Solutıon focused brıef therapy

Psychotherapy aims to transform maladaptive patterns of emotion, behavior, and thought that
affect people's daily lives into patterns of emotion, thought, and behavior that are compatible with
scientific psychological approaches and techniques. For this purpose, psychotherapy prevents the
deterioration of the functionality of the person in the social and occupational fields. In the
psychotherapy process, the alliance of the patient and the therapist is very important in changing
these maladaptive behavior, emotion and thought patterns. The therapist's caring, understanding,
respectful and helpful attitudes towards the patient's incompatibilities encourage the patient in the
therapy process (Öztürk&Ayhan,2021).As a result, the development of mutual interpersonal
therapeutic structure in therapy and cooperation between patient and therapist becomes easier.
Over time, new different psychotherapy models and psychotherapy techniques have been
developed in line with the needs of people. Psychotherapies, which are so different from each other
but have so much in common, have a wide range of uses and purposes. Regardless of the different
theoretical bases on which they are built, all psychotherapies help in the improvement of
psychiatric complaints and impairment of individual functioning. It also interferes with personal
psychopathologies such as seeking psychological support, problems in relationships, behavioral
disorders during adolescence, stress, anxiety, loss of self-confidence, obsessions and behavioral
disorders. Owing to the therapist's knowledge, experience, and maturation over time, they have
the ability to understand the difference between therapeutic interventions from different schools
(Simon&Brus,2017). In order to treat psychopathology, which has spread over a large area, many
psychotherapy methods and psychotherapy techniques have been developed according to the needs
of the person.
In this study, the development, therapeutic techniques, therapeutic purposes and therapeutic stages
of Solution Focused Brief therapy, which is generally applied to patients whose complaints are
mostly related to human relations, will be explained. Steve De Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg, who
are considered the founders of Solution Focused Brief therapy, were influenced by the work of
Milton H. Erickson (Shazer et al.,1986). Shazer, emphasizing that the focus should be on the
solution rather than the problem in therapy, with the words "Problems will grow if they are not heeded,
and solutions will disappear if they are not heeded"; In therapy, it emphasizes the patient's ability to think
of different solutions to their own problems, along with the patient's strengths. The patient's ability
to think of alternative and different solutions for her/his own problems is only possible if the
patient is an individual who is willing to change and strives to achieve change (Karataş&Yavuzer).
According to Shazer, patients' problems are a locked and unopened door. According to Solution
Focused Brief therapy, the problem that needs to be focused here is not that the key does not open
the door. The important thing here is for the patient to focus on searching for the key to the
problem. When the patient focuses on his/her own success in the search for a solution to the
problem, beneficial changes will come with him. Success in solution-focused brief therapy is
achieved talking about solutions instead of talking about problems. Since the formulation of SFBT
is easy, understandable, learnable and solution-oriented, it is successful in producing results in a
short time. In therapy, patients are tried to be directed to solution-oriented questions by the
therapist. However, since the solutions differ from person to person, it is important to reach the
right solutions. According to the SFBT, patients: (1) Fix if it's not broken (2) Understand what works first

and then do it more (3) If it doesn't work, don't try again, they continue therapy with these principles
(Karataş&Yavuzer).
In addition, it should never be ignored that small changes in SFBT will always lead to big changes.
SFBT, which does not have a complex structure, emphasizes that the patient will reach big
solutions or changes with a small change.
In order for the patient to internalize these changes and the process of focusing on the solution, the
therapist uses therapeutic techniques and question types belong to SFBT. First of all, the patient's
appointment for therapy in SFBT is seen as the beginning of the patient's positive change.
Therefore, in the first meeting, the PFT therapist emphasizes that making an appointment with the
patient is the beginning of a small but big change by asking the patient "What changes have
happened in your problem since the day you made the appointment, what have you done?". In the
following process, the therapist tries to explain and replicate the positive changes in the patient's
life from the day of the appointment to the last stage of the therapy(Jackson&McKergow , 2007).
At the goal-setting stage, which is the first therapeutic technique, the goals are created in a
positive language. It is important that the goals are concrete, they should consist of observable and
measurable behaviors. Here, instead of focusing on the patient's inadequacies and what they can't
do, the patient's focus is on what they can do. Here the therapist trusts the patient's abilities. One
of the most important issues is that the therapist understands whether the patient's purpose is ethical
or not. No purpose that can harm both the patient and others is unacceptable. Ethical goals are
asked to the patient, focusing on the patient's real wishes instead of the so-called goals. Exception
questions, which are another therapeutic technique; suggests that the solution to every problem is
within itself. Here, the patient is reminded that no matter how problematic his life is, there may be
an exceptional moment in his life when he does not have this problem or the severity of the problem
is less. The main goal here is to show the patient that the problem will not go on forever. The
exceptional questions asked by the therapist allow the patients to strengthen their strength and
move on to the solution. Thus, patients learn that solutions can be hidden in exceptional moments.
Another another therapeutic technique is the miracle questions, the patient tries to discover the
world of solutions, which is a new world for the patient. For example, therapist asking to patient:
A miracle happened last night, and the problem that brought you here was solved, but you don't realize this miracle
what would be the first sign that such a miracle had happened how would you understand it and what would you do
differently in this situation than usual?. When therapist asks to patient this question, the patient discovers
that he can change the perspective of seeing the problem, solution and what is being done about
the problem so that he can change the problem. Another therapeutic technique, the scaling
question, asks grading questions to identify factors that cannot be easily measured in the patient's
life, such as intangible emotion, psychological state, and communication. Generally, therapists tell
their patients to think of a scale between 0 and 10. The therapist makes the patient think about the
subject he gives himself 0 on the scale. Even if the patient makes a small progress on the scale, it
is considered big progress. Homework, which is the fifth therapeutic technique, is discussed at the
end of the first session about the homework that the patient should do for the second session. These
homeworks are usually designed as a result of the patient and the therapist working together.
Owing to these homework assignments, the patient understands the solutions that work and those
that do not. (Gingerich&Eisengart,2000).

In addition to these therapeutic techniques, the therapists' feedback to the patient is also important
in order to encourage the patient to try new solutions. The task of giving feedback to the patient is
divided into 3; (1)Compliments (2)Bridge (3)Suggestion task(Jong&Berg, 2008). After each session, the
patient expects a feedback from the therapist. While meeting this need of the patient, the therapist

also prepares the message to be conveyed to the patient. The message starts with compliments and
praise for the patient's changes, even if they are small. Then the patient is made to realize the
connection between homework and the purpose of coming to therapy. Lastly information is given
about the task/homework for the next week session.
In solution-focused therapy, therapeutic stages are applied together with the above-mentioned
therapeutic techniques. The therapeutic stages of SFBT are divided into two. The first stage is the
first session. The first session is one of the most important sessions of solution-focused therapy.
Here, the therapist structures the therapy, establishes a relationship with the patient and focus into
the patient's internal resources. Then, the therapist tries to determine the goal of the therapy by
asking the patient what the patient wants to achieve. The therapist tries to understand the patient's
expectation from the future by asking the miracle question. Then the therapist draws the patient's
attention to the exceptions in the problem. The therapist takes a short break. Here, the patient is
given positive feedback. Finally, the session is concluded by giving the patient an assignment to
do,if its necassery.
In the second and subsequent sessions, the therapist follows the process he formulated in the first
session.Therapist is asked what he has done better since he first came. So patients come to therapy
to do something better for themselves. Therapy ends when the patients have reached a stage that
provides satisfaction for them.With the scaling question, the therapist can understand at what stage
the patient will be satisfied with the therapy.The therapist guides the patient to continue the
changes that the patient has designed for him (Karataş& Yavuzer, 2018).

REFERENCES

A.B Simon,M.Brus. (2017). General Principles of Psychotherapy/Psychiatry. Oxford.

De P.Jong,I.K. Berg. (2008). Interviewing for solutions. Pasific Grove CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
Erdinç Öztürk,Hülya Ayhan. (2021). Psikoterapinin temel ilkeleri ve temel bileşenleri. DergiPark,
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P.Jackson&M.McKergow . (2007). The Solusion Focus . London: Nicholas Brealy International.
S. D. Shazer,I.K Berg,E.Lipchık,A.Molnar,W.Gingerich,M.W.Davis. (1986). Brief Therapy:
Focused Solution Development. Milwaukee, Wisconsin : Brief Family Therapy Center
W. J. Gingerich, S. E. (2000, 3 9). Solution-focused brief therapy: a review of the outcome
research. Pubmed.gov: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18188829/
Zeynep Karataş,Yasemin Yavuzer. (2018). Psikanalitik Terapi,Terapötik amaçlar. Psikolojik
Danışma ve Psikoterapi Kuramları (s. 44-45). içinde Ankara: Pegem akademi.