Solution-focused Therapy (SFT)
Perhaps you’re open to doing therapy, but the idea of talking about your problems is so depressing in itself. How can you “look on the bright side of life” like that? SFT would agree with you; there’s a lot about your life- and you- to feel good about, once you put your problems in context.
How I use it to help
Very often, folks come to therapy having ruminated endlessly, without success, about their problem. SFT is geared toward getting around the client’s obstacles- hence “solution-focused.” This type of therapy reframes the story the client uses to understand their situation by utilizing the principles below.
Social construction
Problems and solutions are socially constructed; they’re a product of culture and our experiences with others. They’re stories and not inherently “real” (although they may include factual information), because they can change with new information and experiences, such as exceptions (when your problem doesn’t occur; what’s unique and notable about those cases?) Reframing, as illustrated by Jocko and J.F.K. below, also shows how clients can reconstuct situations.
Solution-focus
Here’s a radical idea: fully understanding your problem is unnecessary to solve it! A question from the SFT literature frames it like this: “Would it be enough if your problem disappeared and you didn’t know why? · Imaginative questions, which invite a client to describe how their life would be different without their problem, build on this idea, defining the concrete changes they need to make.
The client in the driver's seat
In contrast to, say, seeing a doctor or psychiatrist, in SFT the client (not the counsellor) defines the problem and when it is solved. By analogy, it doesn’t matter if the mechanic wants to do more work on a customer’s car; if the customer is happy to drive away, that’s that! No solution, like life in general, is perfect. Often, I refer to exceptions and anything else working well for the client, to guage their sense of progress.
Are you ready to find the solution right for you?
Click the “Book Here” button below to schedule a complimentary 20-minute inquiry call, during which we can discuss how my experience with SFT can leverage your skills and other supports.