The article covers

• What makes SFBT unique compared to traditional therapy approaches
• Core principles explained through practical examples
• Real-world application with a client scenario
• Common therapeutic tools and techniques
• My professional insights on effectiveness and appropriate use
• Challenges I encounter and how I address them
• A comprehensive FAQ section addressing the most common questions clients ask

As a therapist who has worked with hundreds of clients over the years, I’ve found that people often come to therapy feeling overwhelmed by their problems. They’ve spent months or years thinking about what’s wrong, why it happened, and who’s to blame. While understanding our past can be valuable, I’ve discovered that one of the most effective approaches focuses less on problems and more on solutions. This approach is called Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, or SFBT.

What Makes SFBT Different

In my practice, I’ve noticed that traditional therapy can sometimes feel like digging deeper into a hole. We explore childhood trauma, dissect relationship patterns, and analyze dreams. While these approaches have their place, SFBT takes a refreshingly different path. Instead of asking “What’s wrong with you?” it asks “What’s already working in your life, and how can we build on that?”

When I work with clients using SFBT, we spend our time identifying their strengths, resources, and the moments when their problems aren’t happening. It’s like being a detective, but instead of looking for clues about what went wrong, we’re looking for evidence of what’s going right.

The Core Principles I Use in Practice

Focus on Solutions, Not Problems Rather than spending session after session exploring why someone is depressed, we explore the times when they feel even slightly better. What were they doing differently on those days? Who were they with? What thoughts were they having? These insights become the building blocks for change.

Small Changes Lead to Big Results I often tell my clients that they don’t need to climb Mount Everest overnight. Sometimes, the difference between a terrible day and an okay day is getting dressed, taking a shower, or making one phone call. In SFBT, we celebrate these small victories because they create momentum for larger changes.

You Already Have the Answers This might sound surprising, but I genuinely believe that my clients are the experts on their own lives. They know what works for them, what doesn’t, and what they need to feel better. My job isn’t to have all the answers but to help them discover the wisdom they already possess.

Every Problem Has Exceptions No matter how overwhelming a problem seems, there are always times when it’s less intense or absent altogether. In my sessions, we spend considerable time exploring these exceptions. If someone says they’re “always anxious,” we look for the moments when they felt calm, even if it was just for five minutes.

How SFBT Works in Real Life

Let me share how a typical SFBT session might unfold. Sarah comes to see me because she’s struggling with work stress and feels like she’s failing at everything. Instead of exploring all the ways work is difficult, I ask her about a recent day that went even slightly better than usual.

Sarah remembers that last Tuesday felt different. As we explore that day together, she realizes she had taken a ten-minute walk before starting work, she’d prepared her lunch the night before, and she’d turned off her phone notifications for two hours. These weren’t earth-shattering changes, but they made a real difference in how her day unfolded.

Rather than trying to overhaul her entire life, Sarah and I work on incorporating these small, manageable strategies more consistently. Within a few weeks, she’s feeling noticeably less stressed and more in control.

The Tools I Use Most Often

The Miracle Question This is probably the most famous SFBT technique. I ask clients: “If you went to sleep tonight and a miracle happened while you were sleeping, so that when you wake up tomorrow your problem was solved, what would be different? How would you know the miracle had occurred?”

This question helps people imagine their life without the problem and identify specific, concrete changes they want to see. It shifts the focus from what they don’t want to what they do want.

Scaling Questions I frequently ask clients to rate their situation on a scale from 1 to 10. If someone says their anxiety is at an 8 today, I might ask what would need to happen for it to be a 7. This breaks down overwhelming problems into manageable steps.

Exception-Finding Questions These are questions designed to uncover times when the problem wasn’t happening or was less severe. “Tell me about a time recently when you felt more confident,” or “When was the last time you and your partner had a good conversation?”

Coping Questions When clients are going through particularly difficult times, I ask how they’re managing to cope. “How are you getting through each day?” or “What keeps you going when things feel impossible?” These questions highlight their resilience and existing coping strategies.

What I’ve Learned About SFBT’s Effectiveness

In my experience, SFBT works particularly well for several reasons. First, it’s naturally empowering. Instead of positioning clients as broken or sick, it recognizes their inherent competence and capability. This shift in perspective alone can be transformative.

Second, it’s practical. Clients leave sessions with concrete strategies they can implement immediately. There’s no waiting months to feel better while we slowly unpack childhood experiences. Change can begin right away.

Third, it’s efficient. Most of my SFBT work takes place over 6-12 sessions rather than years. This makes therapy more accessible and less daunting for people who might otherwise avoid seeking help.

However, I want to be clear that SFBT isn’t appropriate for every situation or every person. Some clients need to process trauma, explore deep-seated patterns, or work through grief in ways that require more time and different approaches. The key is matching the right therapy to the right person at the right time.

Common Challenges and How I Address Them

Some clients initially resist the solution-focused approach. They come in wanting to tell their story, to be heard and understood. I honor this need while gently guiding the conversation toward their strengths and resources. It’s not about dismissing their pain but about not getting stuck in it.

Others worry that focusing on solutions means ignoring serious problems. I explain that we’re not minimizing their struggles but rather looking for ways to build resilience and create positive change alongside addressing difficulties.

Occasionally, clients feel that SFBT is too simplistic or “surface level.” I remind them that simple doesn’t mean easy, and that sustainable change often comes from small, consistent actions rather than dramatic breakthroughs.

Why I Believe in This Approach

After years of practice, I’ve come to believe that people are naturally resilient and resourceful. Most of the time, they don’t need me to fix them or provide all the answers. They need someone to help them recognize their existing strengths and build upon what’s already working.

SFBT aligns with how people naturally solve problems in their daily lives. When your car won’t start, you don’t spend hours analyzing why cars in general fail to start. You look at what might work: checking the battery, calling a mechanic, or asking for a ride. SFBT applies this same practical, solution-oriented thinking to emotional and relationship challenges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How is SFBT different from other types of therapy? A: The main difference is focus and timeframe. While traditional therapy often explores problems, their causes, and their history, SFBT focuses on solutions, strengths, and future goals. SFBT is also typically much shorter, usually lasting 6-12 sessions rather than months or years.

Q: Is SFBT just “positive thinking” or ignoring real problems? A: Not at all. SFBT acknowledges that problems are real and can be serious. However, rather than spending extensive time analyzing problems, we focus on building solutions and identifying what’s already working. It’s about changing your relationship with problems, not pretending they don’t exist.

Q: What kinds of issues can SFBT help with? A: SFBT is effective for a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, work stress, parenting challenges, and life transitions. It works particularly well when people have specific goals and are motivated to make changes.

Q: What if I don’t know what I want or what solutions might look like? A: That’s perfectly normal and something we work on together. Through questions like the “miracle question,” we help you discover what positive change would look like in your life. You don’t need to have all the answers when you start.

Q: Is SFBT appropriate for trauma or serious mental health conditions? A: SFBT can be helpful for some people with trauma or serious mental health conditions, but it’s not always the best first choice. For severe trauma, depression, or other serious conditions, you might benefit from other therapeutic approaches first, with SFBT being used later or in combination with other treatments.

Q: How quickly will I see results with SFBT? A: Many people notice small improvements within the first few sessions because we focus on actionable strategies you can implement immediately. However, everyone’s journey is different, and lasting change takes time. The goal is progress, not perfection.

Q: What if I’ve tried therapy before and it didn’t help? A: SFBT’s different approach might be exactly what you need. If previous therapy focused heavily on problems and history without enough attention to solutions and strengths, SFBT could offer a fresh perspective. It’s worth discussing your previous therapy experiences so we can tailor the approach to what works best for you.

Q: Do I need to do homework or assignments between sessions? A: SFBT often involves small experiments or trying new approaches between sessions, but these aren’t formal homework assignments. They’re more like trying out strategies we’ve discussed to see what works in your real life. The focus is on small, manageable changes rather than overwhelming tasks.

Q: What if my problems seem too big for such a brief therapy? A: Even complex problems often have simple solutions, or at least simple first steps. SFBT breaks down large problems into manageable pieces. If more intensive work is needed, that can always be discussed and arranged. The brief nature doesn’t mean superficial – it means efficient and focused.

Q: Can SFBT work for couples or families? A: Absolutely. SFBT works very well with couples and families because it focuses on identifying what’s working in relationships and building on those strengths. It helps family members recognize their resources and develop practical strategies for positive change together.