Overview of Solution Focused Therapy (SFT)

Introduction

• Hosted by Stephanie Yates, a licensed marriage and family therapist.
• Focus on Solution Focused Therapy (SFT) and Solution Oriented Therapy (SOT).

Key Concepts

• Part of post-modern therapy models.
  • Social constructivist perspective: Reality is constructed by experiences, culture, socioeconomic status, etc.
  • Therapist is collaborative, unlike traditional models where the therapist is the objective expert.

Influences

• Influenced by Milton Erickson, emphasizing brief therapy.
• Major contributors:
  • SFT: Steve de Shazar and Insoo Kim Berg.
  • SOT: Bill O'Hanlon.

Characteristics

• Simplicity: Easy to understand and practice, with research backing.
• Focus on solutions: Emphasizes solution talk over problem talk.
• Language shapes experience: Positive language can shape positive experiences.

Differences Between SFT and SOT

• SFT: Minimal problem talk, focus on solutions.
• SOT: Allows for more problem talk to understand problems before creating solutions.

Therapy Goals

• Identify strengths and resources.
• Implement small, attainable goals to build motivation and hope.

Therapist-Client Relationship

• Collaborative, brief, planned for 5-10 sessions.
• Client/family viewed as experts of their own lives.

Roles in Therapy

• Visitor: Attends therapy at the request of others, lacks motivation.
• Complainant: Recognizes problems but unwilling to change.
• Customer: Willing to identify problems and work on solutions.

Techniques and Interventions

• Miracle Question: Shifts focus from problems to solutions by envisioning a problem-free life.
• Exception Questions: Identifies times when problems were less severe.
• Scaling Questions: Quantifies feelings and progress, helps set measurable goals.

Process of Therapy

• Assess roles and client readiness for change.
• Sessions end with homework, often starting with the First Session Formula Task.
• Skeleton Key: A generic task applicable across scenarios.
• Follow-up sessions start by reviewing improvements.

Conclusion

• SFT focuses on enabling clients to find their own solutions with guidance from therapists.
• Encourages feedback and experiences from audience, with an open call for future video suggestions.