英文原文
8 Techniques Used in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
When you think of therapy, you might picture multiple sessions where you discuss your past with a therapist. But that approach isn’t always used. In fact, a very different approach may be helpful for several mental health issues, like depression or anxiety.
This approach — known as solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) — isn’t a long-term process. It’s designed to be short-term and focuses on the present and future rather than the past.
Are you wondering if SFBT may be helpful for you? We’ll explore this therapeutic approach in the following sections, how it works, and use cases.
What is solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT)?
Psychologists Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg developed SFBT in the late 1970s. It’s a type of therapy that’s done during a short time period and emphasizes finding solutions rather than unpacking the past. This therapeutic approach encourages focus on the present and motivates people to work on making changes to improve their lives and mental well-being.
SFBT includes multiple sessions where various techniques are used to help clients find solutions to address specific issues. For example, you might participate in SFBT techniques as part of grief therapy after losing a loved one, or your therapist might use these techniques to help you manage anxiety.
How does SFBT differ from traditional psychotherapy?
Solution-focused therapy puts the focus on solutions versus taking a deep dive into the past. Traditional talk therapy or psychotherapy begins with gathering detailed historical information. The SFBT approach identifies current stressors with a goal of identifying strategies to improve. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) involves examining negative thoughts and behaviors.
With SFBT, the present is front and center which differs from traditional talk therapy. Instead, you work toward a future where you’ve overcome your struggles or learned to successfully manage them.
SFBT works under the guiding belief that you have the strength and resources you need to create adaptive changes in your life.
The principles and goals of the solution-focused approach
What are the aims of a solution-focused approach? What principles is it based on? This information helps you gain a better understanding of this kind of therapy. In the following sections, we’ll go over the goals and principles of SFBT.
Brevity and focus
Traditional therapy often lasts for several weeks or even months. SFBT takes place over a much shorter period of time. This type of therapy makes directness and conciseness a priority.
Instead of spending time examining past issues, you get right to the point and start working on solutions. This tight focus helps you move through therapy at a faster pace — allowing you to begin making positive changes sooner.
Building solutions rather than solving concerns
SFBT includes positive psychology principles, such as being a solution-building approach rather than a problem-solving one. This forward-moving methodology can offer a clear path to achieving therapy goals — and the motivation to do so.
Focusing on solving concerns means you have to wade through them first before coming up with solutions. This may become frustrating, especially if you’re eager to make changes in your life. SFBT provides an environment that helps you create solutions to a current problem right from the start.
Present and future-focused questions
Answering questions about the past during therapy may make it hard to focus on the future. You might find yourself dwelling on your experiences instead of moving forward. SFBT involves answering present and future-oriented questions.
Why is this important? These kinds of questions help you stay focused on how you can change and improve your mental well-being. They encourage and inspire you to envision and realize change, giving you a sense of hope for a better future.
Client’s strengths and resources
Knowing that you have what it takes to make changes in your life can be incredibly empowering. And this is what SFBT helps you learn. This type of therapy helps you identify your inherent strengths and the resources you have for solving problems.
This knowledge may help you feel more in control of your future. It can also help you feel motivated and more confident about achieving your goals, setting you up for success.
Therapeutic alliance is key
Collaboration is key to any type of therapy, and solution-focused therapy is no different. You and your therapist work together through structured sessions to help you discover your strengths, find solutions, and set goals.
A good therapeutic relationship between you and your therapist is essential. Without this, you may struggle to come up with solutions to your problems. Or you might find it hard to feel motivated and hopeful about reaching your goals.
8 techniques used in solution-focused brief therapy
SFBT includes several interventions that are used to help foster change. During structured therapy sessions, you and your therapist engage in conversations that move you toward finding solutions to what you’re struggling with.
Below, we’ll walk you through common solution-focused therapy techniques.
1. Goal development
Having clear and achievable goals to work on gives you something to focus on. How do you determine what these are? You and your therapist collaborate to come up with goals for therapy.
You might answer questions about what you hope your life will be like after therapy. Or you might discuss what you think should happen to make therapy a worthwhile experience for you when you look back on it.
2. The Miracle Question
What would your life be like if, by some miracle, your problems went away overnight? This is what the Miracle Question entails. This question helps you visualize how your life could change for the better after overcoming or solving your problems. This can provide you with hope and encouragement that change is possible.
3. Exception-finding questions
Have there been times when your problem wasn’t as severe? Or times when it could have happened, but didn’t? How did you handle these situations? These exception questions help you look for exceptions to your problem.
Answering them may help you identify coping methods that you were able to use. Or you might discover hidden strengths you didn’t realize you had.
4. Scaling questions
Scaling questions help you and your therapist keep track of the progress you make during your sessions. These questions involve giving ratings from 0 to 10 on your progress. Your therapist might ask you to rate how confident you feel about reaching your goals or how severe your problem currently seems.
Your ratings help your therapist determine how to help you move in the right direction toward achieving your goals.
5. Coping questions
How have you been able to handle day-to-day life, despite your problem? This is an example of a coping question that may be used in SFBT. These questions cause you to think about how you’ve successfully coped with difficulties.
Knowing that you’ve been able to keep going, even while struggling, may help you feel more optimistic about the future. It also shows that you’re more resilient than you thought!
6. Presupposing change questions
Noticing positive changes can be tough when you’re struggling. Presupposing change questions encourage you to think about these kinds of changes — whether they’re big or small changes.
Your therapist may ask you if anything happened that improved your situation, even if it was only slightly. This helps you realize that positive change is already occurring to some degree.
7. Compliments
Compliments are a core part of solution-focused therapy. These can be direct or indirect. For example, your therapist might acknowledge the steps you’re taking to make changes and how difficult this can be.
Giving compliments helps validate your efforts and experiences. It can also help raise your self-esteem and build trust between you and a therapist who understands you.
8. Reframing
You can look at the same situation or experience in different ways. That’s the basis behind reframing in SFBT, and other therapeutic methodologies like CBT. This technique involves helping you see a situation from another perspective that’s more helpful.
Your therapist can point out positive aspects of the situation, or challenge unhelpful views you might have about it. This can give you an objective perspective about how you coped with a difficult experience or situation.
What is solution-focused brief therapy for?
SFBT can be used to treat a wide range of issues and conditions. It may not be suitable for more severe or complex disorders. However, it has been successfully used for certain mild to moderate disorders and other kinds of issues.
We’ll discuss the effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy below.
Depression
SFBT has been effective when used to treat mild or moderate cases of depression. It’s been shown to help treat specific symptoms of depression. It has also been beneficial for individuals who may not have the time to commit to long-term therapy, as results can be achieved with fewer sessions.
In one study by the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, SFBT was administered to an adolescent girl with moderate depression. Using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the young woman’s baseline score of 21 — which categorized her depression as severe. Post SFBT intervention, her score dropped to 6, putting her back in the “normal” range.
Anxiety disorders
As with depression, SFBT has been an effective form of therapy for mild to moderate cases of anxiety. It has been successfully used to help adults who have generalized anxiety and social anxiety. SFBT has also been shown to be effective in helping adolescents with anxiety.
Relationship problems
SFBT can be used in family therapy or couples therapy to help improve relationship issues. Research shows that individuals participating in this type of therapy for relationship issues were able to resolve the presenting problem at least partially or mostly with just a few sessions.
Behavioral issues
Is SFBT effective for treating behavioral issues in children? Research supports the use of this therapeutic approach for behavioral problems in children and adolescents. It has also been shown to help improve internalized and externalized behavior problems in all age groups.
Stress management
SFBT can offer an effective way to manage stress. As an example, one Tanaffos study illustrates that this solution-focused approach helped lower perceived stress and depression in patients with breast cancer.
The study was conducted over eight sessions, and used Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) to assess patients at the start of the sessions, and then after the sessions completed. The study found substantial differences between the experimental and control groups after SFBT.
Life transitions and adjustments
Losing loved ones, getting divorced, moving away from family, and other life transitions may be difficult to manage. SFBT offers a short-term approach to helping people navigate these changes in life and adapt in healthy ways.
Receive the right support and counseling for your needs with SonderMind
SFBT can give you an alternative perspective on your challenges, help you form solutions, and celebrate your wins — no matter how small or insignificant they might seem at the time.
No matter what type of mental health challenges you may be experiencing, you deserve the support you need to improve your well-being and quality of life. If you’re looking for a therapy provider, SonderMind can help.
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中文翻译
焦点解决短期治疗中使用的八种技术
当你想到治疗时，你可能会想象与治疗师进行多次会谈，讨论你的过去。但这种方法并不总是被使用。事实上，一种非常不同的方法可能对多种心理健康问题有帮助，比如抑郁或焦虑。
这种方法——被称为焦点解决短期治疗（SFBT）——不是一个长期的过程。它被设计为短期治疗，关注现在和未来，而不是过去。
你是否想知道SFBT是否对你有帮助？我们将在以下部分探讨这种治疗方法，它是如何工作的，以及应用案例。
什么是焦点解决短期治疗（SFBT）？
心理学家Steve de Shazer和Insoo Kim Berg在20世纪70年代末开发了SFBT。这是一种在短时间内进行的治疗类型，强调寻找解决方案，而不是剖析过去。这种治疗方法鼓励关注现在，并激励人们努力做出改变，以改善他们的生活和心理健康。
SFBT包括多次会谈，其中使用各种技术来帮助客户找到解决特定问题的方法。例如，你可能在失去亲人后作为悲伤治疗的一部分参与SFBT技术，或者你的治疗师可能使用这些技术来帮助你管理焦虑。
SFBT与传统心理治疗有何不同？
焦点解决治疗将重点放在解决方案上，而不是深入探究过去。传统的谈话治疗或心理治疗从收集详细的历史信息开始。SFBT方法识别当前的压力源，目标是确定改进策略。例如，认知行为疗法（CBT）涉及检查负面想法和行为。
在SFBT中，现在是核心，这与传统的谈话治疗不同。相反，你朝着一个未来努力，在那里你已经克服了挣扎或学会了成功管理它们。
SFBT在指导信念下工作，即你拥有在生活中创造适应性改变所需的力量和资源。
焦点解决方法的原则和目标
焦点解决方法的目标是什么？它基于什么原则？这些信息帮助你更好地理解这种治疗。在以下部分，我们将介绍SFBT的目标和原则。
简洁和专注
传统治疗通常持续数周甚至数月。SFBT在更短的时间内进行。这种治疗类型将直接性和简洁性作为优先事项。
与其花时间检查过去的问题，你直接切入重点，开始制定解决方案。这种紧密的专注帮助你以更快的速度完成治疗——让你能更早开始做出积极的改变。
构建解决方案而非解决问题
SFBT包括积极心理学原则，例如作为一种解决方案构建方法，而非问题解决方法。这种向前推进的方法论可以提供实现治疗目标的清晰路径——以及这样做的动力。
专注于解决问题意味着你必须先处理它们，然后才能提出解决方案。这可能变得令人沮丧，特别是如果你渴望在生活中做出改变。SFBT提供了一个环境，帮助你从一开始就为当前问题创造解决方案。
现在和未来导向的问题
在治疗中回答关于过去的问题可能使你难以专注于未来。你可能会发现自己沉溺于经历，而不是向前迈进。SFBT涉及回答现在和未来导向的问题。
为什么这很重要？这类问题帮助你专注于如何改变和改善你的心理健康。它们鼓励和激励你设想和实现改变，给你对更美好未来的希望感。
客户的优势和资源
知道你拥有在生活中做出改变所需的能力可以非常赋予力量。这正是SFBT帮助你学习的。这种治疗帮助你识别你固有的优势和你拥有的解决问题资源。
这种知识可能帮助你感觉更能掌控自己的未来。它还可以帮助你感觉更有动力和更自信地实现目标，为成功做好准备。
治疗联盟是关键
合作是任何类型治疗的关键，焦点解决治疗也不例外。你和你的治疗师通过结构化会谈合作，帮助你发现优势、找到解决方案和设定目标。
你和治疗师之间良好的治疗关系至关重要。没有这个，你可能难以提出问题的解决方案。或者你可能难以感觉有动力和希望实现目标。
焦点解决短期治疗中使用的八种技术
SFBT包括几种用于促进改变的干预措施。在结构化治疗会谈中，你和你的治疗师进行对话，推动你找到解决你正在挣扎的问题的方法。
下面，我们将引导你了解常见的焦点解决治疗技术。
1. 目标发展
拥有清晰且可实现的目标可以让你有所专注。你如何确定这些目标是什么？你和你的治疗师合作制定治疗目标。
你可能回答关于你希望治疗后生活如何的问题。或者你可能讨论你认为应该发生什么，以使治疗在回顾时对你来说是一次有价值的经历。
2. 奇迹问题
如果通过某种奇迹，你的问题一夜之间消失了，你的生活会是什么样子？这就是奇迹问题所包含的内容。这个问题帮助你想象在克服或解决问题后，你的生活如何变得更好。这可以为你提供希望和鼓励，改变是可能的。
3. 例外发现的问题
有没有时候你的问题不那么严重？或者有没有时候它可能发生，但没有发生？你是如何处理这些情况的？这些例外问题帮助你寻找问题的例外情况。
回答它们可能帮助你识别你能够使用的应对方法。或者你可能发现你未曾意识到的隐藏优势。
4. 量表问题
量表问题帮助你和你的治疗师跟踪你在会谈中取得的进展。这些问题涉及从0到10对你的进展进行评分。你的治疗师可能要求你评估你对实现目标的信心程度，或者你当前问题的严重程度。
你的评分帮助你的治疗师确定如何帮助你朝着实现目标的正確方向前进。
5. 应对问题
尽管有问题，你是如何能够处理日常生活的？这是SFBT中可能使用的应对问题的一个例子。这些问题促使你思考你是如何成功应对困难的。
知道你即使在挣扎中也能继续前进，可能帮助你感觉对未来更乐观。这也表明你比你想象的更有韧性！
6. 预设改变的问题
当你挣扎时，注意到积极变化可能很困难。预设改变的问题鼓励你思考这类变化——无论它们是大的还是小的变化。
你的治疗师可能问你是否有任何事情改善了你的情况，即使只是轻微改善。这帮助你意识到积极变化已经在某种程度上发生。
7. 赞美
赞美是焦点解决治疗的核心部分。这些可以是直接或间接的。例如，你的治疗师可能承认你正在采取的步骤来做出改变，以及这有多困难。
给予赞美有助于验证你的努力和经历。它还可以帮助提高你的自尊，并建立你与理解你的治疗师之间的信任。
8. 重构
你可以以不同的方式看待相同的情况或经历。这就是SFBT中重构的基础，以及其他治疗方法如CBT。这种技术涉及帮助你从另一个更有帮助的角度看待情况。
你的治疗师可以指出情况的积极方面，或者挑战你可能对其持有的无益观点。这可以给你一个客观的视角，关于你如何应对困难经历或情况。
焦点解决短期治疗用于什么？
SFBT可用于治疗广泛的问题和状况。它可能不适合更严重或复杂的障碍。然而，它已成功用于某些轻度至中度障碍和其他类型的问题。
我们将在下面讨论焦点解决短期治疗的有效性。
抑郁
SFBT在治疗轻度或中度抑郁病例时有效。它已被证明有助于治疗抑郁的特定症状。它还对那些可能没有时间承诺长期治疗的人有益，因为结果可以在更少的会谈中实现。
在《印度心理医学杂志》的一项研究中，SFBT被用于一名患有中度抑郁的青春期女孩。使用汉密尔顿抑郁评定量表，该年轻女性的基线得分为21——这将其抑郁归类为严重。SFBT干预后，她的得分降至6，使其回到“正常”范围。
焦虑障碍
与抑郁一样，SFBT已成为治疗轻度至中度焦虑病例的有效治疗形式。它已成功用于帮助患有广泛性焦虑和社交焦虑的成年人。SFBT还被证明在帮助青少年焦虑方面有效。
关系问题
SFBT可用于家庭治疗或夫妻治疗，以帮助改善关系问题。研究表明，参与这种治疗以解决关系问题的个体能够仅通过几次会谈至少部分或大部分解决呈现的问题。
行为问题
SFBT对治疗儿童行为问题有效吗？研究支持使用这种治疗方法处理儿童和青少年的行为问题。它还被证明有助于改善所有年龄组的内化和外化行为问题。
压力管理
SFBT可以提供一种有效的压力管理方式。例如，一项Tanaffos研究表明，这种焦点解决方法有助于降低乳腺癌患者的感知压力和抑郁。
该研究进行了八次会谈，并使用科恩感知压力量表（PSS）和流行病学研究中心抑郁量表（CES-D）在会谈开始时和会谈结束后评估患者。研究发现，SFBT后实验组和对照组之间存在显著差异。
生活转变和调整
失去亲人、离婚、远离家人和其他生活转变可能难以管理。SFBT提供了一种短期方法，帮助人们应对生活中的这些变化，并以健康的方式适应。
通过SonderMind获得适合你需求的正确支持和咨询
SFBT可以为你提供挑战的替代视角，帮助你形成解决方案，并庆祝你的胜利——无论它们在当时看起来多么微小或不重要。
无论你正在经历何种类型的心理健康挑战，你都应得所需的支持来改善你的福祉和生活质量。如果你正在寻找治疗提供者，SonderMind可以提供帮助。
通过SonderMind，你可以获得所需的专业心理健康护理，帮助你应对生活中的挑战。通过在线或面对面治疗，SonderMind使你能够快速与富有同情心的治疗师联系。
今天就开始使用SonderMind。
文章概要
本文介绍了焦点解决短期治疗（SFBT）的八种核心技术，包括目标发展、奇迹问题、例外发现的问题、量表问题、应对问题、预设改变的问题、赞美和重构。文章阐述了SFBT与传统心理治疗的区别，强调其短期、现在和未来导向的特点，以及基于客户优势和资源的原则。文章还讨论了SFBT在抑郁、焦虑、关系问题、行为问题、压力管理和生活转变等领域的应用有效性，特别结合关键词“SFBT methods for identifying goals in crisis hotline support”，突出了目标发展技术在危机热线支持中识别目标的重要性。
高德明老师的评价
用12岁初中生可以听懂的语音来重复翻译的内容：SFBT就像是一个超级英雄工具箱，里面有八种神奇的工具，比如“目标发展”帮你设定小目标，“奇迹问题”让你想象问题消失后的美好生活，“例外发现的问题”帮你找到问题不那么严重的时刻，“量表问题”让你打分看进步，“应对问题”让你想想自己是怎么挺过来的，“预设改变的问题”让你注意已经发生的好变化，“赞美”让你感觉自己很棒，“重构”帮你换个角度看问题。这些工具不纠结过去，而是让你现在和未来变得更好，特别适合在危机热线中快速帮人找到希望和目标。
焦点解决心理学理论评价：SFBT展现了焦点解决心理学的核心精髓，它以赞美为导向，强调客户的内在优势和资源，而非问题本身。通过目标发展等技术，它引导个体从目标视角出发，聚焦于未来可能性，而非过去困扰。这种理论框架体现了积极心理学原则，将治疗视为解决方案构建过程，而非问题解决过程，从而赋能个体主动创造改变。在危机热线支持中，这种理论能够快速识别目标，激发希望感，符合SFBT的简洁和专注原则。
在实践上可以应用的领域和可以解决人们的十个问题：SFBT可应用于危机热线支持、学校心理咨询、职场压力管理、家庭关系调解、社区心理健康服务、医疗环境心理支持、成瘾康复辅导、创伤后恢复、生活过渡适应和日常情绪调节。它可以解决人们的十个问题：在危机中快速找到希望和目标、提升应对焦虑的能力、改善人际关系沟通、增强自我效能感、管理日常压力、促进积极行为改变、适应生活重大变化、提高问题解决技能、培养乐观心态和加强社会支持网络。