SOLUTION-FOCUSED

FAMILY THERAPHY
STEVE DE SHAZER
Presentation by MARICAR A. HERIDA
 INTRODUCTION
Solution focused brief therapy (SFBT) is goal oriented, targeting the desired
outcomeoftherapy as a solution rather than focusing on the symptoms or issues
that brought someone to therapy.
This technique emphasizes present and future circumstances and desires over
past experiences.
The therapist encourages the client to imagine the future that he or she wants
and then the therapist and client collaborate on a series of steps to achieve that
goal.
This form of therapy involves developing a vision of one’s future, and then
determining what skills, resources, and abilities a person already possesses that
can be enhanced in order to attain the desired outcome.
 HISTORY
The origins of Solution Focused Brief
Therapy (SFBT) date back to the early
1980s and the Brief Family Therapy Centre
in Milwaukee, USA, where Steve de Shazer,
Insoo Kim Berg and colleagues explored
how best to facilitate change in people’s
lives.
The technique was formed deductively,
instead of inductively; Berg and Shazer
spent hundreds of hours, across many
years, observing therapy sessions and
methodically noted the questions,
behaviors and emotions that led clients to
real-life solutions.
 INFLUENCE ON DEVELOPING
THE SFBT
Systemic family therapy, with its interest in interactional patterns;
The work at the Mental Research Institute on developing brief therapy and changing
behavioural patterns;
The philosophical ideas of Ludwig Wittgenstein on how people construct realities
through language, suggesting that therapeutic dialogue has the capacity to
construct new realities and ‘truths’ about how a person views, and so experiences,
their life.
WHO IS SFBT FOR?
Individuals, families and couples can all benefit from
SFBT treatment. However, this type of therapy tends
to be applied more frequently as systemic therapy.
Since most problems involve other people (partners,
families, friends, etc.), the SFBT therapist’s objective
will be to work with whoever shows up for the
appointment — this can be one person or multiple.
Unlike most talk therapy, SFBT is solely focused on
the present and the preferred future — not the past.
This type of therapy doesn’t focus on the why of a
problem or underlying significance. Instead, it
approaches each problem through small solutions
that can be acted upon in the present day.
BENEFITS OF SOLUTION-FOCUSED
FAMILY THERAPY
It’s a short-term therapy, which It’s built on empathy and open-
makes it time and cost-effective mindedness

It’s client-led rather than therapist-

led It’s future-oriented
WHAT CAN SFBT
HELP WITH?
Depression

Anxiety

Stress

Substance Abuse

Trauma

Family Problems

Relationship Problems
SFBT – CHARACTERISTICS
Stance of therapist:
•Positive, respectful and hopeful
•Collegial instead of hierarchical
•Cooperative instead of adversarial
General assumptions:
•People contain strong resiliencies
•Most people have strength, wisdom and experience to
effect change
Thinking about "resistance"
•Natural protective mechanisms (be cautious, go slow)
•Therapist error (intervention doesn't fit the client/situation)
•
SFBT – SOLUTIONS AND EXCEPTIONS
Solutions:
Most people have previously solved
many (many) problems...
A previous solution is something a
person/family has tried on their own
that has worked, but for some reason
they haven't continued this successful
solution (and may have even forgotten
about it).
Exceptions:
There are times when a problem could
occur, but doesn’t…
An exception is something that
happens instead of the problem, usually
without the person's intention (or even
understanding)
 SFBT – USE OF QUESTIONS

Questions are used in all models of therapy; however, they are the
primary communication tool – and intervention! – in SFBT
•Tendency to avoid interpretations
•Challenges/confrontations are rarely used
Questions are mainly focused upon present and future (not past)... why?
•Problems are best solved by focusing on what is already working now, and
how you want your life to be in the future
•Not on how things used to be and where a problem came from
 CORE PRINCIPLES
There are eight core principles
that serve as
de facto practice guidelines.

(de Shazer et al., 2007)

SFBT
CORE PRINCIPLES
 THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF
SOLUTION-FOCUSED THERAPY
1. Change is both constant and certain.
2. Clients must want to change.
3. Clients are the experts and outline their own goals.
4. Clients have the resources and strengths to solve and overcome their
problems.
5. Therapy is short-term.
6. Emphasis on what is changeable and possible.
7. Focus on the future – history is not essential.
 THERAPEUTIC AIM AND
TECHNIQUES
MIRACLE QUESTION
The miracle question asks the
client to imagine that a
miracle has happened
overnight that solved the
problems they brought to
therapy. The client is to
imagine that they are
unaware that the miracle has
taken place, and the
practitioner will ask them
what it is that happened that
day that will make them
realise that the problem has
gone.
COPING QUESTIONS SCALING QUESTIONS
Solution-focused Scaling questions are also
practitioners may also use used throughout the
coping questions to therapeutic process to ask
understand the strategies clients to rate their
the client already has in problems in terms of
place that are supporting difficulty. An example
their move towards their could be ‘on a scale of 1 to
goals. 10 how would you rate
your current level of
happiness?’
 TAKE AWAY
Solution-focused therapy is focused on problem-solving and providing
immediate solutions to stressors and concerns. Although it may not
work for every problem, mental health condition, or symptom, it can
benefit those who want to start seeing results quickly.