1. Solution Focused Brief Therapy
Steve de Shazer
& Insoo Kim Berg
O'Hanlon
"Solution Behaviour" not "Problem

2. Social Constructionist
Focus on what clients want to achieve
Doesn't focus on problems
Doesn't focus on past

3. How Brief a Therapy?
Aim for 5 sessions
45 mins each session
Rarely beyond 8 sessions
Sometimes 1 session enough
Any improvements after 3 sessions?Increase
gap between sessions as time goes on

4. Solution Focused Brief Therapy
Principle 1
Nobody's perfect all the time - even in their
problems
What can these "exceptions" tell us
Things people ordinarily do can contribute to
solution

5. Solution Focused Brief Therapy
Principle 2
Knowing where you wish to be makes getting there
easier
Problems cloud our view of future
Lose sight of what we want apart from ending
problem
Clearer it becomes, greater chance of making
solution

6. Basic Assumptions
 Clients have resources and strengths to
resolve complaints
 Change is constant
 The therapist’s job is to identify and amplify
change
 It is usually unnecessary to know much
about the complaint in order to resolve it.
 It’s not necessary to know the cause or
function of a complaint to resolve it.

7. Basic Assumptions
continued
 A small change is all that is necessary.
 A change in one part of the system can affect
change in another.
 Clients define goals
 There is no one right way to view things.
 Different views may be valid.
 Focus on what is possible and changeable,
rather than what is impossible and
intractable.

8. 3 types of Clients
 Visitors: no complaints, along for the
ride; complimented and given no tasks
 Complainants: going along to placate
and appease; complain, distant,
observant, and expectant - given
observational and thinking tasks
 Customers: Do Something – want to
change; given behavioural tasks

9. Solution Focused Brief Therapy
Ask questions about. . .
Client's story
Client's strengths
Client's resources
Client's exceptions
Relationships
Self-esteem issues

10. Resources &
Tools
Miracle Question
Scaling
Exception-seeking questions
Coping questions
Problem-free talk

11. Typical First Session
 Opening: Social introductions,
structure session
 Collect Complaints - Problem
 Rank Complaints
 (What’s 1st, 2nd, 3rd)
 Discuss Exceptions

12. Typical First Session
continued...
Find out what client wants from sessions
"Best hopes of our work together?"
Find out small details of life if problems
solved
Miracle question
Miracle question
What do they already do that is successful
"Tell me about when the problem is not there"
What might change by taking a small step
towards hope
"What would others notice about you?

13. Session Structure
 Miracle question process
 Exceptions / pre-session changes
 Identify Goals
 Scales: situation now, willingness,
confidence
 Anything else/ Break
 Message

14. Subsequent Sessions
 Less Time on Complaint(s)
 More Time on Exceptions & Solutions
 Opening: What’s different this week from last
 Exceptions: elicit, recognise, discuss, amplify
 Scaling: Accentuate any improvements
 Therapeutic Break – time for reflection &
consider task for next week
 Compliments & Summary
 Tasks & Homework

15. Five Useful Questions
 The Miracle (Magic Wand) Question
 Has anything been better since the last
appointment? What’s changed? What’s
better?
 Can you think of a time in the past (month /
year / ever) that you did not have this
problem?
 What would have to happen for that to
occur more often?
 Scaling Questions 1 – 10
 With all of that going on, how do you manage
to cope?

16. Coping Question
Identify clent resources they dont even acknowledge
Can be used even in most pessimistic situations
Genuine curiosity helps
Genuine admiration for client helps
Helps identify referred future
Ensure client doesn't feel you're contradicting them
"Despite all the problems you still work. How you do it?"

17. De Shazer’s Miracle
Suppose that one night, while you are
asleep, there is a miracle and the
problem that brought you here is
solved. However, because you are
asleep you don't know that the miracle
has already happened. When you
wake up in the morning, what will be
different that will tell you that the
miracle has taken place? What else?
(1988)

18. O’Hanlon’s Videotape Question
 Let’s say that a few weeks or
months of time had elapsed, and
your problem had been resolved.
If you and I were to watch a
videotape of your life in the future,
what would you be doing on the
tape that would show that things
were better? (1987)

19. Scaling
 Scale of 1 – 10
 1 is the worst it’s ever been
 10 is after the miracle has happened
 Where are you now?
 Where do you need to be?
 What will help you move up one point?
 How can you keep yourself at that point?

20. Exception Questions
 Tell me about the times when (the
complaint) does not occur, or occurs less
than at other times.
 When does your partner listen to you?
 Tell me about the days when you wake up
more full of life.
 When are the times you manage to get
everything done at work?

21. Comparing PCT and SFBT
1. PCT because historically it is a fundamental therapuetic approach has influenced
most approaches that have fol owed. Even CBT is now delivered from an
empathetic relationship, albeit asymetric. SFBT is no different it draws on empathy
and the relationship too.
2. Most therapists now integrate different elements into their practice therefore
comparisons are based on unrealistic ideal types.

22. Similarities
1. Both are client centred and value the client as the author of
their own lives.
2. Both emphasise client talk and see therapist utterances as
having locutionary force e,g. metaphor paraphrasing and the
miracle question, What and how something is said is
important for both.
3. Both are minimally directive especially compared to
behavioural oriented therapies e.g. CBT and DBT.
4. Both value the here and now in contast to psychoanalytic
approaches.
5. Both rely on tentative dialogue as opposed to direct
challenge.
6. Both focus on the clients frame of reference.

23. Differences
1. In later Rogerian therapy there was/is an ultimate
counselling/existential goal ie to become a fully self
actualised being. SFBT is more concerned with short
medium term goals focused on more effective adaption or
coping.
2. The above is based on philosophical differences related to
the nature of reality. For SFBT it is socially constructed and
relative. For Rogers scientific truth was possible and
differences of world view were temporary not eternal.
3. PCT therapists tend to reflect and paraphrase whereas SFBT
therapists would use questioning more to draw out the clients
thoughts and emphasise positives.

24. Differences
4. SFBT will use reinforcing techniques for behaviours and
attitudes it sees as positive (within the frame reference) e.g.
the therapist compliments the alcoholic for drinking less.
5. SFBT is short 5-8 45min sessions. In theory PCT can be for
as long as the client wishes with the proviso that the
therapist can end if they believe it unproductive.
6. Possibly, PCT can “allow” acceptance of immutables such as
death and inequality whereas SFBT is about amplifying hope
in order to better cope.

25. Useful References
Berg, I. K. (1991) Family Preservation: A Brief Therapy Workbook.
London: BT Press.
Berg, I.K. & Miller, S. (1992) Working with the Problem Drinker: A Solution
Focused Approach. New York: Norton.
de Shazer, S. (1985) Keys to Solution in Brief Therapy. New York: Norton.
George, E., Iveson, C. & Ratner, H. (1999) Problem to Solution: Brief
Therapy with Individuals and Families. London: BT Press.
Hawkes, D., Marsh, T. & Wilgosh, R. (1998) Solution-Focused Therapy: A
Handbook for Health Care Professionals. Oxford: Butterworth–
Heinemann.
Hoyt, M. F. (1984) Single session solutions. In Constructive
Therapies (ed. M. F. Hoyt). New York: Guilford.

26. Useful References
Jacob, F. (2001) Solution-Focused Recovery from Eating Distress. London:
BT Press.
Lethem, J. (1994) Moved to Tears, Moved to Action: Brief Therapy with
Women and Children.London: BT Press.
MacDonald, A. J. (1994) Brief therapy in adult psychiatry. Journal of Family
Therapy, 16, 415–426.
O'Connell, B. (1998) Solution-Focused Therapy.London: Sage.
Rhodes, J. & Ajmal, Y. (1995) Solution-Focused Thinking in
Schools. London: BT Press.
Sharry, J. (2001) Solution Focused Groupwork. London: Sage.
Talmon, M. (1993) Single Session Solutions. New York: Addison-Werlely.