What is Solution-Focused Therapy?

Solution-focused therapy is a collaborative form of therapy that is future-oriented and primarily focused on goal setting. A solution-focused therapist will generally begin by inquiring about the types of changes you hope to see in your life once the problem(s) is no longer present or becomes more manageable. This form of therapy does not ignore or minimize the presenting complaints one brings into session but operates under the assumption that people are inherently resilient and capable of change. In fact, one of its basic assumptions is that change is inevitable, and that new coping mechanisms will develop as change is embraced.

Solution-focused therapy also assumes that everyone has positive aspects of their life they would like to see continue as well as positive experiences or exceptions that contradict the problems which may seem persistent and unsolvable. These assumptions are important to the therapy because patients are encouraged to speak about past successes which can be built upon in terms of creating desired changes in the future. Often times the discussion of problems brought into therapy can diminish one's narrative of resilience or times in which problems were overcome in the past. This type of therapy is empowering, as it provides a roadmap for creating desired changes early on in treatment.