What is Solution Focused Brief Therapy for Depression and Anxiety?

Many employee assistance programmes (EAPs) utilise a model known as Solution Focused Brief Therapy to provide support for their service users. Having seen the many benefits of this therapeutic model for a variety of mental health concerns, we wanted to shed light on how it can help facilitate improved mental health, particularly in service users who are experiencing feelings of anxiety and/or depression.

What is solution focused brief therapy?

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a type of therapeutic intervention that aims to better manage the issues affecting you in the here and now. It centres goal setting to help a client address where they are in the present moment and determine where they would like to be in the future.

Developed by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg, SFBT is a therapeutic approach that focuses on future solutions and client strengths, rather than past problems (such as childhood traumas). They founded the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee in 1978 to conduct research and went on to develop SFBT into what is now a widely used practice all over the world.

Techniques in SFBT

According to the Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, techniques in SFBT involve:

Miracle Question:

This is a technique in which clients are encouraged to imagine that a miracle has occurred overnight, and their current issues are resolved. It helps clients to pinpoint their goals and wishes by envisioning an ideal future.

Scaling Questions

Scaling questions encourage clients to rate their emotions, experiences, or progress on a numerical scale which supports goal setting and helps track the client’s progress.

Exception-Finding

Exception questions help a client to identify times when their present issues didn’t exist or weren’t as severe. This allows them to recall positive experiences, recognise their successes, and determine helpful solutions. 

Coping Questions

These help a client identify what strategies have helped them more effectively manage their emotions during previous stressful circumstances.

Compliments

By providing direct or indirect compliments, or encouraging a client to self-compliment, a SFBT therapist will move a client’s focus towards their strengths and internal resources.

The latter is particularly useful in guiding individuals toward future solutions by focusing on their existing resources and strengths.

Unlike other therapeutic practices like CBT, it doesn’t focus on understanding the past or ‘noticing’ patterns, but rather, facilitating clients to recognise and build upon their current strengths, no matter how small the client may perceive them to be.

SFBT vs other common therapeutic practices

SFBT differs from other types of therapeutic intervention, due to its heavy emphasis on goal-oriented outcomes related to present issues. Although it shares some characteristics with person-centred counselling, it ultimately differs in the sense that SFBT is future-oriented and helps the individual deal with immediate concerns in a shorter period of time.

Other therapeutic practices like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or psychodynamic therapy, can involve a deeper exploration of the past, problem analysis, and a more structured, therapist-led approach.

Keep in mind that CBT isn’t necessarily a deep exploration of the past, as CBT looks at your cognitions (thoughts and feelings) and behaviours, while Trauma-focused CBT would involve gradual exposure to traumatic events and safe space exercises before using CBT techniques to change behaviours and cognitions.

How long does solution focused therapy last for? 

Depending on the severity of the issue(s) the client presents, SFBT therapy can range from 6-12 sessions. This can be longer or shorter, depending on progress. With the clue in the name, the sessions are designed to be used for a brief period. And if a client feels they need further intervention for a concern, and the counsellor deems it clinically appropriate, they may recommend another avenue of talking therapy such as CISMD, person-centred or psychodynamic.

Solution focused therapy for anxiety – how it can help

Since anxiety often evokes excessive worry and feelings of terror about present and future events, it’s not uncommon for this state to make an individual feel “stuck”.

With SFBT intervention, a counsellor can guide the anxious individual into a more solution-focused mindset, by gently shifting their focus from problems to solutions. By helping them identify small moments where they’ve overcome anxiety, it can empower the individual over time as it enables them to find solutions to their obstacles.

Due to the brief nature of SFBT sessions, clients can quickly and effectively learn healthy coping strategies to deal with their issues.

Solution focused therapy for depression – how it can help

Depression can often cause feelings of apathy and hopelessness in an individual. SFBT can be incredibly effective in helping a client foster hope. This is achieved by empowering the client to find a unique solutions, recall past successes, and setting personalised and achievable goals.

It’s imperative for the counsellor – no matter what problem they’re helping the client with – to be mindful of the language they use when following the SFBT model. This involves placing themselves in their client’s shoes and using language that shifts perspective rather than dismiss. Counsellors will endeavour to be non-judgmental, no matter the presenting issue. They will never judge or criticise a client but rather use a collaborative approach to support in finding solutions that work and feel comfortable for the individual.

How an Employee Assistance Programme can help

An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) often uses SFBT for callers in need of mental health support. Depending on your subscription, your people can benefit from 6-8 or 10-12 sessions, with the latter being available as part of our Peak Performance EAP. At HA | Wisdom Wellbeing – the UK’s only nationally accredited EAP provider by the BACP and NCPS - we pride ourselves in the use of the SFBT model, as well as other interventions if deemed clinically appropriate such as digital CBT, CISMD and more.

Conclusion

SFBT as a therapeutic intervention is highly affective for individuals who are struggling with issues in the here and now and have established emotional goals that they would like to achieve. As it’s often completed much faster than other therapeutic practices and elevates the client’s strengths, they can begin applying techniques and solutions outside of sessions straight away.

While there are a whole host of benefits of the SFBT model, caution must be taken with individuals who require more long-term therapeutic intervention(s). After all, you wouldn’t prescribe an antihistamine for a broken arm Certain issues like trauma or eating disorders - require a different and often specialist form of support.

Frequently asked questions about solution focused brief therapy

What are the key principles of solution focused brief therapy?

• Change is constant

• There must be a willingness to change

• You are the expert

• You already have the tools and resources to overcome challenges

• Focus on what’s possible

• Be solution-focused.

What is the miracle question in SFBT?

The “Miracle Question” is a therapeutic technique used in SFBT to encourage clients to think about a future where the problem is resolved. The counsellor will ask the client what their life would look like if the issues was resolved. From there they can work backwards to identify solutions to problems.

Is SFBT good for trauma?

While SFBT certainly has benefits for supporting the anxiety-based symptoms that often stem from trauma, it should be combined with other more appropriate therapeutic interventions specifically designed to deal with traumatic experiences.

When not to use SFBT?

SFBT isn’t an appropriate therapeutic practice for individuals looking to understand why they are experiencing issues or to uncover underlying concerns. It’s mainly used to focus on the strengths they currently have to work towards positively-driven goals that deal with immediate concerns.