Week 5

Context

A wide range of therapies may be available in each area, but it is important to note that they are not suitable for all. The service user's wish to engage in any therapy is crucial. Service users will need a specialist assessment to take part in any therapeutic intervention – all are time-limited, and there is often a waiting list. Bear in mind that the relationship formed between the service user and the mental health professional is also part of the therapeutic process.

In this section we explore solution-focused therapy (solution-based brief therapy) (SFT), a therapy that is beaming more widely used.

Content

What is Solution-focused therapy (SFT)?

"Solution-focused brief therapy is an approach to psychotherapy based on solution-building rather than problem-solving. It explores current resources and future hopes rather than present problems and past causes and typically involves only three to five sessions. It has great value as a preliminary and often sufficient intervention and can be used safely as an adjunct to other treatments" (Iveson, 2002: p149). It utilises questions designed to help the client to formulate solutions to her/her problems rather than dwell on those problems ( Ferraz & Wellman, 2008). SFT is future-focused, goal-directed, and focuses on solutions, rather than on the problems that brought clients to seek therapy.

These two short videos show Eileen Murphy explaining SFT.

Chris Iveson has written extensively on SFT. In an article in Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, he describes very clearly the underpinning philosophy and assumptions. We would recommend you download this article. It is straightforward to read, and gives a good insight into this therapeutic intervention.

References and Further Reading

Berg, I. and Miller, D. (1992) Working With The Problem Drinker A SolutionFocused Approach, W.W. Norton and Company, New York

Beyebach, M. Rodriguez, M. Palenzuela, D. and Rodriguez-Arias, J. (1996) Duncan, B. The Handbook of Solution-Focussed Brief Therapy, SanFrancisco. Jossey-Bass.

Cade, B. (1985) Stuckness, Unpredictability and Change, The Australian Journal of Family Therapy, 6: 9-15

DeJong, P. and Berg, I. (1998) Interviewing For Solutions Brooks/ Cole Publishing Company USA

de Shazer, S. (1985) Keys To Solutions In Brief Therapy, W.W. Norton and Company London.

Ferraz, H., & Wellman, N. (2008). The integration of solution-focused brief therapy principles in nursing: A literature review. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 15, 37–44.

Gilligan, S. (1987) Therapeutic Trances: The Cooperation Principle in Eriksonian Hypnotherapy cited in Zeig, J. and Gillian, S. Eds. Brief Therapy Myths, Methods, and Metaphores Brunner/Manzel Publishers. New York.

Gilligan, S. (1990) Coevolution of Primary Process in Brief Therapy in Zeig, J. and Gillian, S. Eds. Brief Therapy Myths, Methods, and Metaphores Brunner/Manzel Publishers. New York.

Iveson, C. (2002) Solution-focused brief therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment (2002), vol. 8, pp. 149–157

Selekman, M.D. (1993) Pathways To Change Brief Therapy Solutions With difficult Adolescents, The Guildford Press, London. Chapter 2.