What’s new?

We’re delighted to introduce our new What Is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)? information handout. It’s a clear, client-friendly introduction to a practical therapy approach which helps people move forward by focusing on what they want, instead of what’s going wrong.

Why use SFBT?

When people are struggling, it’s natural to spend a lot of time talking about what’s going wrong. They might discuss what caused the problem, the impact it has, and what it says about them. While understanding difficulties can be useful, it can lead to conversations that feel unproductive or discouraging.

Instead, some clients find it helpful to focus on how they can move forward in ways that feel realistic and personal. Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a talking therapy that aims to address this. It helps clients build change by focusing on solutions, strengths, and progress.

What to expect from SFBT therapy

Instead of analyzing problems in depth, SFBT helps clients:

• Describe a preferred future (what they want life to look like).

• Identify exceptions (times the problem is less intense or not present).

• Notice what’s already working.

• Build momentum through small, achievable steps.

• Track improvement using simple tools.

SFBT is collaborative and practical. It treats the client as the expert in their own life, and the therapist as someone who helps them notice patterns, strengths, and possibilities they may have overlooked.

The What Is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)? information handout introduces the key ideas of SFBT in a clear and structured way, supporting helpful therapy conversations and guiding decisions about treatment.

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Who is this handout for?

This resource may be useful for:

• Clients who are considering different types of talking therapy.

• Therapists and mental health professionals who use SFBT, or who want a simple way to explain it to clients.

• Students and trainee therapists who want to learn about different approaches.

How can it be used?

Therapists can use this handout to:

• Explain the key ideas in SFBT

• Introduce the idea of solution-focused work

• Help clients make decisions about their treatment

• Reinforce important SFBT concepts between sessions

It works well as a shared reading tool in-session or as a short piece of psychoeducation.

References

Vermeulen-Oskam, E., Franklin, C., van’t Hof, L. P. M., Stams, G. J. J. M., van Vugt, E. S., Assink, M., & Zhang, A. (2024). The current evidence of solution-focused brief therapy: A meta-analysis of psychosocial outcomes and moderating factors. Clinical Psychology Review, 114, 102512.