Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

The client is an expert about himself or herself. Furthermore, it is of critical importance that the

One of the central assumptions of SFBT is that the client will choose the goals for therapy and that the client themselves have resources which they will use in making changes (Macdonald, 2011). The therapeutic conversation aims at restoring hope and self-esteem, while reducing anxiety to a point where people become able to think more widely and creatively about solutions. SFBT holds that high anxiety can restrict cognition and attention to the surrounding environment and that, by reducing anxiety, it would allow for wider thinking about possible approaches to problems, as well as mobilizing their existing strengths and resources to address their desired goals (Rafter et al, 2012).

 Solution focused therapy is a model of therapy developed by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg in the late 1970's (Dolan, n.d.). This model has become well known for its non-traditional approach to client problems as it does not explore clients issues in relation to their cause and affect but rather the goals and solutions to achieving a future free of any present issues. i will be discussing the evident concepts, principles and intervention techniques of this particular model. it will be explored in the context of a case scenario of a therapy session to observe how the model can be actively applied to therapy sessions and why this is the best model to meet the client's needs. The effectiveness of the model

Brief therapy helps people by focusing on solutions, instead of problems. The therapist asks questions thereby facilitates the client by helping formulates solutions. The client leads the meeting by actively formulating ideas in which he/she can serve to improve the client's negative circumstances. This is contrary to cognitive therapy, which focuses on a client's cognitive processes (how he or she thinks about people/places/things). The therapist collaborates with the client to help the client develop alternative solutions.

The solution-focused theory (SFBT) is not actually theory based, but was pragmatically developed (De Shazer, & Dolan, 2012). ). The reason why the social worker chose this approach during the interview was largely due to the fact that the patient doesn’t have an exact reason for her mild depression or drug abuse problem. The SFBT approach focuses on how a solution may not necessarily directly be related to the problem (De Shazer, & Dolan, 2012). SFBT focuses almost exclusively on the present and the future, the client is an optimistic person who does not believe that her problems are stemming from her past making this approach favorable to the social worker and the patient.

Annotated Bibliography  Byebach, M., Morejon, A. R., Palenzuela, D. L., & Rodriguez-Arias, J. L. (1996). Research  on the process of solution-focused brief therapy. Handbook of solution-focused  brief therapy. 299-334.  

In this paper, I will discuss the case study of “Ana”. Ana is 24 years old, has lost her job, and worries about becoming homeless. She currently is a single parent due to her husband being deployed in a combat zone overseas for the next eight months. Ana is a first generation immigrant from Guatemala; she comes from a large family. She claims to have a close relationship with her family but has not seen her family for about a year. Her father is a banker and her mother an educator, her three siblings all has graduated college and have professional careers. Ana has completed one year of college, but needed to leave school after her son was born, finding it difficult to manage being a parent, student and a full-time employee as well. While showing signs of being depressed and anxious, she has agreed to eight sessions for treatment. Using this background information in this paper will cover the use of Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) for the treatment of Ana.

This term paper is about solution-focused therapy and experiential therapy. In solution-focused therapy, the therapy does not emphasize the problem at all; it stresses and highlights the solution. The client is the expert and not the therapist. The experiential approach is often used to facilitate meaningful changes in individuals. SFBT is a short-term goal focused therapeutic approach which directs clients to focus on developing solutions, rather than on dwelling on problems. The theoretical framework, how change occurs, therapeutic techniques, postmodern perspective, the role of the therapist and some clinical examples are given in this term paper.

Solution-focused helping focuses on creating solutions rather than on the current problem. The sessions are typical brief and client driven and lead, According to Egan (2010), the helper focuses on common sense and caution against letting theory get in the way of helping the client. In most cases, the helper-as-expert is replaced with the client-as-expert mindset. The helper becomes a consultant, guide, or facilitator by assisting the client to identify and apply existing resources to the temporary and changeable specific problem. In this therapy, it is believed that client has the resources and strengths to resolve complaints. There are four steps for Solution-Focused: First, what does the client want and try to secure that sense of happiness. Second, do not look for pathology. Third, always encourage the client to try something different. Fourth, keep the sessions brief. One criticisms of the approach is that it’s not realistic. People are used to dealing with problems, so this approach might be disorienting to some clients, Egan (2010). It is said that change comes from dealing with problems not ignoring them.

This essay is going to highlight the similarly and differences of the models and their main focus, and how the two models Gerald Egan The Skilled Helper and Steve De-Shazer Solution Focused Therapy will help the clients choose goals that best fit their environment and resources. The aim of using these models is to help people.

In the 1980’s Insoo Berg and Steve de Shazer developed steps into the practice of solution focused therapy in Milwaukee, USA. Solution focused therapy is a practice framework for social workers and other therapists. Solution focused therapy is a framework that primarily focuses on solution development. Other Frameworks lead therapy to focus on the past history of the problem that the client brings to therapy, and ending their sessions with a solution to the problem, or when the problem in no longer an issue for them.

As a solution focused brief therapist (SFBT), one needs to understand that the outcome of therapy is partially up to the client’s thoughts and understanding of therapy. Since this portion of therapy success is substantial, one needs to make sure that the client feels comfortable in therapy. Creating a safe environment for the client will help the client feel comfortable to talk about what has brought him or her into therapy. This safe environment will also include the inform consent forms stating what is said in therapy will remain confidential, and the therapists legal obligation to protect children from harm.

As solution-focused practice is one of the main influencing theoretical perspectives used by my organisation, I have done some research into this theory and found aspects that I like and dislike within it. I read up on solution focused therapy in Howe’s ‘A Brief Introduction to Social Work Theory’ (2009). Solution-focused therapy is generally a brief form of therapy where the aim is generally for problems to be fixed within around 5 sessions. Howe (2009) recommends small positive, specific, concrete and attainable, changes to help the client believe that change is possible. O’Hanlon & Weiner-Davis, 1989, as cited in Howe, 2009, p.90-91) suggest the following as key principles underlying solution-focused therapy: • Clients have resources and

In view of limitations of cognitive behavioral therapy, the therapist can use Solution Focus Brief Therapy with their clients which is not a collection of techniques but rather view a philosophy life approach. (Theory and Practice of counseling and Psychotherapy, 2013). It is a way of thinking about how people change and achieve their goals and constructing solutions with clients interactively with main focus of problem solving and solution building. The therapist assists the client to visualize a more satisfying future without their addictive problem, creating awareness of personal strengths and resources. The main strength here is the therapist focus of viewing the clients as the expert instead of problem and the therapist usage of questioning

Understanding that solution-focused therapists operate under the assumption that clients already have the necessary skills to solve their problems, it is our job as therapists to help them regain insight into their problems. Therefore, it is understandable why solution-focused therapy is considered a brief therapeutic approach. If the clients already have the ability to solve their own issues then they just need to be reminded of their strengths and resources, shifting the focus.