
What is solution-focused therapy (SFT)?
Solution-Focused Therapy is currently used for most emotional and mental health problems that other forms of counseling are used to treat, such as: SFT is best used when a client is trying to reach a particular goal, or overcome a particular problem.
What are the goals of SFT therapy?
Its goals are not self-actualization, greater self-confidence, or personality change. The SFT therapist’s role is to get the person on track to a better life for themselves, and to leave them to continue on that track once the brief therapy is concluded.
What are the techniques used in SFT?
There are lots of techniques used in SFT 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:
What is SFBT and how can it help?
Individuals from different cultures, backgrounds, and age groups have all been shown to benefit from this type of therapy. SFBT can be used to treat a wide range of issues. It is most often used to address challenges for which the person in therapy already has some idea of possible solutions.

What type of therapy is SFT?
Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a strength-based approach to psychotherapy based on solution-building rather than problem-solving. Unlike other forms of psychotherapy that focus on present problems and past causes, SFBT concentrates on how your current circumstances and future hopes.
How long is brief Solution-Focused Therapy?
45 minutesOn average, solution-focused brief therapy takes about five sessions, each of which need be no more than 45 minutes long. It rarely extends beyond eight sessions and often only one session is sufficient.
What Does Solution-Focused Therapy treat?
Solution-Focused Therapy is currently used for most emotional and mental health problems that other forms of counseling are used to treat, such as: Depression. Anxiety. Self-esteem.
What are structural family therapy interventions?
Structural family therapy relies on a technique known as family mapping to uncover and understand patterns of behavior and family interactions. 3 During this process, the therapist creates a visual representation that identifies the family's problems and how those issues are maintained through family dynamics.
What is the difference between CBT and SFT?
Solution Focused Therapy vs. SFT differs from CBT in several ways. While SFT puts minimal time into describing the presenting problem and instead focuses upon possible solutions, CBT requires a clear, detailed description of the problem(s).
What is the main goal of solution focused therapy?
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).
What are the typical steps one would take in doing Solution-Focused Therapy?
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT Techniques)State your desire for something in your life to be different.Envision a miracle happening, and your life IS different.Make sure the miracle is important to you.Keep the miracle small.Define the change with language that is positive, specific, and behavioral.More items...•
Who would benefit from Solution-Focused Therapy?
SFBT may be helpful for children and teens with depression, anxiety and self-esteem issues. Some research shows SFBT has also helped kids improve their classroom behavior. “Solution-focused brief therapy actively works toward solutions. It helps patients identify what they do well.”
Does Solution-Focused Therapy help with anxiety?
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is an effective treatment approach for youth managing anxiety.
What is an example of structural family therapy?
For example, if after observing the family's interactions, a structural family therapist will develop a hypothesis that the mother and her teenage son are enmeshed and the father is disengaged, the interventions will be aimed at modifying the family structure by helping the couple get emotionally closer to each other; ...
What is the primary treatment goal of structural family therapy?
Structural family therapy seeks, in the short term, to alleviate the problems or symptoms that have prompted the referral or request for help. However, the overall goal of this family therapy is to help the family develop patterns of interaction that will promote healthier, happier family function for the future.
How long should structural family therapy last?
3 monthsUnlike more psychotherapies, this approach focuses on the present instead of the past, allowing families to avoid blame and communicate constructively to solve problems. Any family can benefit from it and can expect treatment to last for at least 3 months.
What is SFT therapy?
An SFT therapist essentially becomes a part of the family during a session, as they are required to move in and out of the family's interactions and dynamics to create a safe space in which to vent, speak, and open up.
Why is structural family therapy important?
They may seek to establish healthier routines within family structures in order to create a dynamic, loving, stable home life for everyone. Structural Family Therapy is often recommended for families who have gone through trauma, blended families, single-parent families, and families at risk.
Why do single parent families break down in therapy?
Single-parent families and other at-risk populations are also frequently engaged in Structural Family Therapy, as boundaries are often skewed, and communication very often breaks down in these types of settings, usually due to stress and resentment.
Is online therapy safe?
A study published earlier this year showed that most participants in a supervised family therapy session felt as safe and contained as they did in regular in-person therapy.
Can online therapy be used for mental health?
The study revealed that online therapy can grant access to mental health care to those who have limited resources in their immediate area. As mentioned above, online therapy can be a great first step for many people to engage in productive evaluation of their mental health care.
Can a therapist see the entire family?
The therapist may initially see the entire family, then request some weeks with only a few family members to focus on smaller, more specific issues. Other family members might be asked to come back; therapy might simply move between a larger-scale family unit and a smaller family unit.
What is structural family therapy?
Structural family therapy (SFT) is a type of family therapy that looks at the structure of a family unit and improves the interactions between family members. 1 This approach to therapy was originally developed by Salvador Minuchin and has become one of the dominant forms of family intervention. 2. It suggests that dysfunctional family ...
How does conflict therapy help families?
Some of the ways it may help include: Corrects imbalances within a family. Establishes healthy boundaries. Helps individuals improve their reactions to changing demands. Improves communication.
What is cognitive reframing?
Reframing: In cognitive reframing, the therapist helps family members think about situations in different ways or see things from a different perspective. This can help people see experiences more positively. How Cognitive Reframing Works.
Is structural family therapy effective?
Structural family therapy has been shown to be effective at helping to address problems within families. Studies have also demonstrated the efficacy of this type of therapy. A 2019 study looking at the impact of family therapy on adolescents with mental health problems and their families found that therapy incorporating SFT offered several benefits.
What Is Strategic Family Therapy?
Strategic family therapy (SFT) is a short-term family therapy treatment that is often used for families with children or adolescents who are dealing with behavioral issues.
Types of Strategic Family Therapy
Brief strategic family therapy (BSFT) is a short-term model that typically consists of 12 to 17 weekly sessions, depending on the severity of the presenting problem. A typical session lasts 60 to 90 minutes. 2
Techniques of Strategic Family Therapy
SFT is tailored to each family's unique situation and structure. Listed below are some of the techniques that a strategic family therapist may utilize as they work with families.
Benefits of Strategic Family Therapy
Strategic family therapy can benefit families in a number of different ways. Some of the key benefits of this type of therapy are that it:
Effectiveness
Evidence suggests that strategic family therapy can be effective in treating teens who are experiencing substance use, mental health conditions, and other difficulties.
Things to Consider
While strategic family therapy can be beneficial and effective, it is important to recognize that there may also be some challenges. While strategic family therapy can be helpful in many cases, it is not always the right choice for every problem or issue.
How to Get Started
The brief form of strategic family therapy is typically short-term, lasting a period of approximately 12 weeks. However, it may also last longer depending on a family's needs and the problems that are being treated.
What is SFT therapy?
Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) is a form of psychotherapy or counseling. It is also referred to as Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. 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.
How long does SFT therapy last?
SFT 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 to be more cost effective in comparison to longer term therapy that lasts for months or years (Maljanen, et al. 2012).
What is solution focused therapy?
Solution focused therapy is a future-oriented, goal-directed approach to solving human problems of living. The focus is on the client’s health rather than the problem, on strengths rather than weaknesses or deficits, and on skills, resources and coping abilities that would help in reaching future goals. Clients describe what they wanted ...
When is solution based therapy best used?
Solution-Focused Therapy is currently used for most emotional and mental health problems that other forms of counseling are used to treat, such as: SFT is best used when a client is trying to reach a particular goal , or overcome a particular problem.
How long is a SFT session?
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 SFT to shift the client's awareness onto focusing on the future and on a solution.
Is a syringe good for schizophrenia?
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 on the person's strengths and internal resources.
What is SFBT therapy?
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, ...
How does SFBT work?
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).
What is the SFBT model?
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;
What is the solution focused approach of SFBT?
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).
What is coping question in SFBT?
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.”.
What is the goal of SFBT?
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).
What is solution focused brief therapy?
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).
What is SFBT therapy?
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a short-term goal-focused evidence-based therapeutic approach, which incorporates positive psychology principles and practices, and which helps clients change by constructing solutions rather than focusing on problems. In the most basic sense, SFBT is a hope friendly, positive emotion eliciting, ...
What is a solution focused brief therapy?
Solution-focused brief therapy is an evidenced-based psychotherapy approach. There have been close to 150 randomized clinical control studies with different control populations in different clinical settings in multiple countries, almost all showing positive benefit of SFBT. There have also been eight meta-analyses on a range of outcome studies with an overall effect size ranging from small to large, for child, adolescent, and adult populations, for presenting problems such as depression, stress, anxiety, behavioral problems, parenting, and psychosocial and interpersonal problems (Kim et al, 2010; 2019). Click Here for more about the research in SFBT.
What is SFBT in psychology?
In the most basic sense, SFBT is a hope friendly, positive emotion eliciting, future-oriented vehicle for formulating, motivating, achieving, and sustaining desired behavioral change. Solution-Focused practitioners develop solutions by first generating a detailed description of how the client’s life will be different when ...
What is a homework experiment in SF?
Once SF therapists and their clients have identified some previous solutions and exceptions to the problem, the therapists gently invite the clients to do more of what has previously worked, or to try changes they have brought up which they would like to try – frequently called an “experiment” or a “homework experiment.”
What are the questions asked by SF therapists?
The questions asked by SF therapists are usually focused on the present or on the future. This reflects the basic belief that problems are best solved by focusing on what is already working, and how a client would like their life to be, rather than focusing on the past and the origin of problems. For example, they may ask, “What will you be doing in the next week that would indicate to you that you are continuing to make progress?”
What is a solution-focused miracle question?
The Solution-Focused Miracle Question is oftentimes used as a vehicle for clients identifying the unique details of the first small behavioral steps that gradually lead towards a viable solution in the context of their everyday life. Here is an example of the Miracle Question:
What is SFBT therapy?
Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) places focus on a person's present and future circumstances and goals rather than past experiences. In this goal-oriented therapy, the symptoms or issues bringing a person to therapy are typically not targeted. Instead, a qualified therapist encourages those in treatment to develop a vision ...
Why is SFBT so effective?
Because this modality focuses on solutions to issues, rather than the reasons behind them, it may be more effective at treating some concerns than others. Research has shown SFBT may be a helpful intervention for youth who are experiencing behavioral concerns or academic/school-related concerns.
What is solution focused brief therapy?
Training in solution-focused brief therapy helps applicants learn core principles, master relevant therapeutic skills, and demonstrate competency in the practice of SFBT. At the end of training, each applicant must successful pass an IASTI-approved exam to earn certification.
Where are solution focused therapists trained?
Currently, therapists in the United States, Canada, South America, Asia, and Europe are trained in the approach. The principles of solution-focused therapy have been applied to a wide variety of environments including schools, places of employment, and other settings where people are eager to reach personal goals and improve interpersonal ...
What is the level of a solution focused practitioner?
Level 1: Solution-focused practitioner. Level 2: Advanced solution-focused practitioner. Level 3: Master solution-focused practitioner. To be eligible for consideration, all applicants must be able to practice solution-focused therapy in a professional setting.
What is SFBT used for?
It is used to treat people of all ages and a variety of issues, including child behavioral problems, family dysfunction, domestic or child abuse, addiction, and relationship problems.
What is the goal of SFBT?
Goal-setting is at the foundation of SFBT; one of the first steps is to identify and clarify your goals. The therapist will begin by questioning what you hope to get out of working with the therapist and how, specifically, your life would change when steps were taken to resolve problems.
Who developed SFBT?
SFBT was developed by Milwaukee psychotherapists Steve De Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg in the late 1970s, early 1980s out of an interest in paying more attention to what people want and what works best for the individual, in contrast to more traditional psychotherapies that presume to know what works for different types of problems.
Why do we do clinical trials?
Clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment.
How does chemo work?
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body ( systemic chemotherapy ).
Do clinical trials include patients who have not received treatment?
Some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment . Other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better. There are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring (coming back) or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment.

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 therapiesdo. Thus, instead o...
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: 1. Depression 2. Anxiety 3. Self-esteem 4. Personal stress and work-related stress 5. Substance abuse/ addiction 6. Relationship problems SFBT is best used when a client is trying to reach a particular goal, or overcome a particular pro…
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 awarene…
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 to be more cost effective in comparison to longer term therapy tha...
- 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 motivation …
- 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 to be more cost effective in comparison to longer term therapy tha...
- 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 motivation to notice their st...
- 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 gives the client the optimism needed to mov...
- It is non-judgmental and compassionate in its approach, the client choses their own goals no…