Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
What is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?
Solution-focused therapy focuses on people's strength, competence, and possibilities instead of their
deficits, weaknesses and limitations (O'Hanlon & Weiner Davis 1989). As such, it represents a dramatic
shift in focus from previous approaches that seek to identify and explain problems and their origins. Solution-
focused therapy is a form of brief therapy. The number of sessions varies, but is usually under ten sessions
with an average of four or five. Sometimes just one session is adequate.
Several powerful assumptions provide the foundation of solution-focused therapy (O'Hanlon & Weiner Davis
1989):
How Effective is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?
According to Iveson (2002), "Since its origins in the mid-1980s, solution-focused brief therapy has proved to
be an effective intervention across the whole range of problem presentations. Early studies (de Shazer,
1988; Miller et al, 1996) show similar outcomes irrespective of the presenting problem. In the UK alone,
Lethem (1994) has written on her work with women and children, Hawkes et al (1998) and MacDonald
(1994, 1997) on adult mental health, Rhodes & Ajmal (1995) on work in schools, Jacob (2001) on eating
disorders, O'Connell (1998) on counselling and Sharry (2001) on group work." Iveson also wrote that "....the
lack of a diagnostic structure in solution-focused brief therapy creates problems for the measurement of its
efficacy. Most studies rely on client or referrer report and have little objective validity. However, a study on the
treatment of recidivists after prison discharge (Lindforss & Magnusson, 1997) has shown significant
effectiveness. A major international research initiative, using accepted ‘scientific’ measures as well as new,
more solution-focused measures, is currently being coordinated on behalf of the European Brief Therapy
Association (http://www.EBTA2001.com) by Alasdair MacDonald. If this supports the findings of earlier
studies then solution-focused brief therapy will have a significant part to play among the many treatment
possibilities afforded by modern psychiatry." Brief summaries of published outcome studies on the
effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy are listed in the Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Evaluation
List of the European Brief Therapy Association.
What are the Benefits and Risks of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?
The benefits of solution-focused brief therapy include the finding of solutions to problems that the client has
been facing. For example, symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression may be reduced and interpersonal
relationships may be improved. Since, by definition, solution-focused brief therapy is brief, it may be less
expensive than other forms of therapy that traditionally require more sessions over a longer period of time.
Another benefit of solution-focused brief therapy is that clear goals are identified early on. Because of this,
both client and counselor know what success will look like and can more easily identify when therapy is no
longer needed. As with all forms of therapy, solution-focused brief therapy may result in major life changes,
such as changing jobs, beginning or ending relationships, moving, etc. Such life changes can be
experienced as quite positive (a benefit) or as very difficult (a risk) by the client and/or the client's significant
others. Solution-focused brief therapy can be done in conjunction with other forms of therapy.
References
Iveson, C. Solution-focused brief therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 2002; 8:149-156. URL: http:
//apt.rcpsych.org/cgi/reprint/8/2/149
O'Hanlon, W. and Weiner-Davis, M. In Search of Solutions: A New Direction in Psychotherapy. W. W. Norton
& Company, Inc.: New York 1989.
Solution-focused therapy focuses on people's strength, competence, and possibilities instead of their
deficits, weaknesses and limitations (O'Hanlon & Weiner Davis 1989). As such, it represents a dramatic
shift in focus from previous approaches that seek to identify and explain problems and their origins. Solution-
focused therapy is a form of brief therapy. The number of sessions varies, but is usually under ten sessions
with an average of four or five. Sometimes just one session is adequate.
Several powerful assumptions provide the foundation of solution-focused therapy (O'Hanlon & Weiner Davis
1989):
- People have strengths, resources, and the ability to resolve the challenges they face in life.
- Change is always possible and is always happening.
- The counselor's job is to help clients identify the change that is happening and to help them bring
about even more change. - Most problems do not require a great deal of gathering of historical information to resolve them.
- The resolution of a problem does not require knowing what caused it.
- Small changes lead to more changes.
- With rare exceptions, clients are the most qualified people to identify the goal of therapy. (Exceptions
include illegal goals [e.g., child abuse] and clearly unrealistic goals.) - Change and problem resolution can happen quickly.
- There's always more than one way to look at a situation.
How Effective is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?
According to Iveson (2002), "Since its origins in the mid-1980s, solution-focused brief therapy has proved to
be an effective intervention across the whole range of problem presentations. Early studies (de Shazer,
1988; Miller et al, 1996) show similar outcomes irrespective of the presenting problem. In the UK alone,
Lethem (1994) has written on her work with women and children, Hawkes et al (1998) and MacDonald
(1994, 1997) on adult mental health, Rhodes & Ajmal (1995) on work in schools, Jacob (2001) on eating
disorders, O'Connell (1998) on counselling and Sharry (2001) on group work." Iveson also wrote that "....the
lack of a diagnostic structure in solution-focused brief therapy creates problems for the measurement of its
efficacy. Most studies rely on client or referrer report and have little objective validity. However, a study on the
treatment of recidivists after prison discharge (Lindforss & Magnusson, 1997) has shown significant
effectiveness. A major international research initiative, using accepted ‘scientific’ measures as well as new,
more solution-focused measures, is currently being coordinated on behalf of the European Brief Therapy
Association (http://www.EBTA2001.com) by Alasdair MacDonald. If this supports the findings of earlier
studies then solution-focused brief therapy will have a significant part to play among the many treatment
possibilities afforded by modern psychiatry." Brief summaries of published outcome studies on the
effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy are listed in the Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Evaluation
List of the European Brief Therapy Association.
What are the Benefits and Risks of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?
The benefits of solution-focused brief therapy include the finding of solutions to problems that the client has
been facing. For example, symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression may be reduced and interpersonal
relationships may be improved. Since, by definition, solution-focused brief therapy is brief, it may be less
expensive than other forms of therapy that traditionally require more sessions over a longer period of time.
Another benefit of solution-focused brief therapy is that clear goals are identified early on. Because of this,
both client and counselor know what success will look like and can more easily identify when therapy is no
longer needed. As with all forms of therapy, solution-focused brief therapy may result in major life changes,
such as changing jobs, beginning or ending relationships, moving, etc. Such life changes can be
experienced as quite positive (a benefit) or as very difficult (a risk) by the client and/or the client's significant
others. Solution-focused brief therapy can be done in conjunction with other forms of therapy.
References
Iveson, C. Solution-focused brief therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 2002; 8:149-156. URL: http:
//apt.rcpsych.org/cgi/reprint/8/2/149
O'Hanlon, W. and Weiner-Davis, M. In Search of Solutions: A New Direction in Psychotherapy. W. W. Norton
& Company, Inc.: New York 1989.
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| Copyright 2005-2006 Cynthia Good Mojab All rights reserved |
LifeCircle Counseling and Consulting, LLC