Traditional family therapies focus on historical family issues and current problems. Instead,
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, which was initially designed for family therapy, approaches clients from a strength-based perspective and ensures the involvement of all family members. The Solution-Focused Brief Therapy model focuses away from the problem and leads clients towards a solution, and change.

In a family context, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is ideal because of its short commitment,
making it an attractive option for families seeking therapy. A benefit of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is the brevity of the approach helps with family buy-in because of the short commitment and financially viable option – an added bonus for clients who receive limited insurance benefits or have to pay out-of- pocket.

The Solution-Focused Brief Therapy approach is a client-centred approach that considers the
family as the expert in their lives and rejects the idea that the therapist is the expert. A Solution-Focused Brief Therapy therapist develops an alliance with family members by collaborating, and leads with curiosity. The Solution-Focused Brief Therapy therapist seeks to understand what is currently working in the family structure and attempts to guide clients toward behavioural changes that can be duplicated regularly. By focusing on small behavioural changes, clients increase hope. Additionally, the action- oriented approach of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy focuses on behaviours to create specific, substantial and noticeable changes in the family.

Considerations

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy has been proven to be effective for various family structures,
such as blended families, BIPOC families, 2SLGBTQ+ couples, polyamorous clients, and with family structures of varying generations. Therefore, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a great strategy for families who are seeking a culturally sensitive approach to healing. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is an empirically tested method of therapy that has proven to be effective. It is equally effective for in-person and telehealth options.

Cautions

Although this approach may benefit many families, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy may not be
suitable for families with major traumas or psychological issues that may require other interventions. In these circumstances, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, in conjunction with other approaches, may be more beneficial. Please speak with your therapist to see if Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a good approach for your family.

References

Choi, J. J. (2020). A case study of solution-focused brief family therapy. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 48(2), 195-210. https://doi.org/10/1080/01926187.2019.1691083 Goldenberg, I., Stanton, M., & Goldenberg, H. (2017). Family therapy: An overview (9th ed.). Brooks- Cole.

Kim, J. S., & Franklin, C. (2015). Understanding emotional change in solution-focused brief therapy:Facilitating positive emotions. Best Practices in Mental Health: An International Journal,  11(1), 25–41.

Seyyedmoharrami, H., Ghanbari HashemAbadi, B., Asghari EbrahimAbad, M. J., & Zandi, A. (2022). Comparing the effect of solution-focused therapy and structural family therapy on marital
satisfaction and family function in married women. Social

Detriments of Health, 8(1), 1-9.
http://dx.doi.org/10.22037/sdh.v8il.36043
Walker, C. R., Froerer, A. S., & Gourlay-Fernandez, N. (2022). The value of using emotions in solution focused brief therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 48(3), 48, 812– 826.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12551