Choosing the right therapist is an important part of starting your work towards improving your life. There are a lot of different aspects to decide on when you want to choose one, however! One way to steer you in the right direction is to see what modalities they primarily use. This is part of a blog series outlining different modalities and what they generally look like. In this week’s post we’ll be discussing Solutions Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT).
What is Solutions Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)?
SFBT is a form of therapy that is based in the ideology of positive psychology. It’s usually a very short form of therapy, just a few weeks, or until the problem(s) the client has come in with has reached some sort of resolution. Generally speaking, the client comes in with a specific problem or set of problems that they want to work through. The client and the therapist identify these problems and then using SFBT set goals and monitor progress that way.
By asking questions, the therapist allows the client to think and process different solutions to their problems. This therapy does not focus on the past or on childhood experiences, as some forms of therapy do. Generally, in SFBT there isn’t time within the treatment window in order to allow for that kind of probing. This form of therapy is for those who want to work on something in the present without processing past experiences.
What is SFBT Used to Treat?
Generally, this modality is not appropriate for severe mental health cases or long-term concerns. The short form of this therapy and the focus on problem solving means that it’s best used for things like mild depression, anxiety over situations, life changes, etc. Basically, if you know you have a problem somewhere and feel that it is solvable, then this could be a great modality for you to look into as a client. The short form of it also means that you will get to the root cause of the problem and get to solving it very quickly.
The downside of this therapy is that it is not great for those who may have very complicated problems going on in their lives or those who experience many different problems. Sometimes, when every problem seems urgent, then it can be difficult to focus on just one and effectively solve it. You can’t solve 10 problems at once, usually. And you can’t solve a long-term, complex problem in 1 hour sessions over 4-6 weeks.
How do I find a Solutions Focused Brief Therapy Clinician?
Some clinicians just incorporate aspects of SFBT into their work while others do offer is as its own modality. If you’re looking for a therapist who uses this type of modality, many of them will put that on their profiles on Psychology Today or through your insurance provider. At CCC, we do have Callie and Emma who integrate this form of therapy into their work. You can also ask a clinician you’re interested in working with if this is something they’re familiar with and would be comfortable using in therapy with you!
