sfbt solution focused behavioral theory

8/13/2019 SFBT Solution Focused Behavioral Theory

1/22

Solution-Focused Therapy

Lisa Chock Charles Flemister

Brenna Mlinar

Ami Hickmon


2/22

The roots of SFBT start with Milton

Erickson who really got the ball rolling

for brief therapy with emphasize onsolutions

The Mental Health Institute in Palo

Alto, CA also had a hand in wanting amore briefer, goal-oriented andpragmatic approach (Visser, 2013)


3/22

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

(SFBT) was founded by Insoo Kim

Berg and Steve de Shazer in the late

1970s

Berg and de Shazer were based in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

They also co-founded the Brief Family

Therapy Center (BFTC) in 1978


4/22

At the BFTC, Berg, de Shazer, and co.

did experiments to decide what workedbest in therapy

Through this process and other

readings they came up with SFBT


5/22


6/22

SFBT has been used for counselingand has been used largely in addictioncounseling

Throughout the years SFBT wasemployed in other settings than intherapeutic ones

Usage in businesses, educationalinstitutions, and many other fields


7/22

Solution focused : Basic concepts

First thing to consider: Solution focused does

not worry about the cause or the problem as

much as other types of therapy.

Looking at the problem can confuse the

counselor and client.


8/22

Basic concepts continued

Focus on the clients strength.

Knowing what they can utilize to solve their

problems


9/22

Still continued

Over arching principle: Clients at one point in

there lives have solved problems using their

own resources. Counselors are a

guide/reminder


10/22

Last one I swear

Pragmatism: Three Rules

1. If it isnt broken dont fix it

2. If it works keep using it

3.If it isnt working use something else


11/22

Techniques

Main Points:

Looking at the cause of the problem is irrelevant

to client change.

Talking about the problem itself:

Mires the counselor and client in unnecessary

conversation

Results in client discouragement

Results in feelings of hopelessness

Managed care, and efficient clinical practice


12/22

Approach based on 5 basic assumptions:

If it doesnt work, do something different, and if

it works, do more of it.

Clients have the strengths and resources to

change.

Client problems result from not recognizingalternatives rather than underlying pathology.

A small change in any aspect of a problem begins

the process of solving it. Change comes from focusing on future

possibilities and solutions.


13/22

Process Outline

Client has hired the counselor to facilitate

solution finding as efficiently as possible

Several sessions, however rarely more than

10

NOT problem talking

Solution talk focused


14/22

5 Main Techniques

The Miracle Question

Pretending

Exception Finding Scaling Questions

Task Assignments


15/22

The Miracle Question

If by some miracle the problem no longer

existed, what would be different and how

would I know?

Clarity and concreteness about what life

would be like if the problem were solved

Client imagines a story of how life would be,

and within the story lies the solution


16/22

Pretending

Strategy that Madanes preferred when

working specifically with children that are

disruptive.

Shifting power within the family

Changing the style of interaction in the family

Posing paradoxical tasks i.e. client is given

instructions that the counselor hopes he will

disobey


17/22

Exception Finding

Playing detective: search for a time in the

clients life when the problem did not occur

Find how the client employed an effective

solution during that time

Helps create a solution for the situation they

are in now


18/22

Scaling Questions

The counselor asks the client to rate their

progress in achieving their goals

Numbers 1-10, scale allows the counselor to

set point goals for client

Used to collect meaningful data about the

nature of the problem

Questions are critical as interventions to

encourage clients to take different actions


19/22

Task Assignments

Client must perform certain tasks betweensessions

Ask clients to repeat the strategies unearthed in

the exception finding intervention Recreate in their daily life details of the story

that helped them answer their miracle questionresponse

The emphasis is on formulating goals tailoredspecifically to match the clients personal

strengths and problem-solving capabilities.


20/22

Strengths

A focus is placed solely on finding asolution to the clients problem

Solving one problem leads to solvingothers

Other symptoms can be improved

Clear goals are identified in thebeginning

Easier to identify an end


21/22

Weaknesses

Possibly elpful only because of a placeboeffect.

Clients may not grow or learn

Some clients need to talk about and exploretheir problems

Self-understanding is emphasized

Difficult to research Many of the strategies are difficult to learn

and apply

(Kottler, 176)


22/22

Sources

Antin, L. (2013, 05 14). Solution focused therapy. Retrieved fromhttp://www.goodtherapy.org/Solution_Focused_Therapy.html

Dolan, Y. (n.d.). What is solution-focused therapy? . Retrieved from

http://www.solutionfocused.net/solutionfocusedtherapy.html

Insoo Kim Berg. What is solution-focused brief therapy (sfbt)?. Retrieved

from http://sfbta.org/about_sfbt.html Kottler, J. A., & Shepard, D. S. (2011). Introduction to counseling: voices

from the field (7th ed.). Belmont, Calif.: Brooks/Cole ;.

Langer, S. (n.d.). Solution-focused breif therapy: What is it & what's the

evidence?. Retrieved from

http://casat.unr.edu/docs/StephenLanger_SolutionFocusedBriefTherapy

Visser, C. (2013). The origin of the solution-focused approach.

International Journal of Solution-Focused Practices, 1(1), 10-17.
http://www.goodtherapy.org/Solution_Focused_Therapy.htmlhttp://www.solutionfocused.net/solutionfocusedtherapy.htmlhttp://www.solutionfocused.net/solutionfocusedtherapy.htmlhttp://www.solutionfocused.net/solutionfocusedtherapy.htmlhttp://www.goodtherapy.org/Solution_Focused_Therapy.htmlhttp://www.goodtherapy.org/Solution_Focused_Therapy.html

sfbt solution focused behavioral theory

Documents