Solution focused brief therapy (SFBT) is very different from older types of therapy. Very different.
As such, it’s little understood by traditional psychologists and counsellors and while this is changing, it’s still by and large true.
Results are accumulating
It originated just over 30 years ago, and some regard it as unproven. Despite this, much research on SFBT’s effectiveness has now been completed.
And it’s clear that, despite its very different approach to helping people achieve desired change, it’s highly effective.
Results of studies conducted show SFBT is as effective as other modalities for a wide range of client problems, with fewer sessions required needed.
Awareness is growing
Such studies do not tend to be on the radar of mainstream therapists, however. They are not aware of the results that have been achieved nor how SF thinking, and practice, has developed since its inception in the 1980s, which is understandable given their focus is elsewhere.
Globally, however, interest in the solution focused approach has steadily grown and it’s now being used not only by more in the mental health and wellness fields, but also in schools, community organisations and businesses around the world.
As awareness of SF grows, light might be shone on the misunderstandings about it.
Myths about SFBT
Here are some of the biggest myths about solution focused brief therapy/
10 things SFBT does NOT do
It doesn’t claim other approaches don’t work – although it does say SFBT is a genuine option for people getting through life’s challenges and transitions
It doesn’t diagnose or label you, nor does it register any mental health condition on any databases or systems that may later disadvantage you
It doesn’t require commitment to multiple sessions
It doesn’t ignore your problem, nor downplay it
It doesn’t focus on analysing your problem
It doesn’t define your needs by your problem alone
It doesn’t develop a treatment plan which advises on your needs or progress
It doesn’t regard you as lacking skills, knowledge, or resources
It doesn’t treat non-compliance or resistance as weakness in you
It doesn’t require therapists to be expert in a problem – instead, they are expert in how people can and do change
10 Things SFBT DOES do:
It works to complement the efforts of your GP and other health professionals
It provides you the opportunity to get things off your chest in a private, safe space
It offers the chance to speak without judgement or pressure
It offers a safe space to explore what you want
It asks questions that allow you to see your own self, and how things can improve
It provides a different perspective on yourself and your capacity to act
It lets you set the pace of conversation, and making changes in your life
It helps you open up to how can be more enriching for you and see what’s possible
It lets you decide when to attend sessions, and when therapy has been successful
It offers you hope and builds confidence
SFBT is not completely different from other forms of talk therapy. It relies on a trained, caring professional working to ethical standards, a safe, private, and confidential space to discuss issues bothering you and a commitment to serve your best interests. Its main difference is that it focuses on your preferred outcomes, or hopes, and moving towards what you want, not by insight into your problems.
The bottom line is that solution focused brief therapy is different because It looks forward, rather than back, in helping you create meaningful change in your life.