Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Fast-Tracking Change with a Focus on Solutions

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a collaborative, goal-directed approach to therapy that emphasizes finding solutions to clients' problems rather than focusing extensively on the problems themselves. This method arose in the 1980s, developed by Steve de Shazer, Insoo Kim Berg, and their colleagues at the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee. The therapy stands apart from traditional problem-focused therapies by its strength-based philosophy, its reliance on the client’s own resources, and its focus on the future rather than the past. It offers a clear, practical approach that fosters rapid change and is often used in a brief therapy setting, making it highly efficient for clients seeking to improve their situations in a short amount of time.

At its core, SFBT is built on the belief that clients are the experts in their own lives, and they possess the strengths and resources necessary to create solutions to their problems. Unlike many other therapeutic models that seek to explore the origins of problems in depth, SFBT works by identifying small, manageable changes that can have a positive impact. The therapist's role is not to diagnose or dissect the problem but to collaborate with the client to identify solutions and reinforce their capacity for change.

The key principles of SFBT include focusing on what clients want to achieve, rather than what they want to avoid. The therapy emphasizes a solution-oriented approach, helping clients envision a future where their concerns have been resolved. Through techniques such as the Miracle Question, scaling questions, and exploring past exceptions, therapists guide clients in identifying possibilities, strengths, and actions that can lead to change. SFBT assumes that every individual, no matter how difficult the situation, has experienced moments or instances where the problem was less intense or absent. These moments serve as entry points for identifying solutions that can be expanded upon.

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Release date

Audiobook: 22 January 2025