At Purposers recovery in Los Angeles, SFBT sessions include imagining scenarios in the future where problems are absent because we have used learned skills and previous experiences to overcome them. SFBT allows the patient to be more mindful, present, confident, and motivated as they navigate future challenges in life. This form of therapy can be used to tackle and overcome all kinds of obstacles and problems.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy, or SFBT, is also known as Solution Focused Therapy (SFT). Solution Focused Brief Therapy is a goal-oriented, collaborative approach to observing & imagining problems of the present and future and exploring systematic ways of overcoming them rather than focusing on the past. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) defines a problem and focuses on objectives that may lead to solutions rather than traditionally focusing on past experiences. SFBT aims to harness realistic solutions and implementation by instructing patients to practice the skills throughout their day. An individual may already possess a particular life skill pertinent to them or others, but SFBT can help that person identify and further develop those skills. Practitioners of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy support individuals as they experiment with new problem-solving methods by asking precisely worded questions.

What Is It?

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a future-oriented, goal-directed approach to solving human problems of living. It was initially developed as a rebellion against the traditional psychotherapy approach driven by the therapist/expert deciding the best possible solution for those seeking help. SFBT aims to work collaboratively with the patient who understands his/her circumstances best to arrive at a pragmatic and realistic solution to fit his/her needs. The result is respectful, brief therapy with workable solutions that the client can carry out by making needed changes.

What Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) Treats

SFBT has been used successfully in individual therapy and with both families and couples. Developed with the primary intention of helping those in therapy to find solutions to challenges, the approach has expanded to address issues in other areas of life, such as schools and workplaces. Individuals from different cultures, backgrounds, and age groups have all been shown to benefit from this type of therapy. 

SFBT can be used to treat a wide range of issues. It is often used to address challenges for which the person in therapy already has some idea of possible solutions. In SFTB, the person seeking treatment is considered the “expert” on their concerns. The therapist encourages the individual to envision their solution, or what change would look like, and then outline the steps necessary to solve problems and achieve goals. Because this modality focuses on solutions to issues rather than the reasons behind them, it may be more effective at treating some concerns than others. 

Research has shown SFBT may be a helpful intervention for youth who are experiencing behavioral concerns or academic/school-related concerns. It has also proven effective as an approach to family therapy and couples counseling. This method is often used in conjunction with other approaches.