Solution Focused Brief Therapy

In my current position outside of private practice, I use SFBT as the treatment modality as the setting I work in allows only up to eight sessions. This has allowed my clients and I to create short-term attainable goals that have long-term implicatations as to how they percieve and interact with the world around them.

SFBT helps clients identify their strengths and envision solutions rather than dwelling on problems. Our sessions will involve highlighting your past successes and setting small, achievable goals, to help you build confidence and momentum for positive change. Focusing on times you’ve succeeded, even when things felt tough, will help you recover your independence and reconnect with your optimism for better days ahead.

I provide brief solution-focused therapy with almost all medication management appointments. We will review current stressors, learn coping skills, reflect on your current self, and create goals to move your life forward in the direction you want.

Many of my patients complete treatment quickly because they respond well to solution focused brief therapy. It is goal directed, meaning I tell you what I see and teach you tools that change your experience. Sessions are collaborative. I frequently will provide feedback. Clear goals are established in the first session that are measurable. For example, maybe you would like to decrease anxiety and the measure is how many times you leave work situations due to symptoms.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), also called Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) was developed by Steve de Shazer (1940-2005), and Insoo Kim Berg (1934-2007) in collaboration with their colleagues at the Milwaukee Brief Family Therapy Center beginning in the late 1970s. As the name suggests, SFBT is future-focused, goal-directed, and focuses on solutions, rather than on the problems that brought clients to seek therapy.

Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) focuses on clients' strengths and future goals. Unlike traditional approaches, SFT swiftly generates practical solutions, instilling a sense of progress and efficacy. By emphasizing collaboration, SFT accommodates a range of concerns while fostering resilience through the acquisition of adaptive coping skills. This client-driven, forward-looking approach holds promise for efficient and lasting positive change in diverse

Solution-focused narrative therapy is a modality that believes that you, the client, know your strengths and resilience. You've just lost sight of them and have become saturated in a problem-focused narrative or story. Often we begin to feel that we are the problem! However, with SFNT, we will help you put on a new pair of glasses that will not only address the issues but help you derive a new story that focuses on your strengths and your ability to cope and thrive.

I try to get a future picture of life without the problem or when you are handling it better. Trying to identify the actions that a person does during non problematic times are also identified.

Together, we will explore potential solutions to your problems. All potential solutions that I discuss with you will be evidenced based. This means that various scientific studies on the “solution” have taken place making it scientifically proven to work for most people. If whatever we come up with doesn’t work for you, we’ll discuss other potential evidence based solutions so that you have an array of coping skills you can use to deal with life’s stressors.

The goal of participating in short-term, brief counseling sessions is to allow you to focus on your present and future needs to help move you forward.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy is an approach I use that helps clients focus on their strengths and resources to move towards their goals . I want my clients to know that they are the expert of their own lives, and that they do already have what it takes to implement change. I collaborate with clients to brainstorm realistic reachable goals they can make in order to get them to where they want to be. I help my clients focus on the present and future in order to help them achieve their goals.

An important piece of therapy is to find the answers to assist clients in achieving their goals. Solution focused therapy allows for the client to explore different solutions while gaining an understanding of their needs and wants. In utilizing solution focused therapy I work with my client's to take the time to identify useful techniques to further develop clients confidence.

I have been practicing this technique since 2010 and continue to attend ongoing trainings regarding this approach to ensure my skills remain sharp and effective.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is based on a simple insight about making positive change. Easy mode: Do what you already know how to do to reach an outcome you have clearly defined. Hard mode: Learn new skills and expectations for a problem you don't understand. SFBT chooses therapy easy mode because life is hard enough. We visualize concrete positive outcomes you want, mine past successes for clues, identify the most plausible and actionable solutions, and apply what we learn. Repeat.

Having a focus in therapy can be helpful to goal setting and feeling like there is a direction to this process. It isn't always necessary but some clients find it useful.

Having a hard time deciding if it's time to move mom into memory care? Let alone which one? I have so many resources, checklists, information, and strategies to help you. Stuck on trying to decide if you want resuscitation and need to complete your advanced directive before an upcoming surgery? Let's talk about the pros and cons. Therapy doesn't have to go on and on and on. Sometimes we can together identify exactly what you need and do that. You are always welcome to come back as needed.

I often tie solution focused therapy into my sessions. There are times when analytical and long-term therapy are appropriate but there are also times when shorter term solutions are needed. Life does not wait, so if you have a problem, lets find a solution and a way forward! Whether its a problem at work, in a relationship or an upcoming speech- we can find a solution that works well for you!