MFT Exam - Solution Focused Therapy

Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), developed by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg, is a postmodern, social constructivist approach emphasizing clients’ strengths and future possibilities rather than problems. It assumes change is constant, and small shifts can lead to larger transformation. Clients are categorized as visitors, complainants, or customers based on their engagement in change. Therapists adopt a beginner’s mind, staying curious and collaborative while highlighting hope, resources, and exceptions—times when the problem is less present. Key techniques include the miracle question (imagining life if the problem were solved), scaling questions (rating progress or confidence), and the formula first session task (observing what works). Through compliments and solution-focused dialogue, clients build meaningful, goal-oriented narratives that empower them to create desired change.

Solution Focused Therapy:
One of the three types of clients in Solution-Focused Therapy. Visitors are agreeable to attend therapy, but are not willing to put forth effort to change.

Solution Focused Therapy:
In Solution-Focused Therapy, the therapist will ask the client to describe what their lives would look like without the problem, as well as define what would be different to the point that they would know the problem was resolved or no longer present. This question comprises components of assessment, goal setting, and intervention.

Solution Focused Therapy:
In Solution-Focused Therapy, the therapist is intentional about maintaining the presence of hope that things will improve and get better for the client.

Solution Focused Therapy:
During the assessment and throughout the ongoing process, the therapist maintains a focus on the client’s strengths and resources, as these will likely serve as a component to resolving the presenting problem.

Solution Focused Therapy:
The concept that the therapist does not need to understand the problem in order to resolve it as the solution is often unrelated to the problem. Maintaining a future focus of what works is what will bring relief to the individual/family.

Solution Focused Therapy:
Solution-Focused Therapists will often put questions in the form of a 10-point scale to measure progress. Emphasis is always drawn to the positivity associated with the number not being lower than it could be. For instance, if the client rates his depression as a three, the therapist will celebrate that the depression is not at a two.

Solution Focused Therapy:
By attending to the language and meaning used by clients, therapists can gain an understanding of their lived reality and how they experience the meaning of situations, relationships, others, and self.

Solution Focused Therapy:
In Solution-Focused Therapy, the therapist will use the first session to shift the attention of the individual or family toward the overlooked positive aspects of their situation. This occurs through illuminating upon times when the problem is not present as well as explores strengths and resources. This sets the stage for therapy being solution-focused as opposed to problem-focused.

Solution Focused Therapy: Questions that have clients reflect on times when the problem was not present, or when the problem was not a problem.

Solution Focused Therapy:
One of the three types of clients in Solution-Focused Therapy. Customers acknowledge that there is a problem, are willing to accept their role in it, and are engaged in putting forth effort toward change.

Solution-Focused therapists will intentionally and consistently compliment and reflect upon client’s efforts, strengths, and improvements throughout the entire discourse of therapy.

Solution Focused Therapy:
One of the three types of clients in Solution-Focused Therapy. Complainants are willing to acknowledge that there is a problem, but unwilling to acknowledge their role in it and instead keep focus on others.

Solution Focused Therapy:
Solution-Focused Therapies view that change is inevitable and constant, that the client’s situation is always in flux although these changes often go overlooked.

Solution Focused Therapy:
This concept refers to the therapist’s stance in Solution-Focused Therapy. It is important that the therapist maintains an open mind which lends itself to possibilities and be careful not to exert expertise which limits possibilities.