What is Solution Focused Brief Therapy?

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a user-friendly and evidence-based approach that is effective with a range of mental health and well-being issues including anxiety, depression and trauma.

Its strength-base and future-focus make it ideal for situations requiring rapid client engagement and cooperation. By concentrating on a preferred future rather than a regretted past and by focusing on resources rather than deficits the solution focused approach has proved an effective model, especially useful where clients are in great difficulty and who urgently need to find a way forward.

With an emphasis on what works this 'flag-ship' workshop is the no.1 choice for Australia's leading front-line mental health services and professionals.

Benefits of SFBT

Future-focused - Avoid getting stuck with clients, addressing the same problems & symptoms week after week.

Evidence-based - Four decades of empirical studies show success rates average 60%.

Collaborative & respectful - Uses client language, beliefs & preferences to develop meaningful & specific goals, regardless of problem or diagnosis.

Time Efficient - Low number of sessions (4-5). Reduce caseloads & wait-lists.

Build staff morale - Staff feel better about their work, clients & colleagues. Reduce burn-out.

Contemporary - Aligns with recovery model, strengths-based, positive psychology & appreciative inquiry.

Wide application - Therapy, supervision, schools, leadership.

Simple and practical - Learn in 2-days. Clients say "it makes sense".

Problems v Solutions

The fundamental shift from “problem-driven” to “solution-focused” can dramatically change the outcome of treatment.

Using “future-focused” questions, building on exceptions and reframing of problems, steers clients away from the problem and towards change.

Using the client’s own language, beliefs and preferences to define changeable problems, and develop highly meaningful and specific goals.

Emphasising client's strengths/ resources and achievable solutions builds client resilience and agency.

Presenting ideas and interventions as “suggestions” and “experiments” instead of directives can improve the likelihood of clients taking action.

Evidence-Based

Over 32 published studies show successful outcomes in 65 - 83% of cases, relating to very serious mental illness, drug & alcohol use, criminal behaviour & domestic violence.

The highest satisfaction ratings come from clients.

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Practical & Easy to Learn

The two-day comprehensive introduction offers a thorough overview of the approach and covers cases from mental health, trauma, substance abuse, child & adolescent difficulties.

Learn when & how to use the core techniques and tools through detailed demonstrations, skills practice, discussions & videos of real therapy sessions.