Solution focused
Therapy
Allyn Flemmons
Mississippi State University
Solution Focused
The Basics
Change is Constant
Positive > Negative
Future is Negotiable
Time Sensitive
History of Solution Focus
Founded by Eve Lipchik, Steve de
Shazar, & Insoo Kim Berg.
1980s to 1990s, Lipchik, Insoo and de Shazar began
to move the Mental Research Institute models toward
Solution Focused approaches.
A.K.A. What is working, and not on what has NOT
been working.
(Bitter, 2009)
History of Solution Focus
Began their work in the Brief Family Therapy Center (BFTC).
Others leaders at this center include Scott Miller, John Walter,
Jane Peller, Michele Weiner-Davis.
BFTC later closed its doors after the deaths of the leading
Clinicians, Insoo and de Shazar.
(Bitter, 2009)
Solution Focused
Three Rules: As stated by Stephen Langer,
1. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
2. If it works, do more of it.
3. If it is not working, do something
different.
(Langer)
Why Solution Focus?
It helps the therapist see where the client wants to
go, instead of assuming they need to grieve, deal
with anger, etc.
It allows the client to leave their problem saturated
world for a moment to a moment of freedom. May
also provide clarity through this.
Solution Focused
“MECSTAT”
Miracle questions
Exception questions
Coping questions
Scaling questions
Time-out
Accolades and Task
(Hamada, Martin & Batty, 2006)
Miracle, Exception, and
Scaling Questions are
known as “Questions of
Difference.”
(Bitter, 2009)
Miracle Question
“Imagining an ideal future and connecting it to the present
immediately actualizes the work. Clients are challenged to look
past their obstacles and hopelessness and focus on the
possibilities” (Howes, 2010).
Examples:
Suppose tonight, while you slept, a miracle occurred. When you awake tomorrow,
what would be some of the things you would notice that would tell you life had suddenly
gotten better?"
(Howes, 2010)
Exception Question
Are there times when the problem does not
happen?
When was this? What was different?
How did you make that happen?”
• There will always have been situations in which the problem was less intense and when
things were better.
• Analyzing these times can sometimes help solve the client’s problem.
(Visser, 2011)
Coping Question
Often used when Problem Solving questions no longer work.
By using the coping question clients are helped to become
aware that they in fact are managing, at least to some extent.
Examples
• What helps you to keep going even though things are really hard?
•It is admirable how you have been able to keep on going under such difficult
circumstances.... how did you do that?
(Visser, 2011)
Scaling Question
Used to help clients gauge their current condition.
On a Scale of 1 to 10, how are you feeling this week?
(Visser, 2011)
Time-Out
The latter half of the session, the Counselor
may summarize what has been talked about
so far.
Peter De Jong and Insoo Kim Berg:
1) The summary reassures the client that the SF practitioner was listening.
2) The summary reassures the SF practitioner that he has heard the client
accurately.
3) By using the client's words in the summary the SF practitioner shows respect
for the client's frame of reference.
4) The summary (if done descriptively and in a spirit of openness) has the effect
of inviting the client to say more.
5) The summary has the effect of putting the client in control of how to describe
their experiences.
6) The summary assists the SF practitioner in formulating the next question
based on what the client has just revealed
Accolades and Task
Accolades= Compliments.
Tasks= Homework.
Accolades help encourage client and foster client/counselor
relationship.
Homework can be tasks that the client has used before that
work. OR
Tasks a client has NOT tried but WANTS to try.
SFBT Clients
Visitor
I don’t need help,
I’m not the problem.
COMPLIMENTS
Are most helpful here.
(DeShazer)
3 Types:
Complaint
We need help,
but someone else is
Customer
We need help,
We are both the problem.
responsible to fix it.
Compliments to encourage return.
Homework to focus where they are
responsible for others actions.
Compliment. But focus on homework
to highlight exceptions and strengths.
(“Solution Focused Therapy”, PsychPage)
Why SFBT?
•It’s multiculturally friendly.
•Works with most age groups.
•Particularly beneficial in a school
system. (3-5 sessions)
•Lends itself to individuals suffering
mental illness diagnosis, such as
Schizophrenia, Depression, Anxiety.
(Langer)
Problems with SFBT
Tendency to overlook the negative
which the client may need to address.
Does not appear to be beneficial for external illnesses such as
hyperactivity or Conduct Disorder.
Solution Focused
Interventions
Look for previous solutions, strengths, resources and abilities.
Exceptions.(What happened when you did something
different?)
Questions.
Present and future orientation.
Compliments.
Encouragement to do what’s working.
(Langer)
•References
Bitter, J. (2009). Theory and practice of family therapy and counseling. Belmont, CA. : Brooks/Cole.
Hamada, H., Martin, D., & Batty, H. (2006). Adapting an effective counseling model from patient-centered care to improve motivation in
clinical training programs. Med Educ. Retrieved from Available from http://www.med-ed-online.org
Howes, R. (2010, January 18). Cool intervention #10: The Miracle Question. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/intherapy/201001/cool-intervention-10-the-miracle-question
Langer, S. (n.d.). What is it and what's the difference?. Retrieved from
http://casat.unr.edu/docs/StephenLanger_SolutionFocusedBriefTherapy.pdf
Solution focused therapy. Pyschpage. Retrieved from http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/sft.htm
Visser, C. (2011, July 3). 21 solution focused techniques. Retrieved from http://solutionfocusedchange.blogspot.com/2011/07/21-solutionfocused-techniques.html