Solution-Focused Therapy

Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT)

Focuses on patterns of behavior learned in the family of origin, emphasizing client-led problem formulation, goal setting, and intervention.

Usual Patterns of Behavior

Underreacting, overreacting, denying, and taking actions that worsen the situation, hindering effective problem-solving.

Solution-Focused Approach

Emphasizes addressing the client's most pressing concerns, focusing on change rather than cure, and understanding the origins of the client's problems to help them.

Assessment and Intervention in SFT

Building an alliance by accepting the client's perspective without interpretation, setting goals within the client's words, exploring exceptions, and evaluating progress.

Key Questions in SFT

Focus on improvements, obstacles, learning from actions, confidence in the plan, expected challenges, benefits, support system, and reminders of progress.

Effectiveness of SFT

Proven effective with ADHD, separation anxiety, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorders, and disruptive behavior disorders.

Criticisms of SFT

May encourage overly positive thinking, potentially minimizing problems, and some clients may desire more exploration of the past.

Beginning client and clinician will 

• Articulate prob (client's belief of source of prob, how it affects the client, how the client has coped so far, what solutions have they tried) 

• Dev goals within the client's words 

During the session, the social worker will: 

• Explore exceptions 

• Participates in task dev 

• Provide end of session feedback 

• Eval progress