solution focused problem solving examples

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.

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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.

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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.

asking questions solution-focused therapy

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.

solution focused problem solving examples

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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

one thing different solution-focused therapy

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.

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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. https://doi.org/10.1192/apt.8.2.149
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

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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

Hi Nicole! I am Teri Harmon Malinowski, studying for a Masters of Clinical Psychology and would like to reference Ms. Ackerman’s article. May I ask you to forward correct citation?

You can reference this article in APA 7th as follows: Ackerman, C.E. (2017, September 28). What is Solution-Focused Therapy: 3 Essential Techniques. PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/solution-focused-therapy/

Hope this helps!

Warm regards, Julia | 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.

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solution focused approach to coaching, therapy, and interventions

Ayisha Amatullah

December 23, 2023

Solution-Focused Approach: Coaching, Therapy, Interventions

The standard approach to problem-solving insists there is a cause and effect between problems and solutions. However, the Solutions-Focused approach skips over the continuous delving and search for what causes problems and goes straight for the solution. It focuses on solutions, not problems, strengths, not weaknesses, and on what’s going well rather than what’s gone wrong.

With this in mind, let’s delve into the practical execution of the Solution-Focused approach, exploring the specific questions, interventions, and techniques that can facilitate positive change.

In This Post

1 What is the Solution-Focused?
2 What is Solution-Focused Therapy?
3 What is Solution-Focused Coaching?
4 What is the Solution-Focused Approach?
5 Key Concepts of the Solution-Focused Approach
6 Solution-Focused Questions and Interventions
7 Solution-Focused Questions Using the OSKAR Coaching Model
8 Solution-Focused Example Coaching Session

What is the Solution-Focused?

Solution-focused is a present and future-forward approach to helping individuals reach a goal or solve a problem without focusing on the problem.

What is Solution-Focused Therapy?

Solution-focused therapy is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on finding solutions in the present and exploring hope for the future. It aims to achieve quicker resolution of problems. This therapy style assumes that the client knows what to do to improve their own life. With appropriate questioning, they are capable of finding the best solutions.

What is Solution-Focused Coaching?

Solution-focused coaching, on the other hand, is a forward-looking, goal-oriented approach to personal or professional development. It utilizes similar principles to solution-focused therapy. However, the key difference is that it is used in non-clinical contexts like life or business coaching.

What is the Solution-Focused Approach?

Solution-focused is a proven and practical approach to positive change within people, relationships, and organizations. It goes against the standard method of solving problems by focusing solely on the solution.

Problems are often looked at as challenges. And when we think of challenges, we often believe that they are challenging to overcome. The solution-focused points out the solutions, skills, strengths, and resources in people, which motivates them to accomplish their goals.

Solution-focused is an evidence-based approach that stems from solution-focused therapy. Solution-focused therapy was founded in the late 1970s by sociologists Steve de Shazerv and Insoo Kim Berg in collaboration with their colleagues at the Milwaukee Brief Family Therapy Center.

Solution-Focused Coaching

Solution-focused then moved on to be used as a coaching tool in organizations for workplace problems and to deal with executives, teams, and people.

In recent years, it has been used in life coaching. Ayisha Amatullah, the founder of Universal Coach Institute, was one of the first to use and teach solution-focused life coaching and developed a solution-focused life coaching model.

Solution-focused focuses on the following:

The solution, not the problem – focusing on the problem does not lead to a solution; focusing on the solution leads to a solution. Albert Einstein said, ‘No problem can be solved by the same consciousness that created it.
Strengths, not weaknesses – reaching a goal or resolving a problem is easier when you work with what you are already good at instead of going backward and trying to enhance what you are not good at.
What’s going right, not what’s going wrong – Identify what’s going right and do more of it. Focusing on what’s going wrong can be stressful and make the situation look like there is no solution in sight. However, identifying what’s going right gives the individual hope that everything is not all bad.

The more the positives are discussed, the easier the situation appears and the more motivated the individual will be to move forward.

When should you use the solution-focused approach in coaching?

Solution-focused can be used in many types of situations. However, the best times to use the solution-focused approach in coaching are when an individual:

needs to find a solution to a problem
needs an immediate solution
family or couples conflict
workplace challenges
goal setting

Benefits of using the solution-focused approach in coaching

Individuals will feel empowered because the conversation will be about everything they can do.
It cuts the complaining – From the start of the conversation, the coach asks the individual questions that move them forward.
It builds self-esteem – In solution-focused, the coach focuses on all the positives and what the individual already has going for them to help solve the problem. This builds self-esteem and confidence to solve the problem.
It creates awareness in individuals – Using the future perfect technique makes the individual aware of what they truly want, and the scaling makes them aware of how much of the future perfect they already have going for themselves.
It gives the client hope from the very beginning. Since we don’t focus on the problem, it gives the client hope from the start.

Key Concepts of the Solution-Focused Approach

Important concepts the coach and individual should live by when arriving at solutions include:

Don’t fix what isn’t broken – if the individual is already doing something that works or something that helps move them toward the solution, it’s best to just leave it alone and not make any changes to it that could potentially break it.
Find what works and do more of it – In addition to not making changes, they should do more of it to increase the chances of results.
Stop doing what doesn’t work and do something else – If the individual discovers that their actions do not work, stop. Do not focus efforts on problems, weaknesses, or things that do not produce a result.

Solution-Focused Questions and Interventions

In the solution-focused approach to coaching, questions are asked to shift the client’s attention away from the stressful problem towards the solution. Instead of asking questions that emphasize the problems, difficulties, and causes, the coach asks questions that explore the individual’s goals, exceptions that have led to success in the past, questions about times when the problem was less severe, the ideal outcome, and questions about existing resources.

Problem-Focused Question:

Can you tell me about the problem?

Solution-Focused Questions :

What do you want to change?

Counter Finding

In the solution-focused conversation, the coach or the helper looks for anything that counts, called “counters.” Counters are the resources that are already present and are likely helpful in helping individuals find solutions.

Counters include:

Examples of the solution happening already – Sometimes, the solution is right in front of our face, and we don’t even realize it.
Evidence of parts of the solution happening.
Strengths, skills, and resources that will help to create the solution
Cooperation from others involved

The goal is to collect as many counters as possible to help search for what works.

Examples of Counter Finding Questions:

Past Success Questions

Have you had a problem similar to this before? How did you handle that problem?

Coping Questions

With all that has been happening in your life lately, I’m wondering how you are managing to cope with all this?
How did you keep it from getting worse?
What have you found that helps manage this situation?
What keeps you going under these difficult circumstances?

Reframing Questions

When we want to solve a problem, we often indulge in problem-talk. We complain and talk badly about the problem. In solution-focused, we use reframing questions to get the individual to look at the situation differently and engage them in problem-free talk

What was it like before the problem existed?
What is the positive in this experience?
What else could this situation mean?
What did you learn from this?
What other ways could you look at this?

Future Perfect

The “future perfect” is a technique used to help the individual describe how they would like the situation to be. On the surface, it may appear that the goal of the “future perfect” is to create hope through visualization. However, the future perfect technique has a deeper purpose. A trained professional will listen to the individual’s “future perfect” and be able to find counters, exceptions, possible solutions, and even a possible action plan.

The most popular solution-focused future perfect intervention is the Miracle Question . The Miracle Question is a method of questioning used to aid an individual in envisioning how the future will be different when the problem is no longer present.

Miracle Question

“Suppose tonight you go to bed and go to sleep as usual. And during the night, a miracle happens. And the problem vanishes. And the issues that concern you are resolved, but you’re still asleep. Therefore, you don’t know that the miracle has happened. When you wake up tomorrow, what will be the first things that will tell you that the miracle has happened? How will you know that the transformation has occurred?”

Recommended Reading: The Miracle Question with Examples, Worksheets, Exercises, & Demo Video

Scaling invites an individual to measure and track their progress and experience. Scaling in Solution-Focused is used to identify what the client already has working for them in reference to the future perfect.

What have you done so far to get to that number?
What would it take to get to the next number on the scale?
What would it take to get a 10?

Exception Questions

When an individual has a problem, that problem is not present all the time. Most problems are only happening occasionally. There are times when the problem is not happening at all or is happening to a lesser degree. Helping an individual to notice these times can help reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed by the problem and help identify things they or others are already doing to solve the problem.

The goal is for the client to repeat what has worked in the past and help them gain confidence in making improvements for the future.

Example Exception Questions:

Was there a time when this problem was not a problem or when it presented itself with less severity? What was it like at that time? What were you doing at that time?
When does the future perfect happen? Even a little bit? What do you suppose you did to make that happen?
Can you think of any other times in the past or in recent weeks that you didn’t have the problem? What would you say you are doing differently during those times?
What resources, strengths, and skills did you use during those times?

Affirming is about providing positive feedback on what the coach or helping professional heard. The professional will reflect and repeat back the counters, possible solutions, exceptions, strengths, and attributes the individual has revealed during the session to help the individual decide where to start to move toward the solution.

Check out Solution-Focused Techniques for Therapy and Coaching

Solution-Focused Questions Using the OSKAR Coaching Model

OSKAR is a well-known solution-focused coaching model . It was created by Mark McKergow and Paul Z. Jackson and published in their book: The Solutions Focus: Making Coaching and Change SIMPLE .

[Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, I receive a commission if you purchase this book on Amazon once you click the link]

OSKAR stands for Outcome, Scaling, Know-How, Affirm, and Review.

What is the objective of this coaching?
What do you want to achieve today?
What do you want to achieve in the long term?
How will you know this coaching has been of use to you?
On a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 representing the worst it has ever been and 10 the preferred future, where would you put the situation today?
On a scale of 1 – 10, where 1 represents x and 10 represents y, where are you in relation to this goal.
You are at n now; what did you do to get this far?
How would you know you had got to n+1?

Know-How & Resources

What helps you perform at n on the scale rather than 0?
When does the outcome already happen for you – even a little bit?
What did you do to make that happen? How did you do that?
What skills/knowledge/attributes do you currently have that will help you?
When have you done this/something similar before?
What would others say is working for you?
What did you do differently?

Affirm & Action

What’s already going well?
What’s particularly impressive so far – about the strengths and resources employed?
What is the next small step?
What would you like to do personally, straight away?
You are at n now; what would it take to get you to n+1?

Review: What’s better?

What did you do that made the change happen?
What effects have the changes had?
What do you think will change next?
What is better?

Solution-Focused Example Coaching Session

If you want to learn how to use the miracle question in coaching, check out the Life and Solution-Focused Coach Training program .

101 Solution-Focused Questions for Therapy and Coaching

The Miracle Question w/ Examples, Worksheets, Demo Video & Exercises

14 Solution-Focused Techniques for Therapy and Coaching

20 Coaching Models that Get Results

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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).

a woman sat on a sofa grasping her hands together

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.

Denver Center for Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

What is Solution-Focused Therapy? The Ultimate Guide to Solution Focused Therapy -->

What is Solution-Focused Therapy or SFBT? If I were to give a brief explanation to a mental health colleague, I would say this:

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, also referred to as Solution-Focused Therapy, is an evidence-based type of talk therapy or psychotherapy that focuses on what clients want to achieve through therapy rather than analyzing the problems that brought them into treatment. While SFBT respects each person’s past and what brought the person to this point, it places the focus on what the person wants to be different. It focuses on what people want to achieve rather than on the problem(s) with which they are struggling. Solution-Focused practitioners using this therapeutic approach help their clients to construct a clear vision of a preferred future for themselves. In working toward this future, the problem(s) and past become more manageable and most often resolve, thus effecting a sustainable, desired change in behavior.

There is no "official" definition of Solution Focused Therapy. Doing a simple internet search will yield a wide variety of definitions and explanations. I have noticed many online definitions include unrelated concepts from similar-sounding models interwoven into these definitions. (Some of these include: Positive Psychology, Strengths-Based, Goal Oriented, and Solution-Oriented, just to name a few.) I have also noticed a large gap in explanations between the academic setting and practical application. These unrelated concepts and gap cause a drift from the model or dilute the model as I originally learned it directly from Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg. A diluted version will result in “getting stuck” or mistakenly concluding that the model is ineffective with some clients.

I am Teri Pichot. I have been using this model with clients and training individuals and agencies in SFBT for over 35 years. I am going to explain this powerful model from my perspective. I will present the model separated from these unrelated and often confusing concepts. Utilizing this model in its purest form delivers the best results. The real proof is seen when one no longer gets stuck while working with more challenging client issues.

I will explain this approach to therapy or way of thinking as Steve and Insoo personally taught it to me.

I will give you insights into how this model actually works
I will further explain this gap in explanations mentioned above
I will clear up myths and unrelated concepts

At the bottom of this page, I have listed several resources and references for you to learn more. I also offer many in-person and online Solution-Focused Training Courses, if you want to learn the model with the least amount of drift to achieve maximum success with even the most difficult clients. Links to those courses are listed further down the page.

In reality Solution-Focused Therapy is MUCH, MUCH more than this definition above.

A more accurate way of thinking and describing this approach is to move away from thinking of it as just a behavioral therapy or psychotherapy used by therapists during a therapy session.

Instead, think of it as a way of interacting with and thinking about people, which focuses on who the person is and what the person ultimately wants. This is not the same as goals: Problem-focused models think about this in the narrower concept of goals. Solution Focused refers to this as the Preferred Future or vision

Because of this, I usually refer to SFBT more broadly as Solution-Focused Practice (i.e., a mindset or a way of being with people).

This means that Solution-Focused Practice is not only effective for therapists, but it's also effective in a plethora of other settings as well, including school counseling, pastoral counseling, education, business, child welfare, health and medicine, and even your occupation if I haven’t listed it here.

Because this is a model that is non-pathology based, curiosity-focused, and respectful, we can even effectively use it on ourselves and those around us to effect positive changes and progress.

However, for the purposes of this article, I will continue referring to this as Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

Let’s take a deeper look at how SFBT works.

How Does Solution Focused Therapy Work?

Solution-Focused Therapy, in its simplest terms is inviting a client to shift attention from analyzing a particular problem to exploring a desired vision of the future-- thus finding his/her preferred solutions.

There is a universal truth that says, whatever we focus on gets bigger. For example, if we focus our view on the snowflakes when driving in a snowstorm, we become disoriented and risk going off the road. Conversely, when we focus our attention onto the road in the very same snowstorm, we can safely get to our destination.

Thus, the client is asked what this desired future looks like in as much detail as possible, and most importantly, what the client will be doing in this future place to create and maintain that preferred future.

Some therapists mistakenly think this is about creating an “ideal” future or using “magical thinking.” That is not what we are doing. We are inviting the client to explore what they would like within the scope of reality. This may include inviting the client to think about how they might be responding to important people in their life who may not change. This helps clients to sort out what is within their control or influence vs. things beyond their control. This empowers the client to see themselves as successful despite elements that may be unchangeable. Lastly, it also invites them to challenge previously perceived limitations.

We are not analyzing current problems, past problems, or potential roadblocks.

Going back to the example, if we want to understand why it’s snowing, it’s wise to research this after safely reaching our destination.

3 Major Principles of Solution-Focused Therapy

If it's not broken, don't fix it
If something is working, do more of it
If it's not working, do something different

5 Additional Principles

Small steps can lead to large changes
The solution is not necessarily directly related to the problem
The language requirements for solution development are different than those needed to describe a problem
No problem happens all the time. There are always exceptions that can be utilized
The future is both created and negotiable

Expanding on a couple of the Concepts Above

What We Focus on Gets Bigger- I mentioned this at the beginning of this section. That’s how powerful this concept is: This “solution” or “preferred future” the client constructs does not even have to be directly related to the concerns or problem.

No Problem Happens All the Time- There are always times, even though they may be very brief, when the problem is absent or just a little better.

In SFBT, these are called “Exceptions.” The Solution-Focused therapist believes that these moments hold valuable clues, and using exception questions, invites the client to examine what was different on these occasions.

By exploring and being curious about these small successes, the client becomes more aware that these exceptions even exist. The client can then determine which of these past successes to pull forward to the future and if modifications might be necessary to ensure the action is useful and the change is lasting.

Which is the Correct Term, Solution-Focused Therapy or Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)?

There are other terms used to refer to Solution-Focused Therapy. The official title of this model is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy . The most common reference is Solution-Focused Therapy (where the word “Brief” has been dropped). Another is Brief Therapy , which is a much broader term, since Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a specific type of Brief Therapy.

Familiar acronyms for the above terms are SFBT , SFT, and BT respectively. I will explain what “Brief” means and why it gets dropped a little later

One last term, Solution-Focused (as in the Solution-Focused approach or Solution-Focused model) is also used to refer to a way of working, although it’s more generic and broader in scope.

Watch Now! Teri unfolds the power of Solution-Focused thinking with a playful analogy: House Cleaning.

Teri Pichot illustrates the difference between Solution-Focused therapy and Problem-Focused using a playful analogy: House cleaning.

What is “Brief” in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?

Many people mistakenly think it is about number of sessions. There is a myth out there that this model is superficial and focused on just fixing an immediate problem in order to get the client in-and-out of therapy quickly. That is not true at all.

The word, “Brief,” actually means, “Not one more session than is clinically necessary.” It is all about being purposeful in our work and not assuming in advance.

In reality, we never really know how much time we have with the client. Nor can we effectively predict how long a client needs to be in therapy. Many clients in psychotherapy drop out of treatment without ever letting the professional know they aren’t planning to come back. In Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, we act as though every session could be the last.

This influences what we deem to be important in our interaction with our clients. We are much more focused on what matters to the client and what the client is telling us would be helpful.

We are less likely to take the direction of the conversation away from the client to our own agenda as well as less likely to let the client lose focus on what matters to them and their purpose in coming.

We don’t put things off to future sessions that may not materialize.

At the end of each session, we explore if there is more work to be done and if the client thinks that another session is needed. It is not assumed. By working in such a purposeful way, we become more efficient. The research shows that fewer sessions are ultimately needed when one works in this way.

While there are some dialects of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy that strive to be as brief as possible, including dropping out key elements of the original structure and measuring success by only needing one or two sessions, that was never the intent of Steve and Insoo.

Quality, connection, and lasting change for the client always come first.

Why Does the Word “Brief” get Removed from the Title?

There are two main reasons that the official name of the model gets shorted to Solution-Focused Therapy. The first is simply for convenience. When writing about the model, it is a lot of words/letters, and once we have clearly established the formal name, shortening it is convenient.

Second, many therapists have a negative association with the word “brief.” Unfortunately, in some academic settings, the class on Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is not taught by someone with expertise and experience actually using this model in the toughest of situations. This can lead to professors mistakenly introducing the model as something to use when you don’t have the time or resources to address the client’s needs more effectively. It can be erroneously described as superficial.

In addition, in many mental health agency settings it has been misused to signify a connection with “time limited” or resource rationing. This can result in some mental health professionals avoiding using this model for fear that underlying client issues will not be appropriately addressed and the changes will be superficial. While these fears are not at all founded when this model is used correctly as designed, this association can be lessened by simply eliminating the word “brief.”

The Therapist Believes People (Clients) Have Good Reasons

In Solution-Focused Practice, the therapist assumes the best about an individual . . . particularly when that individual appears to be making poor choices. The therapist does his or her best to stay curious and suspend judgment. This is called the “not knowing stance.”

A therapist can’t be curious and think the answer is known at the same time. This is by far the most difficult aspect of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy for the therapist to learn.

Insoo Kim Berg once said, “Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is very simple, but it is the most difficult to learn. . . for it takes discipline to learn to stay this simple.” Ironically, as soon as we start to assume or think we know what is best for our client, we are no longer Solution-Focused.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a Systemic Model

Because SFBT is systemic, the therapist focuses on interactions between people rather than looking for pathology within people. This allows the therapist to use “Relationship Questions” to be curious about what other important people see in the client that is working, what these people will see different when the problem is resolved, etc. While systemic thinking is always important in this model, it is pivotal when working with clients who are externally motivated for services. This not only invites clients to develop empathy, but to explore change and potential change from an outside perspective.

Small Steps Lead to Big Change

In this model, we believe that small steps are important. We encourage clients to explore the tiniest of successes, believing that these are instrumental for change.

Isn’t this a Question-Based Approach?

One of the biggest and most harmful myths is that Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a question-based approach. Because of this, it is common for a therapist new to this approach to ask for a list of questions that they should ask. I understand where new learners are coming from. It would be very comforting to simply memorize a list of questions. Because of this, a common marketing tactic of some Solution-Focused Therapy trainers is to publish lists of Solution-Focused Questions in their resources. Unfortunately, these lists tend to make learning SFBT more difficult, and I strongly discourage therapists from using them.

True Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is not a question-based approach, but it is instead a connection-based approach. When we focus on what questions we should ask, we are focused on ourselves rather than the individual client. This results in a technique-like, impersonal interaction. Conversely, when we shift to seek to connect with the unique human in front of us, we are much more genuine, and conversational questions flow more naturally.

The key is to understand the purpose behind the types of questions rather than asking pre-made, generic questions. Steve de Shazer used to say that he had no idea what question he would ask until he heard the client’s response to the previous question. He also said that he never knew what question he had asked before he heard the answer.

Isn't the Therapist Finding Solutions by Looking for Strengths?

A Different way of Thinking about Solution-Focused Brief Therapy being a Strength-Based Model or that We are Looking for Resources

A very common way of describing Solution-Focused Brief Therapy by many mental health professionals and trainers is to describe the model as a strengths based model. While that is correct on an academic level (in academia, they sort models into one of two categories: deficit-based or strength-based), I don’t find that way of sorting helpful on a practical learning/application level.

Insoo once explained to me that as she was teaching the model to professionals (many of whom were Social Workers, who are classically trained in strengths based theory), people oftentimes immediately assumed that what she was doing was looking for strengths. She told me that she purposefully decided not to correct them. She said it wasn’t technically true, but leaving this myth unchallenged made it easier for problem-focused professionals to make the necessary paradigm shift away from problem solving.

However, there are some disadvantages of working as though we are looking for strengths. The use of the term strengths is a form of labeling that professionals oftentimes use that unintentionally puts distance between us and our clients.

Steve de Shazer once said during a conversation about the use of the word “strengths” and the concept of looking for “strengths”, “'Strength' is an interpretation and a generalization that accidentally hides details that might be usefully highlighted” (personal communication, January 7, 2004).

Steve further addressed this misperception by stating, “I am not looking for strengths.” He went on to explain that instead, “I am looking for what works.” These are very different things.

This distinction is very important, for I find that when learners think from an academic stance and thereby approach Solution-Focused Therapy as a strength-based model, this leads to professionals actively looking for strengths and resources during client sessions. This results in an agenda-based, overly positive, and Pollyannaish feel to the work. The work can then become very superficial and is more consistent with problem-solving, as the well-intended professional seeks to get the client to build on their strengths and resources rather than simply becoming curious about what they would be doing in the future when things are working.

By focusing on what is working as defined by the client and those who matter to them (as clearly stated in the original Solution-Focused Principles) we invite clients to set aside the idea of strengths and weaknesses and encourage them to simply explore what skills, behaviors, and ways of thinking they will be using when things are working in their life (Pichot & Dolan, 2003, p. 13).

Maybe they will have pulled forward some strengths. However I find that when clients are successful in treatment, they most often are not building upon their strengths, but instead have overcome their weaknesses.

Additionally, when professionals are in the mindset of looking for client resources, I find that they shift back into the expert-based stance of problem-solving. When working from the problem-focused stance, they start to believe that past resources might be helpful now or in the future. They then begin to make suggestions and assert their well-intentioned agenda of moving past exceptions and resources into the future to solve the presenting problem.

This reminds me of when my mother died, and I was helping my elderly father sort through his belongings to downsize his home. It was tempting to become excited about the possibility of what he could do with some of the items I discovered as we sorting through his closets . . . maybe he could start playing the saxophone again, etc.

Making such suggestions comes from a place of wanting to fix and solve the problem at hand. Instead, things went much smoother when I remembered my Solution-Focused mindset and just asked my father to tell me stories about the treasures I found. Instead of suggesting that he keep the items and use them in the future, I trusted that as he told the stories, he was internally determining which items to keep vs. discard. The items were his, and only he knew any potential value.

The same is true with clients. Our role is to become curious about past successes. When we do this from a genuinely curious stance, the client will automatically use this past knowledge to determine what will (or won’t) be helpful in the future. It's a subtle but powershift shift in thinking.

Solution-Focused Practice, or SFBT, can best be described on a practice level as an efficacy-based model.

Avoiding Jargon and Terms

One of the many things I really appreciated about Insoo, was her natural way of talking about what was happening in a client session. She was very easy to talk with, and her writings are easily understood.

It can be tempting to create terms and unique labels when teaching a model. Categorizing things can bring a kind of comfort to the therapist.

Steve de Shazer was known for saying, “Don’t think. Observe.” This concept of just being in the moment and not shifting to an analytical place is key in Solution-Focused Therapy, for once we have created a label for something, we tend to immediately return to this predefined term and no longer see the uniqueness of the person or interaction that is in front of us.

For example, when working with a client, we tend to no longer see the uniqueness of the person once we have used a label (aka diagnosis) of “Borderline Personality Disorder.” The same is true of positive labels as well.

Because of this, I have tried hard to stick to most of the original names used by the founders for the questions and tools, without cluttering the model with additional, unnecessary terms.

General Example of a Therapy Session's Structure

Sessions consist of three general parts. They are:

What does the client want? (Future Tense)
What does the client already have? (Present and Past Tense)
What’s next? (Immediate Future Tense)

The analogy I often use is that of driving a car. Every trip has three parts: the starting up process, the driving process, and the parking process. No matter where one is driving, we always do all three parts in that order.

The same is true with having a Solution-Focused conversation.

We always start sessions by understanding what the client is hoping to be different (Goal Formation Questions).

We then move to what the client already has (Scales, Exceptions).

And lastly, after what the client already has has been reviewed, we move to what is next (Scaling, End-of-Session Message, Noticing Assignments).

By understanding these three parts, the therapist can easily have very natural conversations that guide the client through the process of change.

How to Learn Solution-Focused Therapy or SFBT

There are two parts of learning SFBT; The mindset (as discussed above) and the tools. Unfortunately, most often people are just taught the tools in many courses and therefore think it is the tools that are central to the model. While tools (such as scaling questions, exceptions, Miracle Questions, etc.) can be helpful, when used outside of the Solution-Focused mind-set the tools are just tools being used in a problem-solving way. When people are first learning this model, it is tempting to want to first learn the questions or tools. However, learning the mindset is the place to start.

All of our Solution-Focused Therapy Training Courses at Denver Center for SFBT, including the Solution-Focused Group Therapy Course teach this very important part: The mindset.

If you want to learn Solution-Focused Therapy, click here. You will be taken to a guide that I have put together to help you figure out where to begin your training or what to do next based on your experience with SFBT.

Solution-Focused Questions and Tools (AKA Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques)

Once the mind-set is learned, focusing on how to use the specific Solution-Focused tools, or Solution-Focused Therapy interventions, can be very helpful.

While these are kinds of questions, it is important to remember each must be personalized to the unique human being and to the client’s previous response. It takes practice and skill to learn to use these in a non-scripted way. Here’s a summary of some of the most common tools or therapy techniques.

Goal Formation Questions

There are four distinct Goal Formation Questions that have been developed over the years. The purpose of all of the Goal Formation Questions is to help the client to suspend their disbelief and to imagine life without the problem.

Goal Formation Questions form the first third of the client session. A therapist can use one or more of these categories of Goal Formation Questions to help the client think about how they want their lives to be different as a result of treatment.

The Solution-Focused Miracle Question

The Solution Focused Miracle Question was one of the first Goal Formation Questions developed and is the one out of all the techniques that is most commonly taught in graduate school. Here is the traditional wording for a miracle question:

“ Imagine that when you go to bed tonight, a miracle happens. The miracle is that the problem that brought you here is gone! However, since you were asleep, you are unaware that a miracle happened. What would be the first things that you notice that let you know that this miracle happened? ”

While the Solution-Focused miracle question appears so simple, most professionals don’t realize that there are actually five distinct parts within it. If a part is inadvertently left out, the question may not be helpful. Likewise, a skilled therapist must purposefully modify the question to match every client.

For example, it is important to understand that this miracle question is not asking the client to imagine an ideal or magical future. The miracle is clearly defined as “the problem that brought you here is gone.” This means that the therapist must first listen to the client to understand what change they are hoping to be different as a result of talking to the therapist. This is the change we are exploring through the Miracle Question. When this element is missed or misunderstood by the therapist, the question can become unrealistic and unhelpful when used by an unskilled therapist.

This is the one question in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy that cannot be asked naturally and will always sound like a technique. It takes great skill and practice to do it well. It is an incredibly powerful question, but it is often not the Goal Formation Question that is the best fit for many clients or situations.

The Fast Forward

This Goal Formation Question is one of the most natural and most versatile. It is simply moving the client in their imagination through time and yet still clearly defining what will be different.

For example, I might ask, “ Imagine it is six months from now and things were a little better. What would be different? ” It gives the message of hope while honoring that the desired change might take some time.

This question can be very helpful when what the client is struggling with is something that involves a time element (such as finding a job or housing, getting off probation, etc.). It can also be very helpful when helping a client through the grief process or through a traumatic event.

The Imagine

This question is another form of the Fast Forward. It goes like this:

“Imagine it is the end of our time together. What would we have talked about [or ‘what would be different’] that lets you know this has been a good use of our time? ”

This was one of Insoo’s favorite Goal Formation Questions at the end of her career.

It is a very natural question that simply invites the client to suppose whatever they fear didn’t happen. What might that look like? For example, if a client was talking about how their life will never get better, I might compassionately agree followed by this question. It might sound like this:

“ Maybe. . . and. . . suppose it did get better. What might that look like? ”

The timing and compassion are key when using this tool to ensure it doesn’t come across as flippant or dismissive.

Exception Questions

As previously mentioned, Exceptions are those times in which the problem is resolved or less severe. These are used during the second part of the session, since these invite the client to explore past or present actions that are working.

I find that it is most helpful to listen for or notice exceptions rather than to hunt for exceptions.

For example, rather than asking, “Have there ever been times in the past when you were able to do that? ” I encourage professionals to simply notice small exceptions that are present in the room. An example of this would be a client who states that they can’t get out of bed or make appointments due to their depression, yet they are in the office for an appointment.

I find it most helpful to validate their struggle and difficulty and then gently become curious about the small success. I might say, “Wow. That must be very difficult. I’m glad you are here. . . It makes me wonder. . . . How were you able to make it here today? ” This way of noticing exceptions and formulating exception questions vs. hunting for exceptions is much more compassionate and respectful of the client’s current struggle while still benefiting from exploring exceptions.

Coping Questions

When someone is in emotional pain, it is not time to move forward. Instead, we use Coping Questions. These questions invite the client to explore how they are keeping things from getting worse and how they are getting through each moment. These questions are ideal for those who have experienced trauma or grief as well as those in active crisis or who are experiencing mental health symptoms.

Another tool that is used in the second and third parts of the session is scales. Scaling questions are simply a way to have a conversation about more vs. less. They are a wonderful way to help clients determine where they are in relationship to their goals. Exploring why a client is at a given number and not lower on the scale is another way to identify exceptions (times when the problem is less severe). In the last third of the session, scales can be used to help the client to identify what would be happening when things are a little bit better. It is important to understand that Solution-Focused scales are not to be used to problem-solve next steps. Instead, they are used to help the client explore signs that change is occurring. For example, we don’t want to ask, “What would it take to be one step higher?” This is problem-solving. Instead, the Solution-Focused question would be, “What would be different that would let you know things were getting better?” This second question is simply inviting the client to begin to think about what “better” means. It is not trouble shooting for an action plan for change.

Initially scales were done using 1-10 (Steve preferred scales of 0-10). The top of the scale is always defined by what the client is striving for (the definition of the Goal Formation Question). The bottom of the scale is typically kept more vague . . . often with statements such as “the worse you can imagine.” It’s important to understand that these are very different from Likert scales, and that the numbers in-between are not defined. They are meant to be subjective and personalized to each person and cannot be pre-made or used for outcome measures.

Given that many problem-focused models (including the medical system) routinely use 1-10 scales, number-based scales have become more clinical and impersonal in nature. Because of this, I don’t recommend using numbers unless initiated by the client. Instead use more real life scales that are personalized to the client. For example, for a person who loves to hike mountains I might ask, “How far up the mountain are you?” For a teenager who loves video games, I would use wording from the video games. (i.e., “What level are you on?”). The more creative you can be to ensure the scale is personalized to the person you are working with, the greater the effectiveness of the tool.

Relationship Questions

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a systemic model. We use Relationship Questions to invite the client to think from other people’s perspective to explore what will be different when things are better.

We can use relationship questions in all three parts of a Solution-Focused session. These questions invite the clients to think beyond their own perspective and from the viewpoint of someone else. They can be useful for developing empathy, increasing motivation for change, as well as helping clients to explore areas otherwise not considered.

For example, when working with a client who is involved with Child Welfare who doesn’t see her alcohol use as problematic, I might ask, “What would your caseworker see that lets her know that your children are safe and no one is worried about them? ” An example of using Relationship Questions in the second third might be, “Where would your caseworker rate you on the scale? . . . Why would she say there and not lower? ”

End-of-Session Message

Traditionally, the therapist would close the session by giving the client compliments as well as a task. Part of this tradition came from the Eriksonian influence and the expert-based training that all therapists (including Insoo and Steve) receive. As with most professionals, there was a softening and shifting more toward connection with and empowerment of the client as the years went by. The message became less expert-based and more focused on inviting the client to shift their focus onto what the client had identified was working in their own life.

Solution-Focused compliments are many times confused by new learners to be an opportunity to do a behavioral reinforcement. That is not what a Solution-Focused compliment is about. Instead, I encourage people to think of the compliment as a genuine gift to the client. I listen for what the client has said that is important to them and/or what is working. I then express my genuine appreciation for them as a person and what they have discovered. There is no hidden professional agenda. . . just appreciation, and an open moment to connect with this amazing human being.

For the task, I encourage professionals to word this as a noticing task. I rarely if ever give an action task (these tend to trigger a physics reaction . . . for every action [telling someone to do something] there is an opposite and equal reaction [them telling me why it won’t work]). To create a noticing task, I listen carefully for what they already told me they plan to do. I then invite them to “notice what difference this makes” or “how they decide when and how to do it” once they leave my office.

Some Solution-Focused dialects prefer to delete out the end-of-session message. I don’t find that clients prefer this. Maybe this is a cultural thing here in the United States. People like to end well and walk away with closure. I use the example of giving a gift. I can give someone a gift without putting in the extra effort of the finishing touches of wrapping it. The gift is still valued. However, there is something special, personal, and therapeutic when one takes the time to present it well. It doesn’t change the gift at all. It just shows connection, care, and purposefulness.

About the Author

A significant part of my passion includes helping others to think differently and find hope when working with some of the most challenging clients. The secret in using Solution-Focused Therapy in these settings and with the most challenging client situations, is that we must learn to use it correctly and with purpose. The most difficult clients are much more likely to challenge or dismiss what a professional says. They are more sensitive and/or aware when a professional appears insincere, has an agenda, or is technique focused. While the client's challenge is uncomfortable to the professional, these are the clients that push us to become good at our craft.

I originally met Insoo Kim Berg and Steve de Shazer in 1994. I knew instantly that their way of compassionately working with clients was the right path for me. They were kind enough to include me on their professional path and to mentor me until their passing in 2007 and 2005, respectively. It was Insoo, who I turned to, who helped me learn how to use this amazing practice not only with clients, but as a supervisor and agency manager as well. It is her and Steve’s voices and their way of working with clients that I seek to share through my writing and teaching.

References / Resources

de Shazer, S. (January 7, 2004). Personal communication
Pichot, T. & Dolan, Y. (2003). Solution-focused brief therapy: Its effective use in agency settings. New York: Haworth
Berg, I. K. (1994). Family based services: A solution-focused approach. New York: Norton.
Berg, I. K. (1995). Solution-focused brief therapy with substance abusers. In A. Washton (Ed.), Psychotherapy and substance abuse: A practitioner’s handbook. (pp. 223-242). New York: Guilford.
Berg, I. K., & Kelly, S. (2000). Building solutions in child protection services. New York: Norton.
Berg, I. K., & Miller, S. D. (1992). Working with the problem drinker: A solution-focused approach. New York: Norton.
Berg, I. K., & Reuss, N. H. (1998). Solutions step by step: A substance abuse treatment manual. New York: Norton.
de Shazer, S. (1984). The death of resistance. Family Process , 23: 79-93.
de Shazer, S. (1985). Keys to solution in brief therapy. New York: Norton.
de Shazer, S. (1988). Clues: Investigating solutions in brief therapy. New York: Norton.
de Shazer, S. (1991). Putting difference to work. New York: Norton.
de Shazer, S. (1994). Words were originally magic. New York: Norton.
de Shazer, S, Dolan, Y, Korman, H, Trepper, T, McCollum, E & Berg, IK (2021). More than miracles: The state of the art of solution-focused brief therapy. New York: Haworth.
Korman, H, Beavin Bavelas, J, & DeJong, P (2013) Journal of Systemic Therapies , Vol. 32, No. 3, 2013, pp. 31–45 Microanalysis of formulations in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.
Korman, Harry; De Jong, Peter; and Jordan, Sara Smock (2020) “Steve de Shazer’s Theory Development,” Journal of Solution Focused Practices : Vol. 4 : Iss. 2 , Article 5. Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/journalsfp/vol4/iss2/5
Pichot, T (2012). Animal assisted brief therapy: A solution-focused approach 2nd ed. New York: Taylor and Francis.
Pichot, T & Dolan, Y (2003). Solution-focused brief therapy: Its effective use in agency settings. New York: Haworth.
Pichot, T, with Smock, SA (2009). Solution-focused substance abuse treatment. New York, NY: Routledge.

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Take-home Messages

What is Solution-Focused Therapy?

What is Solution-Focused Therapy used for?

Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques

1. The Miracle Question

2. Coping Questions

Examples of coping questions include:

3. Exceptions to the Problems

4. Compliments

Examples of scaling questions include:

Critical Evaluation

Disadvantages

Further Information

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How Does Solution Focused Therapy Work?

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5 Additional Principles

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Which is the Correct Term, Solution-Focused Therapy or Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)?

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Watch Now! Teri unfolds the power of Solution-Focused thinking with a playful analogy: House Cleaning.

What is “Brief” in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?

Why Does the Word “Brief” get Removed from the Title?

The Therapist Believes People (Clients) Have Good Reasons

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a Systemic Model

Small Steps Lead to Big Change

Isn’t this a Question-Based Approach?

Isn't the Therapist Finding Solutions by Looking for Strengths?

Avoiding Jargon and Terms

General Example of a Therapy Session's Structure

How to Learn Solution-Focused Therapy or SFBT

Solution-Focused Questions and Tools (AKA Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques)

Goal Formation Questions

The Solution-Focused Miracle Question

The Fast Forward

The Imagine

Exception Questions

Coping Questions

Relationship Questions

End-of-Session Message

About the Author

References / Resources

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