Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is one of several other therapy types we offer in our mental health PHP and mental health IOP programs for addiction and mental health. As its name may indicate, this therapy focuses on finding solutions to a problem rather than focusing only on the issue.
Here’s more about how our solution-focused brief therapy in Phoenix, AZ works and how to contact us at Camelback Recovery when you’re ready to discuss your treatment options for a substance use disorder.
What Is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?
SFBT helps you find solutions to problems that seriously impact your health, life, and general well-being. SFBT focuses on your strengths rather than on your weaknesses and teaches you how to apply your skills, resources, and coping abilities in ways that address your problems and improve your life.
During solution-focused therapy sessions, your therapist will ask you what you hope to accomplish with your life and about your ideal outcome, or solution, to your problem. Your therapist will then guide you toward finding ways to solve your problem using your skills and the resources available to you. Another goal of SFBT is to help you understand that positive change is always possible regardless of how bad things may get. Practicing useful behaviors can often help you successfully cope with and resolve problems.
Therapists who practice SFBT will ask specific sets of questions to help you find solutions to your problem. These sets of questions are known as Miracle questions, Scaling questions, and Exception questions.
Miracle Questions
Miracle questions intend to help you see that there are numerous possibilities in your future. To help you see these possibilities, your therapist may ask certain questions that make you consider how life would be if your problem didn’t exist. This process typically requires setting up a scenario in which a “miracle” occurs and makes the problem go away.
Scaling Questions
Scaling questions are meant to help you and your therapist fully assess your problem or situation, determine how far away you are from meeting your goal, and what you need to do to move toward that goal. Your therapist may also ask you to rate your motivation and confidence levels using a scale of 1 to 10 and identify which factors can help you progress toward your goal.
Exception Questions
Exception questions allow you to identify and talk about times in your life when things were different and when the problem you have now wasn’t a problem back then. For example, your therapist may ask you to talk about the times in your life when you felt happiest or times when the problem did not exist in your life. Exception questions can often empower you to find the best solutions to your problem.
What Are the Benefits of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?
A primary benefit of receiving SFBT is learning how to spend more time finding solutions to your problems rather than investing all your time and energy into worrying or thinking about your issues. This therapy is particularly beneficial to those who already have specific goals in mind but need an extra push or help with reaching those goals.
Other benefits of SFBT include:
- Reduction in symptoms related to trauma, addiction, and substance use disorders
- Fewer interpersonal relationship problems
- Reduction in depression and anxiety
- Increased confidence and self-esteem
- Reduction in behavioral problems, such as conduct disorder
- Brief treatment overall, as it usually only lasts 5 to 8 treatment sessions
- Ability to learn effective problem-solving skills
- Less costly than many other types of therapy
Who Needs Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?
SFBT can help anyone who needs help reaching their future goals or solving a particular problem and getting a quicker resolution. It is often combined with other behavioral therapies to help people recover from addiction and substance use disorders, as well as behavioral disorders.
SFBT can also help people with the following:
- Relationship problems
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Low self-esteem
- Low confidence
- Chronic stress
If you’re not entirely sure whether you can benefit from SFBT or want to learn more about how this therapy can address your problem, contact us today at 602-466-9880 to speak with one of our specialists. Our team at Camelback Recovery can answer any questions you have about SFBT and its role in addiction treatment. In addition, we offer a variety of drug and alcohol rehab programs and will be more than happy to guide you toward achieving long-term recovery.
