SFBT therapy – what is it and what does the solution-focused approach involve?

SFBT (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy) is known for being concrete. Instead of analysing at length “why things are the way they are”, we more often ask: “what needs to change?” and “what is already working a little – even if only minimally?”.

In psychological consultations SFBT can be excellent when you want to get moving and need a practical plan.

SFBT – what is it (in simple terms)

SFBT assumes that you do not have to fully understand the sources of a problem in order to make a real improvement. What matters more is building solutions that fit your life.

• focus on the goal and the change you want,
• looking for exceptions (“when is it at least a little better?”),
• strengthening resources and a sense of agency,
• small steps instead of “everything at once”.

What a conversation in the SFBT approach looks like

Questions often come up that help sharpen the direction:

• “How will you know things are better?”
• “What will be different in your day then?”
• “When does the problem have less power?”
• “What do you do (or not do) then?”

These are not “magic questions”. They are a way of drawing something concrete out of the chaos, something you can build a plan from.

Who SFBT can be a good choice for

SFBT often helps when:

• you want to move into action more quickly,
• you feel stuck and need structure,
• you are working on habits, boundaries, organisation, communication,
• measurable progress matters to you (small, concrete changes).

If your topic is stress, see also: Stress and anxiety and Professional burnout.

SFBT online – does it make sense?

In SFBT a lot happens in the conversation: defining the goal, looking for exceptions, planning steps. That is why the online format often works very well – as long as you have a quiet place and a stable connection.

If you are interested in an online consultation, take a look at: Services and Contact.