Solution-Focused Brief Therapy - Literature review Example

Solution-Focused Therapy Student: Institutional Affiliation: Date: Introduction The solution-focused therapy is an approach at offering psychotherapeutic solutions by focusing on solution building rather than dwelling on how to solve a problem (Teater, 2013). As noted by Kim (2008) it implies that a therapist focuses on the positives in terms of the client’s current resources and hopes of a desirable future. The traditional approach would focus on the negatives; the causes of a problem and how they should be eliminated. On the other hand, the solution focused therapy puts the client at the expert position in a psychotherapy session by allowing them to determine the desired future and what will work towards it attainment (Teater, 2013). This is particularly very relevant in finding a solution to a domestic violence case such as Halima’s where she feels trapped between her dreams/ambitions and family ties (Lehmann et al., 2012). Halima should focus on the kind of future she desires in terms of family life and career. She should as well determine what resources, skills and abilities can enable her attain the desired future. By focusing on damaged family relations, Halima will find it difficult to move forward into a desirable phase of her life as she will want to revenge and assert herself. The miracle question The first part of the solution focused therapy is identifying the problem by asking the client what they hope to achieve by attending the psychotherapeutic session. This is very important for the therapists as he/she gets an idea of what caused the problem, the current situation and the desirable future. The therapists may proceed to ask the “miracle question” of what would indicate a problem has been solved (Gingerich & Peterson, 2013). In the case of Halima, she identifies the problem as the violence and suppression she receives from her family. She believes the desirable future will be her being independent to make her own decisions and capable of furthering her education goals. This is very important as it helps the therapist identify the available solutions to offer her. The Scaling Question The scaling part of the solution focused therapy typically involves letting the client determine how the problem has improved or deteriorated over time. A client is given a scale of 1-10 to identify the position he/she feels is at in relation to the problem. This is important as the therapist can help the client identify what needs to be done or what needs to be eliminated to move near level 10 (Knekt et al., 2008). Halima states that she feels she is at level 5. She feels that taking a legal action against her family will make her feel that probably the problem is solved. This indicates that she still fears that she is not secure and cannot make independent decisions. Kim (2008) observes that scaling also allows the client to identify what actions have led to improvements. In the case of Halima, counseling sessions and staying away from her family has made her feel secure an able to cope with the problem better without being critically stressed. It is important she continues attending the counseling sessions and staying away from her family to heal psychologically. Exception and Coping Questions The fourth part typically involves finding solutions and exceptions in relation to the problem. This requires the therapists to ask the client to identify a situation when the problem felt less impactful in his/her life and what she did that caused the exception (Knekt et al., 2008). As argued by Gingerich & Peterson (2013), this allows the therapists to help the client identify what should be done more often to eliminate the problem and bring about a desirable situation. For Halima, she notes that before the issue of forced marriage came up, she had a relatively good relationship with her family. Probably, having a session in future that includes her family may improve the situation as she will let them know that she does not want to be forced into a marriage and allowed to make her own choice. The therapists may proceed to ask coping questions to identify the resources and skills the client has used before to cope with the problem. This is also important as the therapists will know how such resources and skills may be useful to finding a solution. Moreover, the therapists may identify limitations of such solutions and offer better options (Lehmann et al., 2012). As for Halima, moving in with her friend helped her stay away from violence thus effectively coping with the problem as she was safe and had somebody to share with. However, she does not want to stay with her friend as she feels like she is intruding into her privacy. Giving Halima a place to stay where she is safe and able to access counseling is important in helping her cope with the problem as she explores a permanent solution. Solution At the end of the session, the therapists can give a feedback on the progress of the client in relation to finding a solution to the problem. The therapists may also complement the client for positive steps made in the recovery path. It is also important to let the client determine the possible solutions to the problem by providing options that can be chosen. The therapist can give the client a “homework assignment” to consider how differently the problem can be solved (Teater, 2013). For the case of Halima, she has the options of finding protection under the laws that address domestic violence. She can as well relocate and start a life of her own. However, if she feels that the relationship between her and her family is important, she might as well consider a counseling session that involves all the family members. She can let her family understand her fears, family aspirations and educational goals. As the family opens up, it will be possible to probably find a long-term solution to the problem. Conclusion Evidently, the solution focused approach is an effective tool in offering psychotherapy to victims of domestic violence. It allows the client to come up with an appropriate solution that they believe will work for them. Traditionally, the therapist listened to a client and suggested a solution that the client could apply. This alienates the clients and makes him/her only a passive client. However, in the solution focused model, the miracle question, the exception and coping questions allow the client to participate in the process fully. In this case, Halima identified opportunities to work and study as long-term solutions to her situation. Her immediate needs were shelter, basic needs and legal protection. She identifies these solutions by herself by going through the solution focused therapy session with a therapist. References Gingerich, W. J., & Peterson, L. T. (2013). Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy A Systematic Qualitative Review of Controlled Outcome Studies. Research on Social Work Practice, 23(3), 266-283. Kim, J. S. (2008). Examining the effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy: A meta-analysis. Research on Social Work Practice, 18(2), 107-116. Knekt, P., Lindfors, O., Härkänen, T., Välikoski, M., Virtala, E., Laaksonen, M. A., ... & Renlund, C. (2008). Randomized trial on the effectiveness of long-and short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and solution-focused therapy on psychiatric symptoms during a 3-year follow-up. Psychological medicine, 38(05), 689-703. Lehmann, P., Jordan, C., Bolton, K. W., Huynh, L., & Chigbu, K. (2012). Solution-focused brief therapy and criminal offending: A family conference tool for work in restorative justice. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 31(4), 49-62. McKergow, M., & Korman, H. (2009). Inbetween—neither inside nor outside: The radical simplicity of solution-focused brief therapy. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 28(2), 34-49. Teater, B. (2013). Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). The Blackwell Companion to Social Work, 480. Read More