Solution Focused Brief Therapy

Focusing on our goals, and choosing a path where everything moves us closer to them, are the principles behind Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). There are times when going back and reminiscing can do more harm than good. Rather than doing good, recalling the cause of the problem can often cause more anxiety and stress because it perpetuates and even aggravates the problem. Solution focused brief therapy has been used as a method for solving psychological disorders since the 1980s, and it has been proven to help people improve their lives and social interactions.

Moving in a Positive Direction

The therapy works by letting the patient understand what he wants to achieve through therapy and how he can accomplish those goals using his strengths. The patient’s daily activities and resources are also taken into consideration. Now the big question commonly asked by the therapist is, “what are the things that you are doing or have done in the past which brought a positive result into your life?” The therapy thus proceeds from such a perspective.

A lot of things can be realized through this method. In most cases, patients begin to understand and see things from a different viewpoint, wherein they could begin to appreciate the good things in their life which they failed to recognize before. The therapy is likewise a reinforcement of the positive traits which the client possesses and utilizing them to propel the client towards greater well-being.

“When a problem comes along, study it until you are completely knowledgeable. Then find that weak spot, break the problem apart, and the rest will be easy.” – Norman Vincent Peale, American Author

Benefits Derived From SFBT

Some of the benefits derived from SFBT are as follows:

• Self-empowering—SFBT focuses more on the patient’s strengths than normal therapies. By allowing the client to use his own way of solving issues, the client becomes more receptive and readily accepts the treatment process without undue restraint or hesitation. It makes him feel more comfortable and relaxed throughout the course of the therapy.
• Requires fewer sessions—because the therapy relies heavily on the client’s abilities and strengths, the number of necessary therapy sessions is lessened and the interaction between the therapist and client does not need to be as frequent. Oftentimes one to three sessions are sufficient. On the other hand, there are extreme cases wherein more therapy sessions are required. In such a case other approaches are to be considered and further studies are required for the therapist and the patient.
• The client is the expert—in this therapy, the client knows what is best for him, which is why the therapist needs only to guide and point out the client’s strengths. The therapists ask the client questions whose answers invoke confidence and a sense of self-esteem. This encourages the client to move forward and provide the solutions on his own.
• Multiple vantage points—because every client has their own sets of strengths every case can be tackled in a variety of ways. Depending on the client’s capabilities and strengths the solution can always be changed and adapted to the current situation so that it would be more effective.

The recovery in such a process can be very swift and continues as the process depends on the strengths of the client. Most of the elements involved in the therapy are already present in the client’s life; thus, he can build a solution based on them. Because they are already there, it will be easier for the client to incorporate the necessary changes to improve his condition. Focusing on his goals and knowing the actions that take him closer to his goal makes the healing process a lot easier.

“Stop talking about your problems and start thinking about solutions.” —Unknown