Creating a Solution-Focused Treatment Plan + Example

If you are struggling with your emotions and want help, the best time to call a therapist is now. Mental health is essential and should be given attention as urgent as any other health issue. While making a mind map, people also see how many possibilities lay before them, what they can do with a situation at hand, and consider all their options fully. If prolonged and suffered in silence, sadness and feeling lonely can lead to anxiety disorder and depression. We’ve included solution focused therapy activities a link to the PDF template further down this page, alongside a completed SFT worksheet example. If you’d like to deepen your understanding of this flexible and empowering approach, consider exploring training opportunities in your field.

Goal Setting and Action Planning

By delving into these instances, you uncover a trove of valuable insights into your resilience and the successful coping strategies that have served you well. It’s a process that helps you recognize that even in the darkest times, there have been glimmers of light, moments when you’ve triumphed over your challenges without even realizing it. In the world of solution focused therapy, goal setting is akin to charting your destination before embarking on a voyage. It’s a collaborative effort where you and your therapist co-create clear and achievable goals, ensuring each step taken is future-oriented and steers towards positive behavior. This is not about lofty, unattainable dreams but rather about envisioning future possibilities that resonate deeply with your aspirations and can be translated into reality. For example, an SFBT therapist might assist a client in recognizing small but positive changes in their daily routine.

• Interestingly enough, the amount of research behind SFBT in non-Western countries has doubled since 2013.
• It ends up being more than he thought and he’s chuffed to see all the skills he’s gained.
• There are circumstances, particularly when dealing with complex or severe mental health conditions like schizophrenia or major depressive disorder, where SFT may not be the most appropriate approach.
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is an empirically validated form of therapy that has extensive research behind it.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and SFBT both emphasize practical, goal-oriented methods, although their techniques diverge in focus.

Utilizing Strengths and Resources

• Reframing Questions is a significant tool used to change the client’s perspective on their problems or situation.
• It’s a process that helps you recognize that even in the darkest times, there have been glimmers of light, moments when you’ve triumphed over your challenges without even realizing it.
• For example, an SFBT therapist might assist a client in recognizing small but positive changes in their daily routine.
• Therapists can promote a more constructive outlook by challenging negative interpretations and highlighting positives.
• Over a series of sessions, you and your therapist will work together to address obstacles and set goals aimed at personal growth and fulfillment.
• If you’re not sure if your insurance covers services from providers not in their network, it’s a good idea to give them a call and check.
• This exercise encourages clients to identify times when the problem could have been more impactful or they could manage it successfully.

Identifying small, actionable steps is paramount in SFT, as they are the building blocks of the larger journey towards your desired future. These steps are not random; they are carefully crafted to ensure they are integrated seamlessly into your life, making the process of change feel natural and attainable. By taking these steps, you begin to see the tangible results of your efforts, reinforcing your commitment to your goals and the path of positive change. It begins with questions rather than answers, guiding you to discover and articulate your own solutions.

Worksheets and activities to help the child or young person to envisage future, with their best hopes achieved, and to bring this to life as a possibility. At this time, it does not appear necessary to include his family in his treatment. Also, if you have an FSA (Flexible Spending Account), you can usually use it to pay for individual counseling sessions. It’s wise to double-check with your FSA provider or talk to your accountant to make sure that counseling sessions are considered an allowed expense. Our practitioners have lots of experience using a solution-focused approach with children of different ages, interests and needs. Practitioners need to ask questions that really get to the heart of the issue and come up with creative ways to help young people find their solution.

Having a fully stocked Mental Health Toolbox is essential if visiting a mental health professional is out of financial reach as it is for many patients. This technique is focused on helping people get more goal-oriented by creating a mind map. They are asked to have a miracle at the center and then find ways to make the miracle happen in real life. There are many kinds of asking questions techniques, like miracle questions, exception questions, etc. Practitioners ask questions to help the young person begin moving towards the future they want and help them make positive changes in their lives. Your professional opinion and experience should guide you in deciding whether to distribute our Solution-Focused Therapy Worksheet to your patients.

Top Solution Focused Therapy Techniques

The Miracle Question is the most popular technique in solution-focused coaching and therapy. In this post, I will discuss the miracle question and how to use it in coaching. Engaging patients in their care by giving them a role in brainstorming and devising solutions to their problems empowers them to achieve positive clinical outcomes. Giving patients the resources and tools they need to overcome issues demonstrates their role in managing their care, helping them avoid similar problems in the future. As you know, SFT requires the patient and therapist to collaborate to devise a treatment plan that will lead to the patient achieving their desired outcome.

Aftercare Plans

These advantages make solution-focused therapy an appealing option for many individuals seeking therapy, as clients identify with its benefits. Whether it’s through the Miracle Question Exercise or the Scaling Exercise, each activity is an opportunity to practice solution focused techniques and reinforce the therapeutic message of SFBT. By following these principles, you can effectively set and work towards your goals in solution focused therapy. Delving into solution-focused therapy uncovers a multitude of techniques designed to alter your perspective from focusing on weaknesses to emphasizing strengths. These strategies are not just about solving a problem but about igniting hope, fostering motivation, and providing a structured framework that can transform your life. Now that you’ve identified your biggest issue and what would happen if it was magically gone, it’s time to start setting goals for the future and creating a roadmap on how to get there.

Therapists ask clients to rate their problems, progress, or confidence in achieving their goals on a scale from 0 to 10. This provides a visual and quantifiable way to track change, discuss barriers, and determine what is needed to move higher on the scale. Goal Setting and Action Planning is an essential technique in solution-focused therapy that involves establishing clear, achievable goals and outlining steps to reach those goals.

The effectiveness of this form of therapy is so popular that while it started in North America, non-Western countries have also adopted the practice. Interestingly enough, the amount of research behind SFBT in non-Western countries has doubled since 2013. Such as, freedom/management from psychological disorders, improved social lives, and overall life satisfaction and physical well-being. The Bay Area CBT Center provides therapy services for everyone, from children to adults, and welcomes individuals, couples, and groups.