Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a short-term goal-focused evidence-based therapeutic approach that incorporates positive psychology principles and practices, and which helps clients change by constructing solutions rather than dwelling on problems. At its core, SFBT is a hope-friendly, positive emotion-eliciting, future-oriented framework for formulating, motivating, achieving, and sustaining desired behavioral change.

Practitioners of SFBT develop solutions by first crafting a detailed vision of how the client’s life will look once the problem is resolved or their situation has improved to their satisfaction. Together, the therapist and client then carefully search through the client’s life experience and behavioral repertoire to discover the necessary resources needed to find sustainable solutions that the client can readily implement. Typically, this process involves identifying and exploring previous “exceptions,” e.g. times when the client has successfully coped with or addressed previous difficulties and challenges. In an inherently respectful and practical interview process, SF therapists and their clients consistently collaborate in identifying goals reflective of clients’ best hopes and developing satisfying solutions.