Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a strength-based approach to psychotherapy based on solution-building rather than problem-solving. Unlike other forms of psychotherapy that focus on present problems and past causes, SFBT concentrates on how your current circumstances and future hopes. SFBT was developed in the 1970s and 1980s by husband and wife Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg at the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

SFBT is an approach that falls under the umbrella of constructive therapies. Constructivism posits that people are meaning makers and are ultimately the creators of their own realities. The SFBT therapist believes that change in life is inevitable. Because someone creates their own reality, they may as well change for the better. In SFBT, the therapist is a skilled conversation facilitator. They do not present themselves as an expert but instead comes from a “not-knowing” point of view. Drawing upon the client’s expertise in themselves, the therapist uses a variety of techniques and questions to demonstrate their strengths, resources, and desires. With the focus shifted to what is already working in a client’s life, and how things will look when they are better, more room opens up for the solutions to arrive. APA

SFBT is best when a client is trying to reach a goal or overcome a particular problem. It can stand alone as a therapeutic intervention, or it can be used along with other therapy styles. It’s used to treat people of all ages and a wide range of issues including addiction, child behavioral problems, and relationship problems. This form of therapy is typically not used to treat major psychiatric conditions such as psychosis and schizophrenia. The major advantage of SFBT is its brevity. SFBT is a form of “brief therapy,” typically lasting between 5–8 sessions. Because of this, it is often less costly than other forms of therapy. Instead of digging into old wounds, more time is spent focusing on resolutions, which makes SFBT great for people who have a specific goal in mind and just need a little help reaching it.