CONSULTATION

Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) places focus on a individual's present and future circumstances and goals rather than past experiences. In this goal-oriented therapy, the symptoms or issues bringing a individual to therapy are typically not targeted. Instead, a qualified therapist encourages those in treatment to develop a vision of the future and offers support as they determine the skills, resources, and abilities needed to achieve that vision successfully. 

 

SFBT, which aims to help people experiencing difficulty find tools they can use immediately to manage symptoms and cope with challenges, is grounded in the belief that although individuals may already have the skills to create change in their lives, they often need help identifying and developing those skills. Similarly, SFBT recognizes that people already know, on some level, what change is needed in their lives, and SFBT practitioners work to help the people in their care clarify their goals. Practitioners of SFBT encourage individuals to imagine the future they desire and then work to collaboratively develop a series of steps that will help them achieve those goals. In particular, therapists can help those in treatment identify a time in life when a current issue was either less detrimental or more manageable and evaluate what factors were different or what solutions may have been present in the past. 

 

 

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is another form of psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including anxiety disorders, depression, alcohol and drug use problems, eating disorders, and severe mental illness. 

 

Research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life. In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy.