What Is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?

Where solution-focused therapy comes from

Solution-focused brief therapy, often shortened to SFBT, was developed in the 1980s at the Brief Family Therapy Centre in Milwaukee by Steve de Shazer, Insoo Kim Berg and their colleagues. It has since been used in mental health care, health and social care, coaching and other settings.

Researchers describe it as a short-term, goal-oriented and future-oriented approach that centers on a person's strengths and resources. In the studies researchers have reviewed, the number of sessions varies a good deal, and it is often described simply as however many are needed.

The ideas behind it

Many kinds of therapy begin by studying the problem: when it started, what causes it and what keeps it going. SFBT starts somewhere else. Published descriptions of the approach point to a few core ideas:

• You are the expert on your own life. The therapist acts as a guide who follows your lead, using your own words.
• Change is always happening. The work is to notice it and build on it.
• You already have skills and resources. Therapy aims to find and strengthen them.
• A clear picture of the future you want is more useful than a detailed map of the problem.
• Goals should be concrete and should matter to you, not be set for you.

Questions you might hear

SFBT is known for its questions. They can feel different from what people expect in therapy, because they point toward what you want and what is already working.

1. 1Best hopesEarly on, a therapist may ask what you are hoping for from the work. The answer shapes everything that follows.
2. 2The miracle questionYou are invited to imagine, in everyday detail, life with the problem solved. What would be different? Who would notice first? The point is to make the goal specific.
3. 3ExceptionsYou look for times when the problem was absent or a little less strong. What was different then? What did you do? Those moments hold clues.
4. 4Scaling questionsYou rate where things stand on a scale, then talk about what one small step up would look like. Scales are also used to track progress, confidence and motivation.
5. 5Feedback and small tasksSessions often end with the therapist naming strengths they noticed and suggesting something to try or pay attention to before next time.

Who it may suit

SFBT was designed to be general, suitable in many contexts and used in a wide range of settings. Its style tends to appeal to people who want a practical, forward-looking conversation and a clear goal.

That can include teenagers, who often prefer talking about what they want over being asked what is wrong, and families, where each person can describe the change they hope to see at home. It can also be a good fit during a life transition, when the question is less "why do I feel this way" and more "what do I do next."

A therapist may also blend solution-focused questions with another approach, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Using these questions is not an all-or-nothing choice.

What the research says, and the limits

The research picture is encouraging and incomplete. A 2025 review protocol in a psychiatry journal notes that earlier reviews show mostly positive outcomes. A 2026 scoping review of studies in adult community mental health found positive outcomes across the studies it included, and it cites an umbrella review that found SFBT can be used with high confidence for adults working toward personal goals.

The same researchers are open about the gaps. The scoping review calls the evidence base small, with much of it drawn from a single dataset. Few studies compare SFBT directly with approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, and people living with some serious mental health conditions are largely missing from the research. The 2025 protocol says the approach's standing as a treatment for common mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, is still unclear and has yet to be examined in detail.

There are practical limits too. Some people want and need to understand where a problem came from, and some concerns call for a different kind of therapy. A brief, goal-focused approach may be one part of care, not the whole of it. A good therapist will tell you if a different approach would fit you better.

SFBT is also not emergency care. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911. Locascio Wellness does not provide emergency services, and our crisis resources page lists more options.

How we can help

Solution-focused therapy is one of the approaches used by members of our team, alongside cognitive behavioral therapy, family systems work and others. Not every therapist uses every approach, so it is worth asking about at a consultation. You can read about our team first.

It is often part of our teen therapy and family therapy. All sessions are by secure video, and clients must be physically in Pennsylvania, West Virginia or Arizona during a session. We match you with a therapist licensed where you live.

A free 15-minute consultation is a simple way to begin, and you can choose a time on our booking page. Coverage details are on our insurance and fees page. Small, clear steps toward the life you want are a good place for any change to start.