcoming Difficulties with Strengths worksheet at TherapyByPro begins by asking your client to take a different perspective and explore what others may say are their strengths and skills. With this shift in viewpoint, clients may experience a change in their ability to recognize how the strengths that they may have overlooked can support them as they work towards their goals. 
• Looking for exceptions can help clients gain a new perspective on their thoughts and concerns. As an example, if a client is struggling with their ability to exercise each day, ask them to describe a day when they were able to exercise. What was different that day compared to the others? And how did it make them feel that they were able to exercise that day? Exception questions can be helpful in breaking black-and-white thinking patterns that act as barriers for our clients.
• A Negative Habits Worksheet can be helpful for clients who are struggling with unhealthy behaviors (ie. biting nails), and those who would like to add new behaviors to their routine (ie. exercising). You can explore how their life would look if they were to change their behavior and the benefits that they would gain from doing so. Follow up in later sessions regarding changes that your client was able to engage in.
• To focus on making progress, ask your client to identify 3 goals for the next month. Work with them to specifically identify the steps needed to achieve their goal and ensure that their expectations are realistic for them. An example of an unrealistic goal would be to lose a significant amount of weight in 4 weeks. Explore how the client’s strengths and skills can support them while they work to achieve this goal, and how this goal would impact their overall well-being. Allow for time to check in on their progress over the next month.
• A simple Solution Focused Behavioral Therapy exercise would simply look at the advantages and disadvantages associated with a change in the client’s behavior. Exploring the pros and cons of a change can lead to further discussion about barriers they are experiencing, and how they can work to overcome them. If you use worksheets in your therapy sessions, TherapyByPro offers a Motivation and Ambivalence Worksheet that you can use during therapy sessions.  
• A SFBT exercise that can be used for a variety of concerns and topics would be the use of homework exercises. Homework exercises ask your client to continue working on something discussed during the session, outside of their therapy sessions. Examples of homework would include keeping a journal of their distress while raising it on a 1-10 scale, using new coping skills 3 times before their next session, or completing a specific worksheet provided in the session. Time should be spent in their next session following up on their ability to complete their homework assignment, and processing their experience with it. 

Final Thoughts On Choosing Activities for SFBT

Solution-focused brief therapy can be an effective strategy when working with clients who present with an array of concerns. This form of treatment is intended to yield results in fewer sessions than other treatment modalities. This makes it an effective option for clients who are looking to make a behavioral change within their daily routine.

Some SFBT exercises, such as homework assignments, can be used in conjunction with other treatment modalities. As an example, a clinician who is providing psychoeducation about mindfulness skills for a form of behavioral therapy may ask their client to practice using a set number of skills before their next session.

If you feel that solution-focused behavioral therapy activities would be effective for the population that you work with, you can seek out continued education credits and other training that focuses on this treatment modality. Supervision can be a great resource when determining your readiness to utilize new treatment skills and modalities in your clinical work.

TherapyByPro is an online mental health directory that connects mental health pros with clients in need. If you’re a mental health professional, you can Join our community and add your practice listing here . We have assessments, practice forms, and worksheet templates mental health professionals can use to streamline their practice. View all of our mental health worksheets here .

Seligman, L., & Reichenberg, L.W. (2010). Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy:

Systems, Strategies, and Skills (3rd ed., pp. 220–225).  Pearson Education, Inc.

Author: Kayla Loibl, MA, LMHC

Kayla is a Mental Health Counselor who earned her degree from Niagara University in Lewiston, New York. She has provided psychotherapy in a residential treatment program and an outpatient addiction treatment facility in New York as well as an inpatient addiction rehab in Ontario, Canada. She has experience working with individuals living with a variety of mental health concerns including depression , anxiety, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder , and trauma.

Ready to Take Your Practice to the Next Level?

Explore our great partner sites to help you improve your practice:

Advertisement

SimplePractice

• Easy-to-use notes and documentation template library
• Increase client satisfaction and decrease no-shows with automated appointment reminders
• Client portal offers clients one easy place where they can schedule, complete paperwork, pay, and more

TherapyByPro Special Offer: Get up to 2 months free, No Credit Card Required

• $60 to $70 per week, billed every 4 weeks
• Receive therapy via messaging, phone, or live video
• Flexible option to cancel at any time

Take 20% off your first month

• $69 to $129 per week, billing flexible
• Psychiatric services and prescription management available

Use code 'SPACE' for $100 off your first subscription

Join Over 5000 Other Mental Health Pros

Subscribe to our TherapyByPro community to receive tips to help you better serve your clients and grow your practice.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

Resource type, therapy tool.

Motivation and Ambivalence

Problem Solving (CYP)

Links to external resources.

Psychology Tools makes every effort to check external links and review their content. However, we are not responsible for the quality or content of external links and cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time.

Guides and workbooks

• Do one thing different handout | Coffen Download Primary Link Archived Link

Information (Professional)

• The miracle question (Steve de Shazer) | Brief Family Therapy Center | 2000 Download Primary Link Archived Link
• SFBT handout | Vinnicombe Download Primary Link Archived Link
• The miracle question and follow up questions | Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program Download Archived Link
• Solution focused communication handbook | Fletcher Peacock Download Primary Link Archived Link
• Solution focused interviewing skills | The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program Download Archived Link
• Solution-focused interventions for prolonged grief | Macdonald Download Archived Link

Treatment Guide

• Solution Focused Therapy treatment manual for working with individuals | Bavelas, De Jong, Franklin, Froerer, Gingerich, Kim, Korman, Langer, Yee Lee, McCollum, Smock, Jordan, Trepper | 2013 Download Primary Link Archived Link
• Solution focused practice: a toolkit for working with children and young people | NSPCC | 2015 Download Primary Link Archived Link

Recommended Reading

• Iveson, C. (2002). Solution-focused brief therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 8, 149-156 Download Primary Link
• Kim, J. S. (2007). Examining the effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy: A meta-analysis. Research on Social Work Practice Download Primary Link

What Is Solution Focused Brief Therapy?

Assumptions of sfbt.

• Clients are competent at conceptualizing a future that is more satisfying and understanding upon which of their strengths and resources they can draw to achieve change.
• The client is the expert of their problems.
• You cannot change clients, they can only change themselves.
• Exploring and affirming the client’s perceptions in the terms that the client describes them is a helpful way of bringing about change.
• It is the therapist’s job to learn the language of the client.
• Change is constant and inevitable.
• One cannot change the past and so one should concentrate on the future.

Procedures and Techniques of SFBT

• listening for and highlighting client strengths, successes, achievements, and resources (looking for what is right and how to use it);
• co-construction of goals framed in concrete and positive terms (i.e., what the clients wants to be present, rather than a description of the absence of problems);
• the miracle question as a future-focused way of envisioning a more satisfying life;
• exception-finding questions that listen for and attend to client’s successes through exceptions to the problem;
• scaling questions that help to move clients away from entrenched ‘on’ or ‘off’ thinking;
• coping questions that can help to engender a sense of hopefulness and control.
• De Shazer, S., Berg, I. K., Lipchik, E., Nunnally, E., Molnar, A., Gingerich, W., & Weiner‐Davis, M. (1986). Brief therapy: Focused solution development. Family Process , 25 (2), 207–221.
• Ratner, H., George, E., & Iveson, C. (2012). Solution focused brief therapy: 100 key points and techniques . New York: Routledge.
• For clinicians
• For students
• Resources at your fingertips
• Designed for effectiveness
• Resources by problem
• Translation Project
• Help center
• Try us for free
• Terms & conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Cookies Policy

What Is Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)?

Heather Murray

Counsellor & Psychotherapists

B.A.C.P., B.A.M.B.A

Heather Murray has been serving as a Therapist within the NHS for 20 years. She is trained in EMDR therapy for treating trauma and employs a compassion and mindfulness-based approach consistently. Heather is an accredited member of the BACP and registered with the HCPC as a Music Therapist. Moreover, she has been trained as a Mindfulness Teacher and Supervisor by BAMBA and is a senior Yoga Teacher certified by the British Wheel of Yoga.

Learn about our Editorial Process

Saul Mcleod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul Mcleod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

On This Page:

Take-home Messages

• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a therapeutic approach that emphasizes clients’ strengths and resources to create positive change, focusing on present and future goals rather than past problems. It’s brief, goal-oriented, and emphasizes solutions rather than delving into underlying issues.
• The focus is on the client’s health rather than the problem, strengths rather than weaknesses or deficits, and skills, resources, and coping abilities that would help reach future goals.
• Clients describe what they want to happen in their lives (solutions) and how they will use personal resources to solve their problems.
• Clients are encouraged to believe that positive changes are always possible and are encouraged to increase the frequency of current useful behaviors.
• Research has shown SFBT effectively decreases marital issues and marital burnout in women (Sanai et al. 2015). Research on children has shown an improvement in classroom behavioral problems in children with special educational needs after 10 SFBT sessions (Franklin et al. 2001).

What is Solution-Focused Therapy?

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), also referred to as Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), is a form of psychotherapy or counseling.

This form of therapy focuses on solutions to problems or issues and discovering the resources and strengths a person has rather than focusing on the problem like more traditional talking therapies do.

Thus, instead of analyzing how the issue arose or interpretations of it and why it is there and what it really means for the person, SFBT instead concentrates on the issue in the here and now and how to move forward with a solution for it (De Shazer, 1988; De Shazer & Dolan, 2012).

Solution-Focused Therapy was created in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee by De Shazer and Berg (De Shazer et al. 1986).

The reason for its creation was that De Shazer and Berg noticed that clients would often speak about their problems and issues, seeming unable to notice their own inner resources for overcoming these problems and focusing on the future.

They also noticed that the client’s problems or issues showed inconsistency in the way that sometimes they were present and other times they were not, as the person did have moments in life where they could function without the problems being there.

Thus it was important to think about and explore these exceptions when the problem is not affecting the person (Iveson, 2002).

What is Solution-Focused Therapy used for?

Solution-Focused Therapy is currently used for most emotional and mental health problems that other forms of counseling are used to treat, such as:

• Self-esteem
• Personal stress and work-related stress
• Substance abuse/ addiction
• Relationship problems

SFBT is best used when a client is trying to reach a particular goal or overcome a particular problem.

While it is not suitable to use as a treatment for major psychiatric conditions such as psychosis or schizophrenia, it could be used in combination with a more suitable psychiatric treatment/ therapy to help alleviate stress and bring awareness to the person’s strengths and internal resources.

Research has shown that after a one-year follow-up, SFBT was effective in reducing depression, anxiety, and mood-related disorders in adults (Maljanen, et al., 2012).

A study on substance abuse in adults showed SFBT to be just as effective as other forms of talking therapy (problem-focused therapies) in treating addiction and decreasing addiction severity and trauma symptoms (Kim, Brook, & Akin, 2018).

A literature review showed SFBT to be most effective on child behavioral problems when it was used as an early intervention before behavioral issues became very severe (Bond et al. 2013).

Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques

In a solution-focused therapy session, the practitioner and client will work collaboratively to set goals and find solutions together, to overcome the problem or issue.

The practitioner will ask questions to gain an understanding of the client’s strengths and inner resources that they might not have noticed before.

The practitioner will also use complimentary language to bring awareness to and to support the strengths that the client does have, to shift the client’s focus to a more solution-oriented, positive outlook, rather than ruminating on the problem, unaware of the strengths and abilities that they do have.

Sessions usually will last between 50 – 90 minutes, but can be as brief as 15 – 20 minutes, usually once per week, for around 6 – 12 weeks, but are also given as one-off, stand-alone sessions.

There are lots of techniques used in SFBT to shift the client’s awareness onto focusing on the future and on a solution.

These techniques include the miracle question, coping questions, exceptions to the problem, compliments, and using scales, which are explained in more detail below:

1. The Miracle Question

This is where the practitioner will ask the client to imagine that they have gone to sleep and when they wake up in the morning, their problems have vanished.

After this visualization, they will ask the client how they know that the problems or issues have gone and what is in particular that is different.

For example:

‘Imagine that when you next go to sleep, a miracle occurs during the night, so that when you wake up feeling refreshed, your problem has vanished. I want to ask you how do you know that your problem has gone? What is different about this morning? What is it that has disappeared or changed in your life?’

This question can help to identify and gain a greater understanding of what the problem is and how it is affecting the person and can provide motivation to want to move forward and overcome it after imagining what it could be like to wake up without it (De Shazer et al., 1986).

2. Coping Questions

Coping questions are questions that the practitioner will use to gain an understanding of how the person has managed to cope.

When someone has been suffering from depression or anxiety for a long time, it often begs the question of how they have continued in their life despite the potentially degrading or depleting effects of such mental and emotional health problems.

Examples of coping questions include:

‘After everything you have been through, I am wondering what has helped you to cope and keep you afloat during all this?”;

‘I feel to ask you, what it is exactly that has helped you through this so far?’.

These questions cause the client to identify the resources they have available to them, including noticing the internal strength that has helped them make it thus far, which they might not have been consciously aware of before (De Shazer et al., 1986).

3. Exceptions to the Problems

Solution-focused therapy believes that there are exceptions or moments in a person’s life when the problem or issue is not present, or the problem is there; however, it does not cause any negative effects (De Shazer et al., 1986).

Thus, raising the question of what is different during these times. The practitioner can investigate the exceptions to the problem by asking the client to think about and recall moments in their life when the problem was not an issue; they can then inquire as to what was different about these moments.

This could lead to clues for helping to create a solution for the problem. It also will help the client to know that there are times when they are not affected by the problem, which could help lessen the power it has over their emotional and mental state.

As we can often be ‘clouded’ or consumed by our problems, it can be empowering to notice or be reminded of times when we were not.

4. Compliments

This involves the practitioner actively listening to the client to identify and acknowledge their strengths and what they have done well, then reflecting them back to the client whilst also acknowledging how difficult it has been for them.

This offers encouragement and values the strengths that the client does have. The practitioner will use direct compliments (in reaction to what the client has said), for example, ‘that’s amazing to hear!’, ‘wow, that’s great.’

Indirect compliments are also used to encourage the client to notice and compliment themselves, such as coping questions or using an appreciatively toned voice to dive deeper into something highlighting the positive strengths of the client.

For example, ‘How did you manage that?!’ with a tone of amazement and happy facial expressions.

The practitioner will ask the client to rate the severity of their problem or issue on a scale from 1-10. This helps both the practitioner and client to visualize whereabouts they are with the problem or issue.

Examples of scaling questions include:

• ‘On a scale of 1 to 10, where would you rate your current ability to achieve this goal?’;
• ‘From 1-10, how would you rate your progress towards finding a job?’;
• ‘Can you rate your current level of happiness from 1-10?’;
• ‘From 1-10, how much do you attribute your level of alcohol consumption to be one of the main obstacles or sources of conflict in your marriage?’.

They can be used throughout sessions to compare where the client is now, in comparison to the first or second session, and also to rate how far from or near their ideal way of being or to complete their goal.

This can help both practitioner and client notice if something is still left to be done to reach a 9 or 10, and can then start exploring what that is.

Scaling helps to give clarity on the client’s feelings, it also helps to give sessions direction and highlights if something is holding back the client’s ability to solve the problem still or not.

Critical Evaluation

• SFBT is a short-term therapy; on average, sessions will last for 6-10 weeks but can even be one stand-alone session, which helps it be more cost-effective compared to longer-term therapy that lasts for months or years (Maljanen et al. 2012).
• It can help clients to identify their problems and then find a goal to overcome them; the practitioner also offers the client support through compliments which gives them the motivation to notice their strengths, increase their self-esteem, and keep striving to achieve their goals.
• It is future-oriented, so it helps to motivate the client to move forward in life and not to feel stuck in their past; also, SFBT is positive in nature, so it gives the client the optimism needed to move forward into the future.
• It is non-judgmental and compassionate in its approach; the client chooses their own goals, not the therapist, and they are praised/ complimented for their strengths no matter how small; even if they fail at achieving their set goal, they are praised for showing their strengths in other ways in life, helping them not to lose sight of their inner resources and still feel encouraged.

Disadvantages

• Because it is short term, it is not a good fit for everyone, for example, clients with more severe problems that need more time and clients who are withdrawn or struggle to speak and open up fully to the therapist, who would naturally need more time to gain trust and feel comfortable, before being able to work towards a solution with the help of the practitioner.
• Has less importance placed on past traumas, giving less room during sessions to explore these significant events (sometimes of great complexity), and help the client to understand why something in their past happened and why it is still affecting them today.
• As it is solution-focused, it could minimize the client’s pain, making them feel like their past traumas have not been heard or felt by the counselor, which can and does affect the therapeutic alliance, as you are more likely to openly and honestly speak about something traumatic, if you feel the other person deems it important as well, and if they give you space for it. It is also a reason some people choose to see a counselor because they have not had the opportunity to speak about their problems or traumas with other people in their life.
• As the therapy is client-led, this could lead to a few problems. For example, if the client wishes to talk about and explore a past trauma or gain an understanding of a past issue, despite cues from the practitioner to focus on the near future in a solution-focused way, then it will be difficult for the practitioner to actually use this method at all with the client, as SFBT requires the client to actively be ready and want to find a solution and focus towards their near future.
• Also, the client-led approach means that the client can decide when their goals have been sufficiently reached. Therefore, they can end the therapy sessions early if they feel it’s enough, even if the practitioner is concerned about this.

Bond, C., Woods, K., Humphrey, N., Symes, W., & Green, L. (2013). Practitioner review: The effectiveness of solution focused brief therapy with children and families: A systematic and critical evaluation of the literature from 1990–2010 . Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 54 (7), 707-723.

De Shazer, S. (1988). Clues: Investigating solutions in brief therapy . New York: Norton & Co.

De Shazer, S., Berg, I. K., Lipchik, E., Nunnally, E., Molnar, A., Gingerich, W., & Weiner-Davis, M. (1986). Brief therapy: focused solution development. Family Process , 25(2): 207–221.

De Shazer, S., & Dolan, Y. (2012). More than miracles: The state of the art of solution-focused brief therapy . New York: Haworth Press

Franklin, C., Biever, J., Moore, K., Clemons, D., & Scamardo, M. (2001). The Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Therapy with Children in a School Setting. Research on Social Work Practice, 11 (4): 411-434.

Iveson, C. (2002). Solution-focused brief therapy . Advances in Psychiatric Treatment , 8(2), 149–157.

Kim, J, S., Brook, J., Akin, B, A. (2018). Solution-Focused Brief Therapy with Substance-Using Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial Study . Research on Social Work Practice, 28 (4), 452-462.

Maljanen, T., Paltta, P., Härkänen, T., Virtala, E., Lindfors, O., Laaksonen, M. A., Knekt, P., & Helsinki Psychotherapy Study Group. (2012). The cost-effectiveness of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and solution-focused therapy in the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorder during a one-year follow-up. Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics. 15 (1), 13–23.

Sanai, B., Davarniya, R., Bakhtiari Said, B., & Shakarami, M. (2015). The effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) on reducing couple burnout and improvement of the quality of life of married women. Armaghane danesh, 20 (5), 416-432.

Further Information

Solution-Focused Therapy Treatment Manual.

De Shazer, S., & Berg, I. K. (1997). ‘What works?’Remarks on research aspects of solution‐focused brief therapy. Journal of Family therapy, 19(2), 121-124.

Dermer, S. B., Hemesath, C. W., & Russell, C. S. (1998). A feminist critique of solution-focused therapy. American Journal of Family Therapy, 26(3), 239-250.

Trepper, T. S., Dolan, Y., McCollum, E. E., & Nelson, T. (2006). Steve De Shazer and the future of solution‐focused therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 32(2), 133-139.

De Shazer, S., Berg, I. K., Lipchik, E. V. E., Nunnally, E., Molnar, A., Gingerich, W., & Weiner‐Davis, M. (1986). Brief therapy: Focused solution development. Family process, 25(2), 207-221.

What is Solution-Focused Therapy: 3 Essential Techniques

You’re at an important business meeting, and you’re there to discuss some problems your company is having with its production.

At the meeting, you explain what’s causing the problems: The widget-producing machine your company uses is getting old and slowing down. The machine is made up of hundreds of small parts that work in concert, and it would be much more expensive to replace each of these old, worn-down parts than to buy a new widget-producing machine.

You are hoping to convey to the other meeting attendees the impact of the problem, and the importance of buying a new widget-producing machine. You give a comprehensive overview of the problem and how it is impacting production.

One meeting attendee asks, “So which part of the machine, exactly, is getting worn down?” Another says, “Please explain in detail how our widget-producing machine works.” Yet another asks, “How does the new machine improve upon each of the components of the machine?” A fourth attendee asks, “Why is it getting worn down? We should discuss how the machine was made in order to fully understand why it is wearing down now.”

You are probably starting to feel frustrated that your colleagues’ questions don’t address the real issue. You might be thinking, “What does it matter how the machine got worn down when buying a new one would fix the problem?” In this scenario, it is much more important to buy a new widget-producing machine than it is to understand why machinery wears down over time.

When we’re seeking solutions, it’s not always helpful to get bogged down in the details. We want results, not a narrative about how or why things became the way they are.

This is the idea behind solution-focused therapy . For many people, it is often more important to find solutions than it is to analyze the problem in great detail. This article will cover what solution-focused therapy is, how it’s applied, and what its limitations are.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free . These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology including strengths, values, and self-compassion, and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students, or employees.

This Article Contains:

What is solution-focused therapy, theory behind the solution-focused approach, solution-focused model, popular techniques and interventions, sfbt treatment plan: an example, technologies to execute an sfbt treatment plan (incl. quenza), limitations of sfbt counseling, what does sfbt have to do with positive psychology, a take-home message.

Solution-focused therapy, also called solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), is a type of therapy that places far more importance on discussing solutions than problems (Berg, n.d.). Of course, you must discuss the problem to find a solution, but beyond understanding what the problem is and deciding how to address it, solution-focused therapy will not dwell on every detail of the problem you are experiencing.

Solution-focused brief therapy doesn’t require a deep dive into your childhood and the ways in which your past has influenced your present. Instead, it will root your sessions firmly in the present while working toward a future in which your current problems have less of an impact on your life (Iveson, 2002).

This solution-centric form of therapy grew out of the field of family therapy in the 1980s. Creators Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg noticed that most therapy sessions were spent discussing symptoms, issues, and problems.

De Shazer and Berg saw an opportunity for quicker relief from negative symptoms in a new form of therapy that emphasized quick, specific problem-solving rather than an ongoing discussion of the problem itself.

The word “brief” in solution-focused brief therapy is key. The goal of SFBT is to find and implement a solution to the problem or problems as soon as possible to minimize time spent in therapy and, more importantly, time spent struggling or suffering (Antin, 2018).

SFBT is committed to finding realistic, workable solutions for clients as quickly as possible, and the efficacy of this treatment has influenced its spread around the world and use in multiple contexts.

SFBT has been successfully applied in individual, couples, and family therapy. The problems it can address are wide-ranging, from the normal stressors of life to high-impact life events.

Download 3 Free Positive Psychology Exercises (PDF)

Enhance wellbeing with these free, science-based exercises that draw on the latest insights from positive psychology.

Download 3 Free Positive Psychology Tools Pack (PDF)

By filling out your name and email address below.

The solution-focused approach of SFBT is founded in de Shazer and Berg’s idea that the solutions to one’s problems are typically found in the “exceptions” to the problem, meaning the times when the problem is not actively affecting the individual (Iveson, 2002).

This approach is a logical one—to find a lasting solution to a problem, it is rational to look first at those times in which the problem lacks its usual potency.

For example, if a client is struggling with excruciating shyness, but typically has no trouble speaking to his or her coworkers, a solution-focused therapist would target the client’s interactions at work as an exception to the client’s usual shyness. Once the client and therapist have discovered an exception, they will work as a team to find out how the exception is different from the client’s usual experiences with the problem.

The therapist will help the client formulate a solution based on what sets the exception scenario apart, and aid the client in setting goals and implementing the solution.

You may have noticed that this type of therapy relies heavily on the therapist and client working together. Indeed, SFBT works on the assumption that every individual has at least some level of motivation to address their problem or problems and to find solutions that improve their quality of life .

This motivation on the part of the client is an essential piece of the model that drives SFBT (Miller & Rollnick, 2013).

Solution-focused theorists and therapists believe that generally, people develop default problem patterns based on their experiences, as well as default solution patterns.

These patterns dictate an individual’s usual way of experiencing a problem and his or her usual way of coping with problems (Focus on Solutions, 2013).

The solution-focused model holds that focusing only on problems is not an effective way of solving them. Instead, SFBT targets clients’ default solution patterns, evaluates them for efficacy, and modifies or replaces them with problem-solving approaches that work (Focus on Solutions, 2013).

In addition to this foundational belief, the SFBT model is based on the following assumptions:

• Change is constant and certain;
• Emphasis should be on what is changeable and possible;
• Clients must want to change;
• Clients are the experts in therapy and must develop their own goals;
• Clients already have the resources and strengths to solve their problems;
• Therapy is short-term;
• The focus must be on the future—a client’s history is not a key part of this type of therapy (Counselling Directory, 2017).

Based on these assumptions, the model instructs therapists to do the following in their sessions with clients:

• Ask questions rather than “selling” answers;
• Notice and reinforce evidence of the client’s positive qualities, strengths, resources, and general competence to solve their own problems;
• Work with what people can do rather than focusing on what they can’t do;
• Pinpoint the behaviors a client is already engaging in that are helpful and effective and find new ways to facilitate problem-solving through these behaviors;
• Focus on the details of the solution instead of the problem;
• Develop action plans that work for the client (Focus on Solutions, 2013).

SFBT therapists aim to bring out the skills, strengths, and abilities that clients already possess rather than attempting to build new competencies from scratch. This assumption of a client’s competence is one of the reasons this therapy can be administered in a short timeframe—it is much quicker to harness the resources clients already have than to create and nurture new resources.

Beyond these basic activities, there are many techniques and exercises used in SFBT to promote problem-solving and enhance clients’ ability to work through their own problems.

Working with a therapist is generally recommended when you are facing overwhelming or particularly difficult problems, but not all problems require a licensed professional to solve.

For each technique listed below, it will be noted if it can be used as a standalone technique.

Asking good questions is vital in any form of therapy, but SFBT formalized this practice into a technique that specifies a certain set of questions intended to provoke thinking and discussion about goal-setting and problem-solving.

One such question is the “coping question.” This question is intended to help clients recognize their own resiliency and identify some of the ways in which they already cope with their problems effectively.

There are many ways to phrase this sort of question, but generally, a coping question is worded something like, “How do you manage, in the face of such difficulty, to fulfill your daily obligations?” (Antin, 2018).

Another type of question common in SFBT is the “miracle question.” The miracle question encourages clients to imagine a future in which their problems are no longer affecting their lives. Imagining this desired future will help clients see a path forward, both allowing them to believe in the possibility of this future and helping them to identify concrete steps they can take to make it happen.

This question is generally asked in the following manner: “Imagine that a miracle has occurred. This problem you are struggling with is suddenly absent from your life. What does your life look like without this problem?” (Antin, 2018).

If the miracle question is unlikely to work, or if the client is having trouble imagining this miracle future, the SFBT therapist can use “best hopes” questions instead. The client’s answers to these questions will help establish what the client is hoping to achieve and help him or her set realistic and achievable goals.

The “best hopes” questions can include the following:

• What are your best hopes for today’s session?
• What needs to happen in this session to enable you to leave thinking it was worthwhile?
• How will you know things are “good enough” for our sessions to end?
• What needs to happen in these sessions so that your relatives/friends/coworkers can say, “I’m really glad you went to see [the therapist]”? (Vinnicombe, n.d.).

To identify the exceptions to the problems plaguing clients, therapists will ask “exception questions.” These are questions that ask about clients’ experiences both with and without their problems. This helps to distinguish between circumstances in which the problems are most active and the circumstances in which the problems either hold no power or have diminished power over clients’ moods or thoughts.

Exception questions can include:

• Tell me about the times when you felt the happiest;
• What was it about that day that made it a better day?
• Can you think of times when the problem was not present in your life? (Counselling Directory, 2017).

Another question frequently used by SFBT practitioners is the “scaling question.”

It asks clients to rate their experiences (such as how their problems are currently affecting them, how confident they are in their treatment, and how they think the treatment is progressing) on a scale from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest). This helps the therapist to gauge progress and learn more about clients’ motivation and confidence in finding a solution.

For example, an SFBT therapist may ask, “On a scale from 0 to 10, how would you rate your progress in finding and implementing a solution to your problem?” (Antin, 2018).

Do One Thing Different

This exercise can be completed individually, but the handout may need to be modified for adult or adolescent users.

This exercise is intended to help the client or individual to learn how to break his or her problem patterns and build strategies to simply make things go better.

The handout breaks the exercise into the following steps (Coffen, n.d.):

• Think about the things you do in a problem situation. Change any part you can. Choose to change one thing, such as the timing, your body patterns (what you do with your body), what you say, the location, or the order in which you do things;
• Think of a time that things did not go well for you. When does that happen? What part of that problem situation will you do differently now?
• Think of something done by somebody else does that makes the problem better. Try doing what they do the next time the problem comes up. Or, think of something that you have done in the past that made things go better. Try doing that the next time the problem comes up;
• Think of something that somebody else does that works to make things go better. What is the person’s name and what do they do that you will try?
• Think of something that you have done in the past that helped make things go better. What did you do that you will do next time?
• Feelings tell you that you need to do something. Your brain tells you what to do. Understand what your feelings are but do not let them determine your actions. Let your brain determine the actions;
• Feelings are great advisors but poor masters (advisors give information and help you know what you could do; masters don’t give you choices);
• Think of a feeling that used to get you into trouble. What feeling do you want to stop getting you into trouble?
• Think of what information that feeling is telling you. What does the feeling suggest you should do that would help things go better?
• Change what you focus on. What you pay attention to will become bigger in your life and you will notice it more and more. To solve a problem, try changing your focus or your perspective.
• Think of something that you are focusing on too much. What gets you into trouble when you focus on it?
• Think of something that you will focus on instead. What will you focus on that will not get you into trouble?
• Imagine a time in the future when you aren’t having the problem you are having right now. Work backward to figure out what you could do now to make that future come true;
• Think of what will be different for you in the future when things are going better;
• Think of one thing that you would be doing differently before things could go better in the future. What one thing will you do differently?
• Sometimes people with problems talk about how other people cause those problems and why it’s impossible to do better. Change your story. Talk about times when the problem was not happening and what you were doing at that time. Control what you can control. You can’t control other people, but you can change your actions, and that might change what other people do;
• Think of a time when you were not having the problem that is bothering you. Talk about that time.
• If you believe in a god or a higher power, focus on God to get things to go better. When you are focused on God or you are asking God to help you, things might go better for you.
• Do you believe in a god or a higher power? Talk about how you will seek help from your god to make things go better.
• Use action talk to get things to go better. Action talk sticks to the facts, addresses only the things you can see, and doesn’t address what you believe another person was thinking or feeling—we have no way of knowing that for sure. When you make a complaint, talk about the action that you do not like. When you make a request, talk about what action you want the person to do. When you praise someone, talk about what action you liked;
• Make a complaint about someone cheating at a game using action talk;
• Make a request for someone to play fairly using action talk;
• Thank someone for doing what you asked using action talk.

Following these eight steps and answering the questions thoughtfully will help people recognize their strengths and resources, identify ways in which they can overcome problems, plan and set goals to address problems, and practice useful skills.

While this handout can be extremely effective for SFBT, it can also be used in other therapies or circumstances.

To see this handout and download it for you or your clients, click here .

Presupposing Change

The “presupposing change” technique has great potential in SFBT, in part because when people are experiencing problems, they have a tendency to focus on the problems and ignore the positive changes in their life.

It can be difficult to recognize the good things happening in your life when you are struggling with a painful or particularly troublesome problem.

This technique is intended to help clients be attentive to the positive things in their lives, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. Any positive change or tiny step of progress should be noted, so clients can both celebrate their wins and draw from past wins to facilitate future wins.

Presupposing change is a strikingly simple technique to use: Ask questions that assume positive changes. This can include questions like, “What’s different or better since I saw you last time?”

If clients are struggling to come up with evidence of positive change or are convinced that there has been no positive change, the therapist can ask questions that encourage clients to think about their abilities to effectively cope with problems, like, How come things aren’t worse for you? What stopped total disaster from occurring? How did you avoid falling apart? (Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors, 2009).

The most powerful word in the Solution Focused Brief Therapy vocabulary – The Solution Focused Universe

A typical treatment plan in SFBT will include several factors relevant to the treatment, including:

• The reason for referral, or the problem the client is experiencing that brought him or her to treatment;
• A diagnosis (if any);
• List of medications taken (if any);
• Current symptoms;
• Support for the client (family, friends, other mental health professionals, etc.);
• Modality or treatment type;
• Frequency of treatment;
• Goals and objectives;
• Measurement criteria for progress on goals;
• Client strengths ;
• Barriers to progress.

All of these are common and important components of a successful treatment plan. Some of these components (e.g., diagnosis and medications) may be unaddressed or acknowledged only as a formality in SFBT due to its usual focus on less severe mental health issues. Others are vital to treatment progress and potential success in SFBT, including goals, objectives, measurement criteria, and client strengths.

To this end, therapists are increasingly leveraging the benefits of technology to help develop, execute, and evaluate the outcomes of treatment plans efficiently.

Among these technologies are many digital platforms that therapists can use to carry out some steps in clients’ treatment plans outside of face-to-face sessions.

For example, by adopting a versatile blended care platform such as Quenza , an SFBT practitioner may carry out some of the initial steps in the assessment/diagnosis phase of a treatment plan, such as by inviting the client to complete a digital diagnostic questionnaire.

Likewise, the therapist may use the platform to send digital activities to the client’s smartphone, such as an end-of-day reflection inviting the client to recount their application of the ‘Do One Thing Different’ technique to overcome a problem.

These are just a few ideas for how you might use a customizable blended care tool such as Quenza to help carry out several of the steps in an SFBT treatment plan.

Some of the potential disadvantages for therapists include (George, 2010):

• The potential for clients to focus on problems that the therapist believes are secondary problems. For example, the client may focus on a current relationship problem rather than the underlying self-esteem problem that is causing the relationship woes. SFBT dictates that the client is the expert, and the therapist must take what the client says at face value;
• The client may decide that the treatment is successful or complete before the therapist is ready to make the same decision. This focus on taking what the client says at face value may mean the therapist must end treatment before they are convinced that the client is truly ready;
• The hard work of the therapist may be ignored. When conducted successfully, it may seem that clients solved their problems by themselves, and didn’t need the help of a therapist at all. An SFBT therapist may rarely get credit for the work they do but must take all the blame when sessions end unsuccessfully.

Some of the potential limitations for clients include (Antin, 2018):

• The focus on quick solutions may miss some important underlying issues;
• The quick, goal-oriented nature of SFBT may not allow for an emotional, empathetic connection between therapist and client.
• If the client wants to discuss factors outside of their immediate ability to effect change, SFBT may be frustrating in its assumption that clients are always able to fix or address their problems.

Generally, SFBT can be an excellent treatment for many of the common stressors people experience in their lives, but it may be inappropriate if clients want to concentrate more on their symptoms and how they got to where they are today. As noted earlier, it is also generally not appropriate for clients with major mental health disorders.

17 Top-Rated Positive Psychology Exercises for Practitioners

Expand your arsenal and impact with these 17 Positive Psychology Exercises [PDF] , scientifically designed to promote human flourishing, meaning, and wellbeing.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

First, both SFBT and positive psychology share a focus on the positive—on what people already have going for them and on what actions they can take. While problems are discussed and considered in SFBT, most of the time and energy is spent on discussing, thinking about, and researching what is already good, effective, and successful.

Second, both SFBT and positive psychology consider the individual to be his or her own best advocate, the source of information on his or her problems and potential solutions, and the architect of his or her own treatment and life success. The individual is considered competent, able, and “enough” in both SFBT and positive psychology.

This assumption of the inherent competence of individuals has run both subfields into murky waters and provoked criticism, particularly when systemic and societal factors are considered. While no respectable psychologist would disagree that an individual is generally in control of his or her own actions and, therefore, future, there is considerable debate about what level of influence other factors have on an individual’s life.

While many of these criticisms are valid and bring up important points for discussion, we won’t dive too deep into them in this piece. Suffice it to say that both SFBT and positive psychology have important places in the field of psychology and, like any subfield, may not apply to everyone and to all circumstances.

However, when they do apply, they are both capable of producing positive, lasting, and life-changing results.

Solution-focused therapy puts problem-solving at the forefront of the conversation and can be particularly useful for clients who aren’t suffering from major mental health issues and need help solving a particular problem (or problems). Rather than spending years in therapy, SFBT allows such clients to find solutions and get results quickly.

Have you ever tried Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, as a therapist or as a client? What did you think of the focus on solutions? Do you think SFBT misses anything important by taking the spotlight off the client’s problem(s)? Let us know in the comments section.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free .

Antin, L. (2018). Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT). Good Therapy. Retrieved from https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/solution-focused-therapy

• Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors. (2009, March 30). Solution-focused techniques. Counseling Connection. Retrieved from http://www.counsellingconnection.com/index.php/2009/03/30/solution-focused-techniques/
• Berg, I. K. (n.d.). About solution-focused brief therapy. SFBTA . Retrieved from http://www.sfbta.org/about_sfbt.html
• Coffen, R. (n.d.). Do one thing different [Handout]. Retrieved from https://www.andrews.edu/~coffen/Do%20one%20thing%20different.pdf
• Focus on Solutions. (2013, October 28). The brief solution-focused model. Focus on solutions: Leaders in solution-focused training. Retrieved from http://www.focusonsolutions.co.uk/solutionfocused/
• George, E. (2010). Disadvantages of solution focus? BRIEF. Retrieved from https://www.brief.org.uk/resources/faq/disadvantages-of-solution-focus
• Iveson, C. (2002). Solution-focused brief therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 8 (2), 149-156.
• Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2013). Motivational interviewing: Helping people change (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
• Vinnicombe, G. (n.d.). Greg’s SFBT handout. Useful Conversations. Retrieved from http://www.usefulconversations.com/downloads

Share this article:

Article feedback

What our readers think.

Thank you. I’m about to start an MMFT internship, and SFBT is the model I prefer. You put everything in perspective.

Great insights. I have a client who has become a bit disengaged with our work together. This gives me a really helpful new approach for our upcoming sessions. He’s very focused on the problem and wanting a “quick fix.” This might at least get us on that path. Thank you!

Hi Courtney, great paper! I will like to know more about the limitations to SFT and noticed that you provided an intext citation to Antin 2016. Would you be able to provide the full reference? Thank you!

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The reference has now been updated in the reference list — this should be Antin (2018):

– Nicole | Community Manager

The only thing tat was revealed to me while reading this article is the client being able to recognize the downfall of what got them into their problem in the first place. I felt that maybe a person should understand the problem to the extent that they may understand how to recognize what led to the problem in the first place. Understanding the process of how something broke down would give one knowledge and wisdom that may be able to be applied in future instances when something may go wrong again. Even if the thing is new (machine or person) having the wisdom and understanding of the cause that led to the effect may help prevent and or overcome an arising problem in the future. Not being able to recognize the process that brought down the machine and or human may be like adhering to ignorance, although they say ignorance is bliss in case of an emergency it would be better to be informed rather then blindly ignorant, as the knowledge of how the problem surfaced in the first place may alleviate unwarranted suffering sooner rather than later. But then again looking at it this way I may work myself out of a job if my clients never came back to see me. However is it about me or them or the greater societal structural good that we can induce through our education, skills, training, experience, and good will good faith effort to instill social justice coupled with lasting change for the betterment of human society and the world as a whole.

Very very helpful, thank you for writing. Just one point “While no respectable psychologist would disagree that an individual is generally in control of his or her own actions and, therefore, future, there is considerable debate about what level of influence other factors have on an individual’s life.” I think any psychologist that has worked in neurological dysfunction would probably acknowledge consciousness and ‘voluntary control’ are not that straight-forward. Generally though, I suppose there’s that whole debate of if we are ever in control of our actions or even our thoughts. It may well boil down to what we mean by ‘we’, as in what are we? A bundle of fibres acting on memories and impulses? A unique body of energy guided by intangible forces? Maybe I am not a respectable psychologist 🙂

This article provided me with insight on how to proceed with a role-play session in my CBT graduate course. Thank you!

Hi Derrick, That’s fantastic that you were able to find some guidance in this post. Best of luck with your grad students! – Nicole | Community Manager

Thank You…Great input and clarity . I now have light…

I was looking everywhere for a simple explanation for my essay and this is it!! thank you so much for this is was very useful and I learned a lot.

Very well done. Thank you for the multitude of insights.

Thank you for such a good passage discussed. I really have a great time understanding it.

Let us know your thoughts Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Related articles

Holistic Therapy: Healing Mind, Body, and Spirit

The term “holistic” in health care can be dated back to Hippocrates over 2,500 years ago (Relman, 1979). Hippocrates highlighted the importance of viewing individuals [...]

Trauma-Informed Therapy Explained (& 9 Techniques)

Trauma varies significantly in its effect on individuals. While some people may quickly recover from an adverse event, others might find their coping abilities profoundly [...]

Recreational Therapy Explained: 6 Degrees & Programs

Let’s face it, on a scale of hot or not, attending therapy doesn’t make any client jump with excitement. But what if that can be [...]

Read other articles by their category

• Body & Brain (49)
• Coaching & Application (57)
• Compassion (26)
• Counseling (51)
• Emotional Intelligence (24)
• Gratitude (18)
• Grief & Bereavement (21)
• Happiness & SWB (40)
• Meaning & Values (26)
• Meditation (20)
• Mindfulness (45)
• Motivation & Goals (45)
• Optimism & Mindset (34)
• Positive CBT (28)
• Positive Communication (20)
• Positive Education (47)
• Positive Emotions (32)
• Positive Leadership (18)
• Positive Parenting (4)
• Positive Psychology (33)
• Positive Workplace (37)
• Productivity (16)
• Relationships (46)
• Resilience & Coping (36)
• Self Awareness (21)
• Self Esteem (38)
• Strengths & Virtues (31)
• Stress & Burnout Prevention (34)
• Theory & Books (46)
• Therapy Exercises (37)
• Types of Therapy (64)

Download 3 Free Positive CBT Tools Pack (PDF)

3 Positive CBT Exercises (PDF)

• Jun 19, 2023

Solution-Focused Therapy: Techniques and Strategies

Updated: Jul 16, 2023

What is Solution-Focused Therapy?

Solution-Focused Therapy is an innovative approach that aims to help individuals overcome challenges and achieve their goals by focusing on solutions rather than dwelling on problems. It is a brief, goal-oriented therapy that empowers clients to envision their desired future and discover practical strategies to move towards it.

Brief history and development of Solution-Focused Therapy

Solution-Focused Therapy was developed in the 1980s by Steve de Shazer, Insoo Kim Berg, and their colleagues at the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They were dissatisfied with traditional therapeutic approaches that heavily focused on analyzing problems and searching for their causes. Instead, they wanted to explore what was working well in clients' lives and utilize those strengths to create positive change. This led to the development of Solution-Focused Therapy.

What are the 7 main techniques used in Solution-Focused Therapy?

Miracle Question: This technique invites clients to imagine a future where their problems are magically resolved. By envisioning this ideal scenario, clients gain clarity about their goals and the steps needed to achieve them.

Scaling Questions: Scaling questions help clients assess their current situation and progress towards their goals on a scale of 0 to 10. This technique encourages clients to identify what has helped them move up the scale and how they can further progress.

Exception-seeking: This technique involves exploring moments when the problem is less severe or absent. By examining these exceptions to the problem, clients can identify the conditions and strategies that contribute to positive outcomes.

Coping Questions: Coping questions focus on identifying the resources, strengths, and coping mechanisms that clients already possess. This technique helps clients recognize their own resilience and empowers them to apply these skills to overcome challenges.

Compliments: Offering sincere compliments and positive feedback is an essential part of Solution-Focused Therapy. By highlighting clients' strengths and successes, therapists foster a supportive and empowering therapeutic environment.

Goal Setting: Setting clear and achievable goals is a central aspect of Solution-Focused Therapy. Clients work collaboratively with their therapist to define goals that guide the therapeutic process.

Homework Assignments: Therapists often assign homework to clients, which may involve practising new skills, reflecting on progress, or implementing specific strategies between therapy sessions. This encourages clients to take an active role in their own growth and development.

What are the core strategies employed in Solution-Focused Therapy?

Solution-Focused Therapy employs several core strategies that facilitate positive change:

Future-Focus: Solution-Focused Therapy places a strong emphasis on envisioning and working towards a desired future. By focusing on what clients want to achieve rather than on past problems, therapy becomes forward-looking and goal-oriented.

Collaboration: The therapist and client work together as equal partners in the therapeutic process. The therapist provides guidance and expertise, while the client actively engages in setting goals and identifying solutions.

Strengths-Based Approach: Solution-Focused Therapy recognizes and builds upon clients' existing strengths, resources, and capabilities. It encourages clients to tap into their own potential and utilise their strengths to overcome challenges.

Brief and Time-Limited: Solution-Focused Therapy is typically brief, with a focus on achieving results within a relatively short time frame. This approach is well-suited for individuals who prefer efficient and solution-oriented interventions.

Key Principles and Assumptions of Solution-Focused Therapy

Solution-Focused Therapy is based on the following principles and assumptions:

Change is constant: Solution-Focused Therapy acknowledges that change is inevitable and ongoing. It helps clients harness their innate capacity for change and adaptability to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

Client expertise: Clients are viewed as experts in their own lives. They possess unique knowledge, experiences, and resources that can contribute to finding solutions. Therapists facilitate the discovery and application of this expertise.

Small steps lead to big changes: Solution-Focused Therapy recognizes that even small positive changes can have a significant impact on clients' lives. By taking incremental steps towards their goals, clients can experience meaningful transformations over time.

The Significance of Techniques and Strategies Used in Solution-Focused Therapy

1. Practical and Action-Oriented Approach

Solution-Focused Therapy stands out as an important therapy technique topic due to its practical and action-oriented nature. Unlike traditional therapy approaches that may involve extensive analysis of problems, Solution-Focused Therapy focuses on finding effective solutions and taking concrete steps towards achieving desired outcomes. This approach resonates with ambitious business people and working-class professionals who are seeking practical strategies to overcome obstacles and drive success in their careers. By emphasizing actionable techniques and strategies, Solution-Focused Therapy provides a valuable framework for individuals looking to make tangible improvements in their lives.

2. Time-Efficient and Goal-Oriented

Another reason why Techniques and Strategies Used in Solution-Focused Therapy is a significant topic is its time-efficiency and goal-oriented nature. The brief and targeted nature of Solution-Focused Therapy appeals to individuals with busy schedules and limited time for therapy. By focusing on specific goals and utilizing techniques such as the Miracle Question, Scaling Questions, and Goal Setting, Solution-Focused Therapy helps clients make progress within a relatively short timeframe. This aspect is particularly valuable to ambitious professionals who are eager to achieve results and find a work-life balance without long-term therapy commitments.

3. Empowering and Transformative

Techniques and Strategies Used in Solution-Focused Therapy hold great importance due to their empowering and transformative potential. This therapy approach recognizes the expertise and strengths of clients, enabling them to take an active role in their own growth and development. By emphasising clients' resources and focusing on solutions, Solution-Focused Therapy fosters a sense of empowerment and self-efficacy. This aspect resonates with the target audience of ambitious business people and working-class professionals who are seeking strategies to overcome challenges, drive personal betterment, and experience transformative change in their lives and careers.

How does Solution-Focused Therapy differ from traditional therapy?

Solution-Focused Therapy differs from traditional therapy in several key ways:

Problem-focused vs. Solution-focused: Traditional therapy often delves deep into analysing problems and their underlying causes. In contrast, Solution-Focused Therapy concentrates on exploring solutions, building on strengths, and envisioning a positive future.

Timeframe: Traditional therapy can be long-term, extending over months or even years. Solution-Focused Therapy, on the other hand, is typically brief and goal-oriented, with a focus on achieving results within a shorter time frame.

Therapist's role: In traditional therapy, the therapist often takes a more directive role, providing interpretations and insights. In Solution-Focused Therapy, the therapist acts as a collaborator and facilitator, guiding the client towards their own solutions.

How does Solution-Focused Therapy focus on the future?

Solution-Focused Therapy places a strong emphasis on the future by encouraging clients to envision their desired outcomes and work towards them. The therapeutic process involves setting clear goals, identifying strategies to achieve those goals, and exploring the steps needed to create a more positive future. By focusing on the future, Solution-Focused Therapy empowers clients to take control of their lives and actively shape their desired outcomes.

​​Conclusion

In conclusion, Techniques and Strategies Used in Solution-Focused Therapy offers a powerful and practical approach for individuals seeking to overcome obstacles, set goals, and find work-life balance. By focusing on solutions, building on strengths, and envisioning a positive future, Solution-Focused Therapy empowers clients to take control of their lives and drive transformative change.

Throughout this article, we have explored the core techniques employed in Solution-Focused Therapy, such as the Miracle Question, Scaling Questions, and Goal Setting. These techniques, along with others, provide individuals with practical strategies to navigate challenges, discover their potential, and achieve their desired outcomes.

At Newer Mind , we specialise in helping dedicated individuals like you achieve their goals. Our one-stop-shop approach combines a range of therapy techniques, including Solution-Focused Therapy, to provide a comprehensive and personalised program. Whether you choose our 6-week or 8-week program, our team is committed to supporting and guiding you on your journey to success.

Don't let obstacles hold you back. Take the first step towards personal betterment and wellness by joining our program at Newer Mind. Contact us today to embark on a transformative journey towards achieving your goals and finding the work-life balance you desire.

Remember, your success is within reach, and Newer Mind is here to be your knowledgeable and compassionate guide on your path to personal growth and fulfilment.

How effective is Solution-Focused Therapy?

Solution-Focused Therapy has been found to be highly effective for a wide range of issues, including depression, anxiety, relationship problems, and substance abuse. Its goal-oriented and strengths-based approach can lead to positive outcomes in a relatively short period.

Is Solution-Focused Therapy suitable for everyone?

Solution-Focused Therapy can be beneficial for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. It is a flexible approach that can be adapted to various therapeutic settings and client needs. However, it may not be the most suitable choice for individuals requiring long-term or in-depth exploration of underlying issues.

How many sessions are typically needed for Solution-Focused Therapy?

The number of sessions required can vary depending on the complexity of the issue and the client's goals. Solution-Focused Therapy is known for its brief nature, with many clients experiencing significant improvements within 4 to 8 sessions. However, the duration of therapy ultimately depends on individual circumstances.

Can Solution-Focused Therapy be used alongside other therapeutic approaches?

Yes, Solution-Focused Therapy can be integrated with other therapeutic approaches to create a tailored treatment plan. Therapists often combine Solution-Focused Therapy with techniques from cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and other modalities to meet the specific needs of their clients.

Can Solution-Focused Therapy be applied outside of therapy sessions?

Absolutely. Solution-Focused Therapy encourages clients to take an active role in their own growth and development. The strategies and techniques learned in therapy can be applied to daily life, allowing clients to continue making progress outside of therapy sessions.

Can Solution-Focused Therapy be used for couples therapy or family therapy?

Yes, Solution-Focused Therapy can be effectively applied to couples therapy and family therapy. The techniques and strategies used in Solution-Focused Therapy can help couples and families identify their desired outcomes, enhance communication, and build stronger relationships based on their strengths and resources.

Is Solution-Focused Therapy suitable for children and adolescents?

Yes, Solution-Focused Therapy can be adapted for children and adolescents. Therapists who specialise in working with young clients can employ age-appropriate language, activities, and techniques to engage children and adolescents in the therapeutic process. Solution-Focused Therapy's focus on strengths and solutions can be particularly beneficial for younger individuals.

Are there any specific ethical considerations in Solution-Focused Therapy?

As with any therapeutic approach, ethical considerations are important in Solution-Focused Therapy. Therapists should maintain client confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and ensure a safe and supportive therapeutic environment. Additionally, therapists should be mindful of their own competence and seek supervision or consultation when needed.

Can Solution-Focused Therapy be effective for individuals with severe mental health conditions?

Solution-Focused Therapy can be a valuable adjunct to traditional treatment approaches for individuals with severe mental health conditions. While it may not be the primary therapeutic intervention for severe conditions, Solution-Focused Therapy can complement other modalities and help individuals develop coping strategies, set goals, and improve their overall well-being.

How can Solution-Focused Therapy contribute to work-life balance?

Solution-Focused Therapy can be instrumental in supporting individuals in finding and maintaining work-life balance. By focusing on clients' goals, strengths, and resources, Solution-Focused Therapy can help individuals identify strategies to manage stress, prioritise their time and commitments, and establish healthier boundaries between work and personal life.

Recent Posts

Solution-Focused Therapy: Empowering Success and Transformation

Ultimate Guide to Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

Meta: Discover the most effective solution-focused brief therapy models with this comprehensive guide to Solution Focused Brief Therapy. Get clear tips & strategies to make the most of solution focused therapy, now!

Introduction

Brief Solution-Focused Therapy is a powerful form of psychotherapy designed to make a big difference fast.

Instead of trying to understand and analyze issues from the past, it lets you and your therapist work together to find positive solutions.

The goal of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is to ask direct questions about current situations, celebrate small victories, and identify desired outcomes instead of dwelling on the past.

This way, you can make profound changes in their lives by taking actionable steps. You’ll learn about the core components, steps to get started, advanced tips, and accessible resources for Solution-focused Brief Therapy in this guide.

What is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?

SFBT helps people shift their focus from their problems onto solutions. It is based on the idea that positive change comes from focusing on what’s already working.

In this kind of therapy, the focus is more on the future, rather than the past, and you are encouraged to use your strengths as resources and set realistic, achievable goals with tangible rewards.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy works by quickly engaging you in building a positive solution frame, identifying resources that may help, and recognizing and fostering your capacity to guide their own lives.

A therapeutic model like this has been found to be effective for a lot of different things, including mental illness, relationship issues, addiction recovery, work-related topics, and other behaviors.

Instead of heavy discussions about what isn’t working, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy supports small changes through concrete actions.

Instead of bringing up uncomfortable topics, the process emphasizes personal capabilities and problem-solving skills.

Some basic core concepts within this approach often involve mental health professional doing the following with you: 

• Asking questions about times when things have worked out well for you.
• Constructing possible scenarios in your mind of future success taking place.
• Understanding your view on self-responsibility throughout the process.
• Setting specific goals with you rather than making broad conclusions or plans.
• Tracking your progress along the way by rewarding your small achievements.

This therapy model emphasizes language: you and your therapist come up with succinct statements to keep things moving towards a positive inner dialogue. Examples include rephrasing pessimistic views or figuring out patterns that aren’t obvious at first but need to be explored later.

You can get to realizations without rehashing hard past experiences or sifting through heavy emotions – great for people with limited time or resources or having trouble processing trauma.

Why is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Important?

With Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), people can create lasting change in their lives by focusing on solutions instead of problems. It helps with psychological symptoms, but also fosters your interpersonal growth.

Success Stories: Examples of SFBT’s Effectiveness in Real-World Situations

One woman struggling with severe depression found new hope through reframing her outlook on

By recognizing and changing her negative self-talk, one woman struggling with severe depression found new hope and was able to take proactive steps towards healing.

This short-term intervention uses reflective motivation and positive reinforcement to address issues like eating disorders and youth violence.

Education and healthcare providers around the world use SFBT as an evidence-based intervention model.

What Are the Key Benefits of Brief Therapy Models?

• Goal-oriented: Working on specific objectives and staying focused on the present, instead of dwelling on the past.
• Results driven: Showing tangible progress and improvement that is achievable in a short timeframe.
• Empowerment: Allowing individuals to take charge of their own therapy through self-reflection and understanding of the best paths to reach their goals.
• Actionable tools: Offering practical resources for day-to-day life, such as communication exercises and problem solving techniques to help individuals create positive changes in their lives.

In Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), people can focus on how they’ll succeed over how they’ve failed in the past, which helps them achieve their mental health goals.

SFBT also focuses on what has already been accomplished toward the desired outcome and encourages people to build on those achievements while keeping track of their progress, even if it seems minimal at first.

Traditional psychotherapy can be difficult because of potential blame from past experiences or situations outside of one’s control. This form of therapy helps people take responsibility for both successes and failures.

With SFBT’s empowerment-based model, you become a proactive agent in your life, which leads to being emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically healthy.

How to Get Started With Solution Focused Therapy

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a short-term intervention that focuses on solutions, not problems, to help individuals reach their goals. Here are some simple steps to get started:

• Identify the desired outcome: The first step in any successful SFBT therapy session is for both the patient and practitioner to define what they want out of the session. This is often referred to as “copying down the miracle question” – or writing down what success looks like for them in detail.
• Determine resources: After identifying the main goal, it is important to list available resources and skills that can be used to achieve this goal – including personal knowledge and networks of support.
• Explore exceptions: Once resources have been identified, look for times when these resources were used successfully in the past, even if just briefly. Examining unique situations gives insight into different ways of achieving success going forward.
• Generate and explore possibilities: Possibilities are open-ended questions and ideas that could lead toward progress towards their desired outcome if implemented effectively. Exploring together carefully can lead toward finding a wide range of solution-focused approaches to existing challenges.
• Outline achievable processes: To ensure progress continues over time, generate an actionable plan by breaking down achievable steps on a timeline towards accomplishing the desired outcome(s). My Therapy Buddy’s FREE tool can be used here as a valuable resource to getting started with SFBT as self-therapy.

A number of people with chronic mental illness have found relief from their symptoms with SFBT techniques. Without feeling overwhelmed by sadness and stress, they’ve been able to take control of their lives and get out of bed on time and manage relationships with family members.

Get started with SFBT techniques with My Therapy Buddy’s FREE tool . Using this tool alongside professional therapy can provide additional support when needed for long term sustainable results – offering hope for a better tomorrow!

Common Mistakes to Avoid With Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

When you’re struggling with your mental health, it can be difficult to properly implement and follow the wide variety of solution-focused approaches. This can lead to making some common mistakes.

Some of the common mistakes that people make when attempting to use SFBT include:

• Not setting concrete goals – When you’re going through SFBT therapy, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure of what you’re trying to accomplish. You need measurable, achievable goals to keep yourself motivated.
• Not putting forth enough effort – The SFBT process works when you take active steps toward its goals. In other words, it’s best to apply all the skills learned in therapy in a real-world context, and not fall back on old coping mechanisms like substance abuse.
• Overlooking individualized approaches – Every person needs an individualized mental health treatment plan, including choosing the type of solution therapy model that’s right for them.
• Not seeking support from loved ones – Having supportive friends or family who understand and are willing to provide emotional support is also key.

SFBT can help people struggling with mental health overcome these potential pitfalls and make positive changes in their lives and build meaningful relationships with those around them.

Beth Mardell, one of many social workers, uses SFBT to help her clients find meaningful employment. This is after being out of work because of illness or other hardships in their lives.

With clearly defined goals, regular interaction and feedback, and collaboration with her clients, Beth has been able to form strong ties with her patients and help them achieve success.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Comparison

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are both evidence-based therapies designed to help individuals bring about positive change in their lives.

While there are several similarities between the two types of therapy, there are also some crucial differences that should be considered when choosing a type of therapy.

Here’s a look at how SFBT and CBT compare:

• Both SFBT and CBT aim to help people achieve happiness, satisfaction, and confidence by breaking destructive behavior cycles.
• SFBT’s primary goal is to solve problems quickly while supporting you in an optimistic and collaborative environment.
• CBT focuses on identifying how thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes impact behavior, helping replace negative patterns with more adaptive ones.

Interventions:

• SFBT emphasizes what can be done right now, rather than analyzing the past or worrying about future issues.
• CBT encourages you to consider situations from different perspectives, better controlling emotions and reactions when faced with difficulty.
• CBT requires you to confront their thoughts head-on, unlike SFBT’s distraction techniques.

Time Frame:

• CBT usually requires 6 to 12 months of long-term treatment.
• SFBT treatment sessions are shorter, typically 1-3 therapy sessions designed to address specific goals.

Outcome Evaluation:

• CBT relies heavily on subjective measures such as self-reports and patient surveys.
• SFBT evaluates your progress through objective markers, such as changes noticed in current behavior or outlook by those around them.

Advanced Tips and Strategies for Solution Focused Therapy

• Acknowledge Progress: When dealing with mental health issues, it is important to acknowledge every step of progress a person has taken in their journey towards improved wellbeing. By celebrating each small milestone, a person struggling with their mental health can find inner strength and motivation to keep going.
• Improve Self-Talk: When it comes to mental health, self-talk can have a huge impact on how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. It is vital for people facing these challenges to replace negative thoughts with more supportive and uplifting statements that lead to better overall well-being.
• Establish Positive Habits: Making small lifestyle changes can make all the difference when trying to manage poor mental health. Establishing positive habits such as regular exercise, healthy eating or mindfulness can help people struggling with poor mental health see improvements over time in both their physical and mental state of being.
• Prioritise Coping & Relaxation Techniques: Life’s demands can often be overwhelming even if optimal conditions are attained during one’s recovery process from poor mental health condition, Slow down and be gentle – relaxation activities such as breathing exercises or yoga might help cope better when needed most Coping techniques not only helps managing ongoing stress but also alleviates destructive cognitive patterns associated with depression, anxiety etc.
• Build Resilience: Building resilience means learning how to handle daily setbacks positively rather than letting them overwhelm us; this includes resetting our expectations of success and learning to accept mistakes and embrace life “in the moment” rather than ruminating about what could have been done differently in hindsight tasks related to solution focused brief therapy may help build resilience like goal setting, problem solving etc

Remember, managing mental health is an ongoing process that requires a combination of different strategies. 

By celebrating small milestones and making positive lifestyle changes, individuals can gain inner strength and motivation to keep going. It is also essential to prioritize coping and relaxation techniques and to build resilience to handle setbacks positively.

With these advanced tips, we hope it can become easier to work towards a better mental state of being. 🙂

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a goal-directed approach to therapy that is designed to help you find solutions to their problems in a short period of time. The key points of SFBT are as follows:

• Developing structured goals and aspirations: One of the primary goals of SFBT is to help you develop clear and specific goals that they want to achieve. These goals should be realistic, achievable, and focused on the future rather than dwelling on past events or situations that are out of their control. The therapist helps you identify what they want to achieve and how they can work towards achieving it.
• Focus on changing behavior: SFBT emphasizes changing behavior instead of focusing on past events or situations. The focus is on what you can do in the present to achieve their goals, rather than trying to understand why they may have ended up in their current situation. The therapist works with you identify behaviors that are keeping them stuck and encourages them to try new behaviors that can help them achieve their goals.
• Focusing on developing achievable, realistic outcomes: SFBT uses solution-focused questioning techniques to help you identify achievable and realistic outcomes. These questions are designed to help you identify what they want to achieve and what steps they can take to get there. The therapist encourages you to think about how they can use their own resources to bring about positive change.
• Thinking about how positive change can be achieved with the help of your own resources: SFBT assumes that you have the resources they need to achieve their goals. The therapist helps you identify these resources and encourages them to use them to bring about positive change. The focus is on building on the your strengths and resources, rather than relying on outside sources to bring about change.
• Bringing about short-term, achievable gains: SFBT aims to bring about short-term, achievable gains by spending less time discussing symptoms and more time engaging in goal-focused conversations. The therapist helps you identify small steps they can take towards achieving their goals and encourages them to celebrate their successes along the way. Therapy approaches like this helps to build momentum and confidence, which can lead to long-term positive change.

SFBT is a self-empowering approach to mental health that allows individuals to actively participate in their healing process.

By focusing on personal action and agreed-upon outcomes, SFBT provides independence from scheduled clinical sessions while still achieving positive results. It can be used as a preventative measure or as part of an ongoing journey towards improving psychological health.

My Therapy Buddy’s FREE SFBT tool is a great starting point for self-therapy.

Investing in holistic mental well-being saves time and money and gives individuals the tools to create powerful change within themselves.

Pin It! Save it for later

• International Alliance of Solution Focused Teaching Institutes (2019). What is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy? ( Link)
• de Shazer, S., & Dolan, Y. (2007). More than miracles: The state of the art of solution-focused brief therapy. Routledge. ( Link )
• Gingerich, W. J., & Peterson, L. T. (2013). Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: A Systematic Qualitative Review of Controlled Outcome Studies. Research on Social Work Practice, 23(3), 266-283. ( Link )
• Franklin, Cynthia, et al. “Solution focused brief therapy: A systematic review and meta-summary of process research.” Journal of marital and family therapy 43.1 (2017): 16-30. ( Link )
• Gingerich, Wallace J., and Sheri Eisengart. “Solution-focused brief therapy: A review of the outcome research.” Family process 39.4 (2000): 477-498. ( Link )
• Novella, Jocelyn K., Kok-Mun Ng, and Jessica Samuolis. “A comparison of online and in-person counseling outcomes using solution-focused brief therapy for college students with anxiety.” Journal of American College Health 70.4 (2022): 1161-1168. ( Link )
• Walker, Cecil R., Adam S. Froerer, and Natalia Gourlay‐Fernandez. “The value of using emotions in solution focused brief therapy.” Journal of marital and family therapy 48.3 (2022): 812-826. ( Link )
• Neipp, Marie-Carmen, and Mark Beyebach. “The global outcomes of solution-focused brief therapy: A revision.” The American Journal of Family Therapy (2022): 1-18. ( Link )
• Chen, Shitao. “An online solution focused brief therapy for adolescent anxiety during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic: a structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.” Trials 21 (2020): 1-2. ( Link )
• Franklin, Cynthia, and Audrey Hang Hai. “Solution-Focused Brief Therapy for Substance Use: A Review of the Literature.” Health & Social Work 46.2 (2021): 103-114. ( Link )
• Yasfard, Ghazal, Zahra Abaspour Azar, and Seyed Ali Hosseini Almadani. “Comparing the effectiveness of group dialectical behavior therapy and solution-focused brief therapy on self-esteem, cognitive-emotional regulation and non-suicidal self-injury in daughters.” Iranian Journal of Health Education and Health Promotion 7.4 (2019): 343-358. ( Link ) 

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Contact Form
• Schedule a Consult

Solution-Focused Therapy

by Dr. Alan Jacobson | Oct 2, 2023 | Therapy Approaches , Types of Therapy

Solution-focused therapy is a goal-oriented and collaborative approach to psychotherapy that focuses on helping you identify and work towards solutions to your problems rather than dwelling on the problems themselves. We explore the underlying causes, but only if and when we believe that understanding them better will lead to solutions in the present.

Solution-focused therapy is considered a strengths-based therapy, often in the Humanistic realm. It is often my approach of choice when a client wants a more short-term intervention, but it can be a facet of longer-term therapy as well.

Principles of Solution-Focused Therapy

Key principles and techniques of Solution-Focused Therapy include:

Solution-Focused Therapy is Future-Oriented

Solution-focused therapy is future-oriented, meaning it focuses on helping you create a vision of the future you want to achieve and develop a plan to get there rather than dwelling on past problems or traumas. As the name suggests, solution-focused therapy is typically a short-term therapy emphasizing achieving quick and practical results.

Solution-Focused Therapy is Collaborative

We will work together as partners in the therapeutic process. I see you as the expert in your own life, and we’ll explore solutions rather than having me impose advice or interpretations. We’ll set clear, concrete, and achievable goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound ( SMART goals ). You will be actively involved in the therapeutic process, and your feedback will be valued.

Minimal Emphasis on Diagnosis

Unlike other therapeutic approaches focusing on diagnosing and treating specific mental health disorders, solution-focused therapy is less concerned with the diagnosis and more about helping you achieve your desired outcomes. Solution-focused therapy encourages clients to set specific, realistic, and measurable goals. These goals serve as a roadmap for therapy and provide a sense of direction.

Change Is Possible

Solution-focused therapy assumes that change is possible, even if it appears difficult or unlikely. Solution-focused therapy encourages hope and optimism by helping clients imagine and work towards positive outcomes. You will be encouraged to take small, manageable steps toward your goals. These incremental changes can lead to bigger transformations over time. This is why solution-focused therapists use positive and constructive language in client interactions. We ask questions, encouraging clients to explore their strengths, resources, and potential solutions.

Solutions Focused Therapy is Exception-Focused

We will likely spend time focusing on periods when the problem is less severe or not present at all (the exceptions). By exploring these exceptions, you can gain insights into what works and how you can replicate positive experiences. This fits the fact that solution-focused therapy avoids labeling people with psychiatric diagnoses; instead, it focuses on helping you work toward their preferred outcomes.

Amplification of Success

I will work to amplify successful moments and progress by highlighting your achievements and helping you see the positive impact of your efforts. This reinforces motivation and confidence. I may use scaling questions to help you measure their progress and gain insight into the severity of their issues. This scaling helps you see your success and set realistic new expectations.

Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques

This is a brief outline of some of the techniques I use in solution-focused therapy:

Solution-Focused Therapy Initial Questions

I will use a series of questions to help you clarify your goals and identify what is already working in your life. These questions reveal your strengths, resources, and past successes. I may ask you to rate their current situation on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being the worst and 10 being the best. This scaling helps you assess your progress and identify what it would take to move closer to your preferred outcome.

Solution-Focused Therapy Follow-up Questions

After the initial questions, I often ask you about times when your problems were less severe or absent. This helps you identify exceptions to your difficulties and explore what they did differently during those times. We will also discuss the “Miracle Question,” where you will be asked to imagine a miracle that happened overnight and solved your problem. We’ll then explore their life and the steps they could take to move in that direction.

Compliments and Reinforcement

You’ll hear positive feedback and compliments when you share their strengths, successes, and progress. This helps reinforce your decisions that are moving you toward solutions. Of course, barriers and challenges will not be ignored, but they will covered in the context of hope and strength.

Solution-Focused Therapy Homework Assignments

I often assign homework, encouraging clients to practice new behaviors or strategies outside therapy sessions. This helps you actively work toward your goals as much as you want and in a way that allows you to get feedback on the therapy process. These homework assignments open up conversations on what is working and what could be improved.

Exception Amplification

When discussing exceptions to the problem, I often ask clients to describe the circumstances, thoughts, and feelings that contributed to those exceptions. This can help you replicate these positive experiences in the future.

Solution-Focused Coping Cards

Some clients create coping cards that contain reminders of their strengths, resources, and coping strategies. These cards can be carried with them and used in challenging situations.

These techniques help clients shift their focus from the problems that brought them to therapy to the solutions and resources they possess to make positive life changes. Solution-focused therapy is often used relatively short-term and structuredly, making it a practical approach for addressing specific issues.

How Can Solution-Focused Therapy Help

Solution-focused therapy can be helpful in various situations and for individuals of all ages. It is particularly effective in addressing various emotional and psychological challenges and helping individuals improve their well-being and relationships. Here’s how solution-focused therapy can be of assistance:

• Problem Resolution: Solution-focused therapy helps you identify and work toward practical solutions to your challenges. By focusing on solutions rather than problems, you can break issues down into manageable steps and take action to address them.
• Goal Achievement: This approach assists clients in setting and achieving specific, realistic goals. I will work with you to define clear, measurable, and achievable objectives and help you develop strategies for reaching these goals.
• Positive Change: Solution-focused therapy emphasizes amplifying and building upon positive change and progress. This can boost confidence and motivation, leading to further improvement. By focusing on solutions and positive change, this approach can reduce rumination and negative thinking patterns, potentially alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• Empowerment: Solution-focused therapy empowers you by highlighting your strengths, abilities, and past successes. It encourages self-efficacy and a sense of control over your life. Clients can learn effective coping strategies and skills to handle life’s challenges more resiliently and adaptively.
• Improved Communication: In couples or family therapy, solution-focused techniques can enhance communication, understanding, and problem-solving skills. This can help resolve conflicts and improve relationships.
• Quick Results: Solution-focused therapy is often considered a brief and time-effective therapy. Many individuals experience positive changes relatively quickly, which can be encouraging and motivating.

Conclusions and My Work

Solution-focused therapy can be particularly useful for individuals with specific situational problems and those looking for a pragmatic and strengths-based approach to change.  I use it to include individual, couples, and family therapy . It can also be used in organizations and educational settings with small groups. I often integrate it into Executive Coaching , Sports Psychology , and College Admissions specialty services.

Please reach out if you have questions about solution-focused therapy and how we might use it to help you overcome barriers and achieve success.

General Search

Category search.

• College Admissions Services
• Executive Coaching Services
• Fear of Flying Services
• Mental Health Diagnoses
• Public Speaking Fear
• Sports Psychology
• Symptom Relief
• Therapy Approaches
• Therapy Specialties
• Types of Therapy
• Uncategorized

Service Listing

• Individual Therapy
• Couples Therapy
• Family Therapy
• College Admissions Counseling
• Executive Coaching
• Fear of Flying Therapy
• Public Speaking Anxiety
• Emotional Support Animals (ESA)
• Fear of Flying Group
• Fear of Public Speaking Group

Contact Info

Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques and Why They Are Helpful?

Explore the power of Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques to transform lives. Learn about these innovative methods for creating positive change in therapy.

By Emma Hainsworth on Feb 29, 2024.

Fact Checked by RJ Gumban.

Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) is a future-oriented therapeutic approach known for its brevity and effectiveness. In contrast to traditional therapy methods that delve into past experiences and problems, SFT concentrates on the present and the future, focusing on solutions and the client's innate ability to devise them. 

Central to SFT's success is a collection of unique techniques that foster hope, positivity, and change. This guide provides an in-depth look at these techniques, their benefits, applications, and how they can be integrated into various settings.

What are Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques?

Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques are practical tools therapists use during sessions to help clients identify their goals, visualize their desired future, and recognize their abilities to effect change. 

These techniques draw on the principles of positive psychology, emphasizing the strengths and resources of the client rather than their problems. They include goal-setting, the miracle question, exception-seeking, scaling questions, future focus, compliments, and coping questions.

These techniques are dialogic, involving a series of structured conversations between the therapist and the client. They aim to generate a positive emotional atmosphere, fostering hope and change. 

By allowing clients to envision a future without their problems and identifying when their concerns were less severe or absent, these techniques empower clients to understand their potential for creating solutions.

Why are they helpful?

Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques are a fundamental part of why SFT is so effective. They shift the client's perspective from dwelling on problems and past failures to recognizing their strengths and visualizing a positive future. These techniques promote a sense of hope and motivation, fostering a proactive mindset that can lead to real change by focusing on solutions rather than problems.

These techniques provide a structured framework that allows the therapist to guide the conversation effectively toward the client's desired future. 

Clients can gain a more balanced view of their situation and capabilities, improving their confidence and self-efficacy by identifying exceptions to the problem and past successes. 

Additionally, visualizing a better future and setting clear, attainable goals help clients stay motivated and focused, enhancing their likelihood of success.

Solution-Focused Therapy Interventions

Solution-Focused Therapy interventions are the specific methods or techniques applied during therapy sessions. They are purposeful actions therapists take to help clients move closer to their desired futures. Here are some key points:

• They are future-oriented: SFT interventions focus on the client's desired future rather than their past.
• They are goal-directed: The interventions help clients identify, clarify, and work towards their goals.
• They are collaborative: Therapists work with clients, helping them to identify their strengths and resources and to develop solutions.
• They are brief: SFT is known for its brevity. Interventions are often delivered in short, focused sessions.
• They focus on solutions: Unlike many therapeutic approaches, SFT interventions concentrate on solutions rather than problems.

12 Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques

1. goal setting.

This is the foundation of SFT. Therapists work collaboratively with clients to identify their therapeutic goals – what they hope to achieve through therapy. Goals are typically future-focused, clearly defined, and achievable, providing a meaningful direction for the therapy process.

2. The Miracle Question

This is a classic SFT technique. Therapists ask clients to imagine a scenario where a miracle has occurred overnight, and their problem has disappeared. They then explore how their life would look different, what changes they would notice, and what others would observe. This exercise promotes hope and helps clients visualize potential solutions.

3. Exception Seeking

In this technique, therapists and clients explore times when the problem was less severe or nonexistent. This can uncover successful coping strategies, resilience, and strengths that the client can use to address current challenges.

4. Scaling Questions

Therapists ask clients to rate their problems, progress, or confidence in achieving their goals on a scale from 0 to 10. This provides a visual and quantifiable way to track change, discuss barriers, and determine what is needed to move higher on the scale.

5. Future Focus

By envisioning a future without the problem, clients can explore what needs to happen to achieve this desired state. This cultivates optimism and motivation toward change.

6. Compliments

 Therapists affirm and validate clients' achievements, abilities, and efforts. This boosts their self-esteem, resilience, and belief in managing their problems.

7. Coping Questions

These questions explore how clients manage their problems and stay resilient despite their challenges. Recognizing these coping abilities can be empowering and instill hope.

8. Resource Activation

This involves identifying and mobilizing the client's internal and external resources – strengths, skills, social support, etc., that can be used to manage their problems and achieve their goals.

9. Utilizing Client Language

Therapists use the exact words and phrases as the client to show understanding and reinforce the client's insights and ideas.

10. Reframing

This involves helping clients view their situation from a different perspective. Therapists can promote a more constructive outlook by challenging negative interpretations and highlighting positives.

11. Presupposing Change

 Therapists emphasize that change is inevitable and constant, encouraging clients to consider how to make positive changes to their situation.

12. Feedback and Homework

Therapists provide feedback about the session and may assign tasks for clients to complete between sessions. This encourages clients to apply the insights and strategies gained during therapy to their daily lives.

9 Solution-Focused Therapy Exercises

1. miracle question exercise.

This is a staple in SFT. The therapist asks the client to imagine that a miracle has happened overnight and their problem has disappeared. The client is then asked to describe in detail how they would know the miracle occurred and how their life would be different. This exercise helps clients visualize their goals and instills hope.

2. Exception-Finding Exercise

This exercise encourages clients to identify times when the problem could have been more impactful, or they could manage it successfully. It helps clients realize they already possess the skills and resources to overcome difficulties.

3. Scaling Exercise

In this exercise, clients rate their feelings or situation on a scale, usually from 0 (the worst possible) to 10 (the best possible). They can also rate their confidence in their ability to solve problems or achieve goals. This exercise provides a clear and measurable way to track progress and discuss steps toward improvement.

4. Problem-Free Talk

The therapist encourages the client to discuss parts of their life unrelated to their problem. This exercise helps the client shift their focus away from the situation, fostering a more positive mindset and enhancing their resilience.

5. Best Hopes Exercise

Clients are asked to express their best hopes for the outcome of the therapy. This exercise helps create positive expectations and sets the stage for setting specific goals.

6. Coping Cards

In this exercise, clients write down their successful coping strategies on cards. These can be reviewed during difficult times as reminders of their ability to cope with adversity. This exercise enhances self-efficacy and resilience.

7. Visualizing a Day After the Miracle

This exercise builds on the Miracle Question, as clients are asked to describe a typical day after their problems have disappeared. This promotes hope and clarity regarding their goals.

8. Strengths and Resources Inventory

This involves clients creating a comprehensive list of their strengths, skills, and resources, fostering self-awareness and confidence. It can help clients leverage these strengths and resources to address their problems.

9. Letter to Self

Clients are asked to write a letter to their future selves, outlining their feelings, goals, aspirations, and plans. This can be reviewed periodically to track progress and keep motivation high. It serves as a tangible tool that reminds clients of their journey and their commitment to change.

15 Solution-Focused Therapy Questions

• What brings you here today?
• How will you know therapy has been successful for you?
• Can you describe a day when the problem didn't exist?
• What was different about that day?
• On a scale of 1-10, where are you with your problem now?
• What will be the first signs of improvement?
• What will be different when you move up one step on the scale?
• Can you recall a time when you dealt with a similar problem?
• What helped you during that time?
• What strengths do you have that could help in this situation?
• Who notices when you do well, and what do they see?
• What are some minor changes you can make to progress toward your goals?
• What is your best hope from our conversation today?
• How can you use your strengths to achieve your desired outcome?
• What will be your first step toward reaching your goal?

When to use Solution-Focused Therapy techniques

Solution-Focused Therapy techniques are incredibly versatile and can be utilized across various contexts and situations. They are particularly beneficial when clients feel stuck or overwhelmed by their problems, as these techniques help shift focus towards solutions and future possibilities.

These techniques can be used with individuals, couples, families, and groups and are applicable across various age groups. They are also suitable for problems such as relationship issues, mental health challenges, stress, grief, and more. Teachers and counselors can use these techniques to help students overcome academic and behavioral issues in educational settings.

Moreover, SFT techniques are valuable when time is limited, such as crisis intervention or brief therapy sessions. They help quickly establish therapeutic goals and foster hope, making them an efficient tool for change.

Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques App – How can Carepatron Help?

Carepatron is an excellent platform for implementing Solution-Focused Therapy techniques virtually. It provides a secure and user-friendly environment for therapists to conduct sessions, enabling the seamless integration of SFT techniques into the therapeutic process.

With Carepatron, therapists can efficiently structure and manage their sessions, maintain accurate and up-to-date records, and monitor client progress. The platform's features facilitate the implementation of various SFT techniques, including goal-setting, scaling exercises, and exception-finding. It also allows for the secure exchange of therapy resources and homework assignments.

The platform provides clients with an accessible and comfortable space to engage in therapy, increasing their motivation and commitment to the process.

Commonly asked questions

There's no absolute number, as new techniques are continually being developed and customized to fit specific therapeutic situations. However, some commonly used ones include the Miracle Question, goal setting, exception finding, scaling questions, etc.

SFT is generally considered a safe and beneficial form of therapy. However, like all therapeutic approaches, it may not suit everyone. Some individuals may find the focus on the future and solutions challenging, especially if they are dealing with deep-seated or traumatic issues from the past.

Yes, many SFT exercises can be effectively adapted for virtual use. Online platforms like Carepatron provide an excellent environment for conducting virtual therapy sessions, including applying SFT techniques.

Related Guides

Join 10,000+ teams using carepatron to be more productive.

The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare

• Contact the CEBC
• Sign up for The CEBC Connection
• Topic Areas
• Rating Scales
• Implementation-Specific Tools & Resources
• Implementation Guide
• Implementation Examples

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

About this program.

Target Population: Parents who have had their children removed from their custody and into foster care by Child Welfare Services (CWS), have been referred by CWS for substance use and mental health treatment, and have a case plan goal of family reunification

For parents/caregivers of children ages: 0 – 17

Program Overview

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a therapy model that asserts the importance of building on the resources and motivation of clients because they know their problems best and are capable of generating solutions to solve their own problems. Central to SFBT is client strengths and resiliencies, client's prior ability to develop solutions, and exceptions to problems. Discussion of exceptions and movement towards future adaptive behaviors allows the clinician and client to focus on solutions to the client's problem, rather than dwelling on the problem itself. The emphasis of SFBT is on the process of developing an image of a realistic solution rather than dwelling on the past manifestation of the problem, with the focus being on identifying past successes and exceptions to the problem in an effort to accomplish set goals.

Program Goals

The goals of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) are:

• Decrease substance use and substance abuse related problems
• Decrease trauma-related problems

Logic Model

The program representative did not provide information about a Logic Model for Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) .

Essential Components

The essential components of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) include:

• Focus on solution-building rather than problem-solving
• Focus on client's desired future rather than past problem
• Focus on increasing current useful behavior
• Focus on exceptions to the problems which can be used to construct solutions
• Focus on co-constructing alternatives to current undesired behaviors
• Focus on small changes which can lead to larger changes
• Assumes that solution behaviors already exist in clients
• Assumes solutions are not directly related to any identified problem by the client or therapist
• Focus on conversation skills that invite building solutions rather than diagnosis and treating client problems

Program Delivery

Parent/caregiver services.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) directly provides services to parents/caregivers and addresses the following:

• Substance use problems including alcohol/drug use, medical status problems due to substance use, employment/self-support problems due to substance use, family/social relationship problems due to substance use, psychiatric status problems due to substance use, and legal status problems due to substance use; and trauma-related symptoms including anxiety, depression, dissociation, sexual abuse trauma, sexual problems, and sleep disturbances

Recommended Intensity:

Typically, 45- to 60-minute weekly counseling sessions, but it can vary

Recommended Duration:

Typically 5-8 sessions or about 3 months, but it can vary

Delivery Settings

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Outpatient Clinic
• Community-based Agency / Organization / Provider

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) includes a homework component:

Homework is identified in the counseling session and is individualized. It usually involves small, concrete tasks the client can do help move towards their identified goals.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) has materials available in languages other than English :

Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Spanish, Swedish

For information on which materials are available in these languages, please check on the program's website or contact the program representative ( contact information is listed at the bottom of this page).

Resources Needed to Run Program

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

SFBT clinicians, individual therapy rooms

Manuals and Training

Prerequisite/minimum provider qualifications.

Minimum Bachelor's degree and Master's Degree preferred

Manual Information

There is a manual that describes how to deliver this program.

Program Manual(s)

SFBTA. (2013). Solution-Focused Therapy treatment manual for working with individuals (2nd ed.). Available from www.sfbta.org .

Training Information

There is training available for this program.

Training Contact:

• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Association www.sfbta.org

Training Type/Location:

Onsite or participants can attend various training workshops at the training centers. There are a number of other trainers around the US, Canada, and Europe that provide SFBT trainings.

Number of days/hours:

Varies but recommend a minimum of 2 full days of SFBT training as well as follow up clinical supervision, if possible

Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research

Kim, J. S., Brook, J., & Akin, B. A. (2018). Solution-Focused Brief Therapy with substance-using individuals: A randomized controlled trial study. Research on Social Work Practice, 28 (4), 452–462. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731516650517

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial Number of Participants: 64

Population:

• Age — Mean=31.3 years
• Race/Ethnicity — 56.3% White, 14.1% African American, 9.4% American Indians/Alaskan Native, 1.6% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and 8.8% Mixed Race
• Gender — 43.8% Male
• Status — Participants were individuals from substance use and mental health clinics who had their children removed by the child welfare agencies.

Location/Institution: Oklahoma

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations) This study examined the effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) intervention on substance abuse and trauma-related problems. Participants were randomized into either the SFBT or control condition. Measures utilized include the Addiction Severity Index-Self-Report (ASI-SR),  the Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 (TSC-40) , and the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM) . Results indicated pretest and posttest scores on the substance use and related problems showed slight improvements for both the SFBT and control groups based on the ASI-SR in all subscales, except for the family/relationship status subscale for control group which showed an increase in mean score and small effect size in the opposite desired direction. Trauma-related problems, as measured by the TSC-40 , showed that both the SFBT and control group clients improved in the desired direction. Limitations include small sample size, lack of random assignment of clinicians to see which ones are selected to receive the SFBT training, and clients in both study groups were also receiving multiple sources of support from various community providers and, therefore, it is difficult to fully account for those possibly additional contributions to the clients' substance use and trauma-related problems.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: None.

Kim, J. S., Brook, J., & Akin, B. A. (2021). Randomized controlled trial study of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy for substance use disorder affected parents involved in the child welfare system. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 12 (3) , 545–568. https://doi.org/10.1086/715892

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial Number of Participants: 179

• Age — Parents: Mean=31.1 years; Children: Not specified
• Race/Ethnicity — Parent: 12.6% American Indian/Alaskan Native, 12.0% African American, 1.1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 61.1% White, and 13.1% mixed race; 5.2% reported Hispanic ethnicity; Children: Not specified
• Gender — Parents: 22% Male; Children: Not specified
• Status — Participants were child welfare involved parents.

Location/Institution: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations) This study used the same sample as Kim et al. (2018, 2019). The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) on child well-being and family functioning outcomes for child welfare involved parents. Participants were randomized into either the SFBT or treatment as usual (TAU) control condition. Measures utilized include the Addiction Severity Index-SR (ASI-SR) and the Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 (TSC-40) . Results indicated both groups decreased on most of the ASI-SR and on all the TSC-40 measures indicating improvements. Between-group effect sizes for two ASI-SR subscales favored the control group while they favored SFBT for the TSC-40 subscale measures, though none were statistically significant except for the TSC-40 subscale depression. Limitations include generalizability due to sample that was specific to child welfare involved families of children in foster care due to substance abuse, reliance on self-reported measures, and comparing SFBT with a control group that received some evidence-based interventions.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: 1 year.

The following studies were not included in rating SFBT on the Scientific Rating Scale...

Knekt, P., Lindfors, O., Harkanen, T., Valikoski, M, Virtala, E., Laaksonen, M. A., Marttunen, M., Kaipainen, M., & Renlund, C. (2008). Randomized trial on the effectiveness of long- and short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and Solution-Focused Therapy on psychiatric symptoms during a 3-year follow-up. Psychological Medicine, 38 (5), 689–703. https://doi.org/10.1017/S003329170700164X

This study examined the effectiveness of the Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) [now called Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) ] intervention on treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. Participants were randomized into either SFT or short- and long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. Measures utilized include the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) , the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) , the Symptom Check List Anxiety Scale (SCL-90-Anx) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) . Results indicated significant reduction of symptoms was noted for BDI , HAMD , SCL-90-Anx , and HAMA during the 3-year follow-up. Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy was more effective than long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy during the first year, showing lower scores for the four outcome measures. During the second year of follow-up, no significant differences were found between the short-term and long-term therapies; and after 3 years of follow-up, long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy was more effective with lower scores for the outcome variables. No statistically significant differences were found in the effectiveness of the short-term therapies. Limitations include lack of nontreatment control group and possible therapist effects due to nonuse of treatment manuals. Note: Since this study did not look at direct outcomes specified in the Substance Abuse Treatment (Adult) topic area definition, this study was not used in the rating/review process.

Kim, J. S., Akin, B. A., & Brook, J. (2019). Solution-Focused Brief Therapy to improve child well-being and family functioning outcomes with substance using parents in the child welfare system. Developmental Child Welfare, 1 (2), 124–142. https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219829479

This study examined the effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) on child well-being and family functioning outcomes for child welfare involved parents. Participants were randomized into either the SFBT or treatment as usual (TAU) control condition. Measures utilized include the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function- Parent Report (BRIEF-PR) , Child Behavior Checklist-School Age Form (CBCL-SA) , Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Short Form (CES-D SF) , and Adult- Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI-2) . Results indicated SFBT to be an effective intervention for helping families improve child well-being and family functioning. While there were no statistical differences between SFBT and control group, both groups improved from pretest to posttest on the overall outcome measures and on many of the subscales. The biggest improvements for both the SFBT and the control group were shown in family functioning around depression and parenting behaviors. Results on child well-being measures showed improvements for both groups on the BRIEF-PR measure. Results on family functioning outcomes also showed improvements for both groups on parenting and child rearing attitudes. Limitations include generalizability due to sample was specific to child welfare involved families of children in foster care due to substance abuse, reliance on self-reported measures, and length of follow-up. Note: Since this study did not look at direct outcomes specified in the Substance Abuse Treatment (Adult) topic area definition, this study was not used in the rating/review process.

Additional References

Kim, J. S., Smock, S., Trepper, T. S., McCollum, E.E., & Franklin, C. (2010). Is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy evidence-based? Families in Society, 91 (3), 300–306. https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.4009

Kim, J. S., & Franklin, C. (2015). Understanding emotional change in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Facilitating positive emotions. Best Practices in Mental Health, 11 (1), 25–41. https://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/follmer/bpmh/2015/00000011/00000001/art00005

Kim, J., Jordan, S. S., Franklin, C., & Froerer, A. (2019). Is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy evidence-cased? An update 10 years later. Families in Society , 100 (2), 127–1 38. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044389419841688

Contact Information

Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed by CEBC: April 2020

Date Program Content Last Reviewed by Program Staff: April 2021

Date Program Originally Loaded onto CEBC: February 2017

Glossary | Sitemap | Limitations & Disclosures

The CEBC is funded by the California Department of Social Services’ (CDSS’) Office of Child Abuse Prevention and is one of their targeted efforts to improve the lives of children and families served within child welfare system.

© copyright 2006-2024 The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare www.cebc4cw.org

About the Institute

The Institute For Solution-Focused Therapy is a world premier solution-focused training institute. Our mission is to provide evidence-based, high-quality, and sustainable Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and associated practices to individual practitioners and staff within behavioral health organizations. We strive to make a positive difference by providing practical skills in a readily accessible online format that can be immediately applied with the clients you serve.

What is Solution-Focused Therapy?

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a short-term goal-focused evidence-based therapeutic approach, which incorporates positive psychology principles and practices, and which helps clients change by constructing solutions rather than focusing on problems. In the most basic sense, SFBT is a hope friendly, positive emotion eliciting, future-oriented vehicle for formulating, motivating, achieving, and sustaining desired behavioral change.

What Does the Research Say About Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is an evidence-based approach to psychotherapy. Empirically-derived rather than theoretically-based both in construct and practice, the SFBT approach is a goal-directed collaborative approach to psychotherapeutic change primarily conducted through direct clinical observation of clients’ responses to a series of carefully constructed questions.

New Featured Courses

Our new and upcoming course offerings include live-synchronous, self-paced, and staff training options. Our transdisciplinary training approaches serve to address a wide range of professional disciplines and are eligible for continuing education credit. Our goal is to provide practical, sustainable, high-quality, and evidenced-based courses that adapt to the complex training needs of individuals and organizations.

View Courses >

Online Staff Training

We offer customized online behavioral health staff training and consultation in evidence-based Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and Practices for organizations.

We offer a variety of online hybrid behavioral health training options that combine a live interactive experience with a self-paced learning component maximizing training effectiveness. Our programs are designed to provide practical skills that can be immediately implemented within your organization.

Online Self-Paced Courses

The Institute for Solution Focused Therapy is pleased to offer state-of-the-art training in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and related practices.

Our courses are designed for practicing professionals in the mental health, social services, education, and health care disciplines. We plan to offer an ever-expanding array of courses that will meet the training and continuing education needs of practitioners in these disciplines.

To receive the latest news, free resources, and information about online courses.

Solution Focused Therapy

Many are stubborn in the pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in the pursuit of the goal - Nietzche

Solution Focused Therapy (SFT) is sometimes linked to general Brief Therapy, Problem-Focused Therapy, and Possibility Therapy…. All share some common points of focus:

• Traditional therapy goes wrong by focusing on the cause of problems, the details of how they play out, the ways these events deviate from "normal" or the way couples are "supposed" to work, and having couples passively accept the expert therapists' explanations of "what is wrong" with them. Doing this gets clients stuck in a passive and helpless role, locked into a problem narrative they rehearse over and over again
• A better approach moves client focus off of what's wrong and onto what's right, stresses the resources and skills clients have, and helps them take the role of expert (which they hold anyway) and take responsibility from there for setting their own goals and reaching them. It's not about what's missing and causes woe , but what's present and can lead to happiness
• Solution building is the goal, and as you change the language that shapes how you think about the problem , you change the language that shapes how you think about the solution
• There is no theory behind this, and you need not fully understand the problem to fix it. The solution may not even look like it will fit or resolve the problem, and that's fine - a small enough change will nudge the system in a different direction and that may be all that's needed
• Therapists maintain a future focus, with language like "when this is fixed…" "notice when this problem doesn't happen this week…" "write down what your partner does to fix the problem this week…"
• Rather than summing up what the therapist thinks the clients is saying, the therapist asks questions to focus and direct the client's thinking and view

Basic Theory

de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg developed this approach based on Milton Erickson and MRI models, and by watching what seemed to happen to families and couples right before they reported having had some break-through moment. This is key, as many studies of what works in therapy have been based on therapists views. When studies are done comparing therapist and client views of what happened in session and what was helpful… well, they disagree.

Metcalfe and Thomas (1994) did a study asking some SFT therapists and patients the same questions. Here's what they found:

What's the role of the therapist?

Why did you seek therapy, why did you end therapy, what helped the most.

So, sometimes SFT and client's agree, sometimes not, but as to what worked… they agreed fairly well there.

Whereas MRI focuses on what you are doing wrong (more of the same) and how to change that, SFT focuses on exceptions to the problem, thinking that a change in behavior will naturally develop then. It's sort of insight-oriented, but not in traditional ways, since it is future focused, and doesn't get too deep into one member's "pathology," but rather focuses on what the system can do to adapt to it, and let's the couple decide if that "pathology" is a problem or not…

Sessions last about an hour, include a short break, and are loosely scheduled, meaning couples may have 1 or more sessions, with the average being 3-4 sessions. What you do depends on the couple members' status when they come in. The theory itself has been applied to variety of settings, from therapy with individual experts, to school prevention programs with parent-school-teen teams as the experts, to substance abuse treatment with abusers and sponsors. It's been used with psychiatric populations (Bozeman, 1999), couples (Lambert, 1998, and Zimmerman et al, 1997), elderly (Dahl, 2001), youth offenders (Seagram, 1997), school-aged children (Corcoran, 2000), and children with LD (Franklin et al, 2001), all with success.

Research has been generally supportive in the 30 or so studies done on SFT. Effectiveness rates range from 65% (MacDonald, 1994, and Lee, 1997) to 82% (Beyebach, 2000) improvement in treatment groups with short follow-ups. Recidivism in a prison population dropped 23% in one study (Lindfross, 1997), and youth studies show the same for re-arrest and run-aways. Some medium effect sizes have been found, and one or two have been above 1.00. However, most studies haven't reported effect sizes at all, and many suffer from significant design flaws such as

• failure to collect pre-test scores
• treatment and control therapists who knew the purpose of the study and their groups
• poorly defined treatment models (textbook SFT or "real world" SFT)
• failure to randomly assign or match subjects
• over-reliance on self-report methods for gauging positive outcomes
• no comparison group of other treatment types

Further, there have been no dismantling studies, or studies on therapist variables or client variables to maximize effectiveness. A few studies (Littrell et al, 1995, and Sundman, 1997) showed no difference between SFT and control groups, but most show some benefit from SFT.

Couple Member Status

Couples who seek SFT are classified as one of three types:

• Visitor - " I don't need any help since I'm not the problem." Confronting them on their lack of responsibility is easy, but not very helpful. They need compliments for coming in and to get them to come back and be more active
• Complainant - " We need help and are suffering but, someone else is responsible for fixing it ." They need compliments to come back, and homework to focus their attention on things they control that impact the other's behavior, especially before "good" interactions
• Customer - "We need help. We are both part of the problem, and we are both here to fix it but don't know what to do." Compliment them for coming, then give homework to shift their attention away from problems and on to exceptions and strengths

Steps in Therapy

Pre-session.

• Skeleton Key Question - "Between now and when we meet, I would like you to pick one thing in your relationship you definitely want to keep happening"
• Some clients report that this actually helped them the most, and therapy built on this exercise. I know… It sounds a bit like Oprah's Gratitude Journals, but there's some research to support it
• I think this borrows from Minuchin a lot, as joining is becoming a part of the system for a short time, learning their language, and accommodating the therapist's views to the client world
• The point is to create an environment where you can host a productive conversation. Question the couple - "What brings you here today?" "How can I be helpful to you?" "What have you noticed since you made the call to come in?" "What needs to happen today so that when you leave you'll think 'This was a good session!'"?
• If they've been in couples therapy before, ask things like - "What did the last therapist miss that I should know about?" "What are the mistakes the last therapist made?" "On the way in, what were you most worried I would do? What would 'screw things up worse'?" "Where would the perfect therapist start with a couple like you two? What would they do?"
• Suppose one night, while you are asleep, a miracle happened and fixed this problem. Only you are asleep, so you don't know it happened. What would be different? How would you know a miracle happened?
• You can get very concrete here, with what they would notice first, and then what would happen, and then what would happen, and then… You can ask, "If I videotaped you after the miracle, and showed the tape to people who knew you, what would they immediately notice was different from usual? What would they notice next?" Flesh out their answer with details… Create a "good story" which is inspiring to the listener and teller. The key with this question, and others, is not to "find out the truth" (which you are really going to help them create later on), but rather to refocus their attention on the elements they need to construct a new and positive story of how their life is going
• Another point for success is that questions are designed to help them get to a new spot, not for you to dig for something (affairs, drinking, parenting problems…) You really do want to avoid the "Why?" and "If…?" questions, which typically provoke blaming and problem discussion, and focus on questions like "How…?" and "When…?" that elicit future, solution focus.
• "Tyrone is worthless with the checkbook" becomes "Tyrone has to double-check the checkbook"
• "Sue can't control her temper" becomes "Sue is looking for ways to express anger productively"
• "Eddie withdraws during fights and drives Jeannie crazy" becomes "Eddie becomes introspective during heated conversations, and Jeannie would like to respond to him supportively more often"
• Therapists report the Miracle Question helps them the most (Skidmore, 1993) in refocusing from traditional ways of thinking to the SFT way
• Sometimes clients answer with, "I don't know." There's a couple of ways to respond - "How would your life be better if you did know?" Or with five seconds of silence, as if you see the "I don't know" as filler. Or "It's a hard question, and I wouldn't think you would immediately know the answer, but think about it for a moment." "Take a guess; I won't hold you to it." Or "What would your best friend say if they were here?"
• This is the point where the therapist refocuses the couple's attention off of the problem story to the details
• "When was the last time this was not a problem?" or "Tell me about a time when you avoided this?" (not "Was there a time when…?" or "Has there ever been a time when…?") followed up with questions like "What was that like?", "Wow! How did you do that?", and "What were you doing differently?"
• "How have you kept this from getting to be a bigger problem?" followed up with "Good idea, but I'm curious how you knew that would help?" and "How did you decide to do that ?" "What did you notice about the times when this problem could have developed , but didn't ?" (not "Are there any times when this problem … ?")
• "What have you noticed is better when this problem doesn't develop?" followed by "What needs to occur first before that can happen again?" and "What would your partner say you could do to encourage them more along these lines?"
• Scaling allows clients to take a stand on where they are about things, and communicate possibly negative things in a positive method. It can be a way you shift them from problem-talking to solution-talking. Ask clients to rate on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being horrible and 10 being perfect. Ask how committed/motivated they are to fixing this problem, how confident/hopeful they are that this problem can be fixed, and how much progress they have made.
• You then ask clients what will move them one or two points at most, and get more concrete from there. You can compare them, with focus on one being more hopeful/motivated, rather than one being less so.
• "What should we be working on that we aren't?" "What do we need to be working on for you to feel the situation will improve?" "It seems like we might be on the wrong track. How do we get back on the right track?"
• Clients report this helps them the most (de Shazer, 1991).
• Keep treatment goals small, concrete, and objective if possible. "What specifically would show you progress on this goal?" "How will you know if things are better?"
• respect, nurture, honor, appreciate…..
• empower, facilitate, collaborate, expand….
• forward, create, possibility, grow
• Make sure they involve what the individual will do, not just what the other person is expected to do. "What would progress look like to you? To your partner? To your friends/kids/extended family?" "Once you partner has made some changes, what will they notice that's different about you to let them know they are on-track?" "How will your partner know things are better? What should s/he be looking for?"
• Word them with the client's goals and language, making them salient to the clients, and if there are competing goals, you can still work on both or ask for them to find somewhere they both agree on to start with, or if one goal can be worked on first and then you'll come back to the other one. Focus not on eliminating or ending something, but on instituting or beginning something new.
• These questions focus on the future explicitly and stir a little observing ego. "What does this say about you as a couple?" "How will doing this make you happier?" "What will be better for you after this progress becomes common for you?"
• "What do you see down the road for yourselves after this is resolved?" "How will you let your partner know you see things getting better and are happier?" "How will your partner let you they see things getting better and they are happier?" "How does your partner know you love them?"
• This allows time for the therapist to consult with the team or supervisor. Send clients out (5 minutes) to reflect on the session, what's been helpful, or what's been missed
• if it ain't broke, don't fix it
• if you know it works, do it again
• if it doesn't work, do something different

There is usually one suggestion given at the end of the first session, called the Formula First Session Task . de Shazer reports that up to 90% of clients report things are better at their second session. Gottman might offer that this is a short-lived improvement, and many clients experience such improvement simply by coming to therapy, voicing their problems, and having someone normalize them… but these improvements do not last. However, SFT therapists would offer that such early gains are not obtained through SFT, and do not last because they are "less of the same" instead of "more of something different." The refocusing of the couple is a significant intervention, not a short-term pause in their complaining.

• "First of all, it makes sense for you to be feeling the way you've been feeling. You've been through a lot, including….. No wonder you've been stressed and depressed…"
• "You said you've been arguing about whether or not the two of you can support one of you going back to school. That makes sense, since changing careers is such a big decision, one that alters your future income, work schedule, and retirement plans… this is a big decision point in your lives."
• "We're/I'm most impressed by the fact that…"
• This is a good time to be checking on their comments and body language to make sure they agree with your reframe before moving to the bridging statement
• "You are basically a xxxx person, and we like xxxx people, and we want to find a way to use the xxxxiness in a way that will be helpful"
• "You are a couple who divide up everything, a couple that is very good at splitting up difficult or unpleasant tasks into smaller portions. You make sure each has a share that they are not only willing to do, but also are likely have some skill to do well."
• "Notice when you are thinking you could make a change in things…" "Notice when you're partner is a little nicer than they have been and what went better for you as a result…" "I think I understand things better now, and I agree that this is complicated. So, I'm hoping you will come back next week so we can take a more focused look at how to fix this."
• "This week pay attention to all the times you could have argued, but were able not to, and write down one thing about each time that helped you not argue." "When this could have happened but didn't, watch for things you think your partner did that were especially helpful." "When you find yourself in this spot again, do something different. Anything different could work. What are some things you can come up with now that might be different?"
• "Pay attention this week to the signs that tell you that this problem can be solved." "Pick a day and, without telling your partner, act 'as if' the miracle happened. Do exactly what you would do if everything was going wonderfully."
• for customers , offer ways to find their own strengths and monitor their own progress, like, "Pay attention to the things that help you keep on track, head off problems productively, and feel like progress is being made." "Since you can't decide which approach to take to this problem, and I don't know which one will work the best either, we should do an experiment. Each day flip a quarter, heads it's Solution A, tails it's Solution B, and just for that day , try the Solution picked and put in your absolute best effort. Take notes about how well it worked, paying attention to what went especially well, and then bring your notes in next time and we'll figure out which Solution works best."
• Use a "So the next step/task/objective/goal is for…" (rather than a "So the problem/mistake/conflict/weakness is…") statement that fits their goals, followed by how hopeful you are that they can do that. For hesitant clients, suggest they do it for a week and then you can review it to see if they like the progress they are making, or if they have a better idea that this might help them generate… it's not a permanent solution, but rather something different to try …
• behavioral - what will you do ?
• cognitive - how do you have choice ? how are you not a victim to this problem?
• experiential - how will it look, feel, and be different when you know you are doing it?
• systemic - how can this be used in resolving other problems?
• Cognitive - role plays to practice re-focused attention, skills building around communication (specific complaints, action statements, smaller goals…), schema exploration (to find the meaning of some behavior for a client), daily logs documenting what went right, or predicting whether tomorrow will be a good or bad day, and then reviewing that prediction
• Bowenian - solution focused genograms - what did you learn from family, what strengths are passed down, keep it calm to avoid a conflict-focus in the session
• Rogerian - empathy and reflection, genuineness, humor and kindness
• Gottman - NSO and PSO conceptualizations, Fondness and Admiration, Rituals of Connection, Dreams within Conflict
• Strategic - prescribe continuing the problem and doing things differently, go slow prescriptions, "as if" days

Return Sessions

• Sometimes the therapist will share stories, sometimes self-disclosing ones, that are designed to highlight the couple needs and efforts
• At some point the therapist has to ask, "What would need to happen so you did not need to come back anymore?" or "How will you know when you are ready to 'go it on your own' without coming to therapy?"

Does this really work?

If this bothers you a bit because it seems to ignore negative emotions… you are not alone. Miller et al (2000) respond to this criticism and explain their view of emotions in SFT. They quote Harre (1986): "There has been a tendency among philosophers and psychologists to abstract an entity--call it 'anger', 'love', 'grief', 'anxiety'--and to try to study it. But there are angry people, upsetting scenes, sentimental episodes, grieving families and funerals, anxious parents pacing at midnight, and so on. There is a concrete world of contexts and activities. We reify and abstract from that concreteness at our peril."

They basically argue language is a game that allows us, through words, silences, gestures… to "create" and communicate about second order constructs (the label "sadness" or "happiness") which represent first order constructs or the actual internal emotions we feel. However, signs we interpret as indications of these second order constructs (e.g., tears indicating "sadness") can indicate other emotions or mixes of emotions (e.g., sadness, or anger and anxiety at the same time). So… when we say "I yell because I'm angry" is it true that yelling results from anger? Does anger lead to other responses? Does yelling result from other emotions? In other words, does language reflect "objective truth" or first order constructs that these second order constructs supposedly represent? Or does language reflect something that is "true enough for our purposes"?

This is like Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) in a way. When a client says, "I couldn't survive that!" we say, "Couldn't you? It might be hard, or stressful, and challenging, but would it really kill you?" If we changed the way we spoke, could we change the "true enough" reality? In SFT, we aren't aiming to remove the underlying experience, just find a solution to the problems that sometimes do (and sometimes don't) result. Emotions are the engine, cognitions the steering wheel, and language paves a new road. By offering different ways to talk about experiences and problems, we are trying to offer couples an alternative set of beliefs about themselves. These might offer other options for to how to feel, react, and cope that they may not have been able to realize using the "true enough" reality as their starting point.

One difference between SFT and Possibility Therapy (as proposed by O'Hanlon) is that Possibility Therapy combines a Rogerian approach to dealing with emotions with the SFT approach. The idea is that sometimes people need to have their problems spoken, the emotional pressure behind their misery voiced and validated, before they can move on to dealing with it. However, another response to critics of SFT is that follow-up studies with clients of SFT indicate the clients felt understood and validated… so SFT therapists might be doing some humanistic type stuff, just not articulating it as important or recognizing it as a key element of change.

• Campbell, J., Elder, J., Gallagher, D. Simon, J., & Taylor, A (1999). Crafting the 'tap on the shoulder': A compliment template for solution focused therapy. American Journal of Family Therapy, 27(1), 35 - 47.
• Gingerich, W. J. & Eisengart, S, (2000). Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: A Review of the Outcome Research. Family Process, 39(4), 477-498.
• Hoyt, M. F. Solution-focused couple therapy. In Alan S. Gurman and Neil S. Jacobson (eds), Clinical Handbook of Couple Therapy (3rd Edition) 2002. New York: Guildford Press.
• Lethem, J (2002). Brief Solution Focused Therapy. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 7(4), 189-192.
• Metcalf, L., & Thomas, F. (1994). Client and therapist perceptions of solution focused brief therapy: A qualitative analysis. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 5(4),49�66.
• Miller, G. & Shazer, S. (2000). Emotions in Solution-Focused Therapy: A Re-examination. Family Process, 39(1), 5-23.
• Zimmerman, T. S., Prest, L. A., & Wetzel, B. E. (1997). Solution-focused Couples Therapy Groups: An Empirical Study. Journal of Family Therapy, 19(2), 125-144.