What is Solution-Focused Therapy? (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy)

This video describes Solution-Focused Therapy. Solution-Focused Therapy, which is sometimes referred to as solution-focused brief therapy, was developed by de Shazer and Berg in the 1980s. A number of modern modalities have some sort of theory associated with them. Solution-Focused Therapy is not theory driven. It is considered a positive approach that's also considered a constructivist approach. Solution-Focused Therapy is considered to be collaborative and collegial as opposed to confrontational, instructive, or needing to have an interpretation component. Many of the modern theories that we see do have confrontational, instructive, and interpretive components to them. Even though Solution-Focused Therapy is not theory based, there are principles and techniques associated with it. The first is that problems form in the context of human interaction. This is a bit different than reality therapy for instance, which looks at problems formed because of relationships. In Solution-Focused Therapy interactions could include relationships, but they're not exclusively relationships. The objective in Solution-Focused Therapy is to encourage a client to do something different, so there is the idea here that any change is a good change. Any change moves somebody further away from the problem. We recognize in mental health treatment that all change isn't good. There can be negative change as well. For example, if someone comes into treatment because they are consuming too much alcohol and the change they make is to consume more alcohol. That would be recognized as negative. In Solution-Focused Therapy there isn't really an emphasis on directionality, although generally of course, a positive change would be recognized as superior to a negative change. In Solution-Focused Therapy, the client is the expert. The modality does recognize that in all therapy there is a hierarchy, but the wisdom of the client is seen as the most valuable contribution to the therapeutic process. The therapist is not an expert and again there's no real instructive component to this therapy. One of the goals of therapists in Solution-Focused Therapy is to help the client to make contact with forgotten and unnoticed wisdom. The client comes to therapy with everything they need to make the change that would eliminate the problem. We see this component in other therapeutic modalities as well to some extent. It is in Person-Centered Therapy, Reality Therapy, and a component in a number of other therapeutic modalities. Another feature of Solution-Focused Therapy is that resistance helps the therapists to know how to help the client. Resistance is interpreted as positive it adds knowledge to the therapeutic process. With resistance being thought of as valuable, Solution-Focused Therapy is similar to motivational interviewing. To deal with resistance the therapist tries to build cooperation. This is done by connecting the present to the future. The past is largely ignored in Solution-Focused Therapy, except for exceptions to the problem. This would be when the problem was not around. Another technique in Solution-Focused Therapy is reframing. This technique is very similar to what we see in some cognitive behavioral therapies like Beckian Cognitive Therapy or Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy developed by Albert Ellis. So new meaning can be developed as the therapist listens to the client’s narrative. This new meaning would be conveyed to the client and potentially result in the problem being eliminated or being reduced in severity. Goals in Solution-Focused Therapy need to be small and achievable. There are a number of techniques that are fairly popular with Solution-Focused Therapy including the miracle question, exception to the problem, and scaling.

Видео What is Solution-Focused Therapy? (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy) канала Dr. Todd Grande