Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

Adults (18 and over) with substance use problems; mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and trauma; and/or relationship problems in marital functioning and family conflict

For parents/caregivers of children ages: 2 - 17

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a therapy model that asserts the importance of building on the resources and motivation of clients because they know their problems best and are capable of generating solutions to solve their own problems. Central to SFBT is client strengths and resiliencies, client’s prior ability to develop solutions, and exceptions to problems. Discussion of exceptions and movement towards future adaptive behaviors are designed to allow the clinician and client to focus on solutions to the client’s problem, rather than dwelling on the problem itself. The emphasis of SFBT is on the process of developing an image of a realistic solution rather than dwelling on the past manifestation of the problem, with the focus being on identifying past successes and exceptions to the problem in an effort to accomplish set goals. This model can be conducted in individual, family, couples, or group format.

Johnny S. Kim, PhD

• Agency/Affiliation: University of Denver
• Website: https://socialwork.du.edu/news/focusing-solutions
• Email: Johnny.Kim@du.edu
• Phone: (303) 871-3498

The goals of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) are:

• Identify solutions to their own substance use, mental health, or relationship problems
• Describe their preferred future where the substance use, mental health, or relationship problem does not exist
• Identify their skills, resources, and strengths\
• Learn how to look for exceptions to their problems
• Develop small, concrete goals
•  Shift their focus away from their problem to identifying strengths and solutions
• Use more solution-building talk and less complaining

The essential components of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) include:

• Focus on solution-building with the client rather than problem-solving done by the clinician
• Focus on client’s goals by asking the miracle question, the fast forward question, and the suppose question
• Focus on times when the substance use, mental health, or relationship problem did not exist or was less by asking exception questions
• Increase client’s hope by identifying their strengths and providing meaningful compliments
• Focus on client’s desired or preferred future rather than their past substance use, mental health, or relationship problems
• Ask about client’s progress and future possibilities by asking scaling questions

Parent/Caregiver Services

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) directly provides services to parents/caregivers and addresses the following:

• Substance use problems
• Mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and trauma
• Relationship problems in marital functioning and family conflict

Recommended Intensity

There is no recommended intensity. The number, frequency, and length of sessions can vary depending on the needs of the client or the practice of the treatment provider.

Recommended Duration

There is no recommended duration. The overall duration of the intervention can vary depending on the needs of the client or the practice of the treatment provider. Studies have found that the average number of sessions range between 4-6 sessions but can vary.

Delivery Settings

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Community-based Agency / Organization / Provider
• Hospital
• Outpatient Clinic

Homework

This program does include a homework component.

Homework is identified in the counseling session and is individualized. It usually involves small, concrete tasks the client can do help move towards their identified goals.

Languages

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) has materials available in the following languages other than English:

• Chinese
• Dutch
• French
• German
• Hungarian
• Japanese
• Korean
• Mandarin
• Norwegian
• Polish
• Spanish
• Swedish

For information on which materials are available in this language, please check on the program's website or contact the program representative (contact information is listed in this page).

Resources Needed to Run Program

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

There are no resource requirements.

Prerequisite/Minimum Provider Qualifications

Clinicians should meet the qualifications and licensure requirements to provide therapy sessions as set by their relevant jurisdiction or licensing board. While degree expectations vary internationally, a minimum Bachelor’s degree is recommended and a Master’s degree is preferred.

Manual Information

There is a manual that describes how to deliver this program.

Program Manual(s)

Manual details:

• Solution Focused Brief Therapy Association Research Committee. (2025). Solution-Focused Therapy treatment manual for working with individuals (3^rd ed.). https://www.sfbta.org

Training Information

There is training available for this program.

Training Contact

Training Type/Location:

Those interested in learning SFBT should seek out a combination of training resources, including books, workshops, online videos, and on-going consultation. There are a number of other trainers around the US, Canada, and Europe that provide SFBT trainings.

Number of days/hours:

While there are no specific training time requirements for SFBT, a minimum of 2 full days of SFBT training as well as follow up clinical supervision is recommended.

Pre-Implementation Materials

There are no pre-implementation materials to measure organizational or provider readiness for Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.

Formal Support for Implementation

There is no formal support available for implementation of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.

Fidelity Measures

There are fidelity measures for Solution-Focused Brief Therapy as listed below:

It is recommended that a combination of fidelity enhancing strategies, including training and coaching, treatment manuals, clinician self-checklists, be utilized.

Established Psychometrics

Cooper, Z., & Johnson, L. (2025). Strategies for fidelity monitoring a solution-focused brief intervention in a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 32, 421–430. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-025-10063-7

Lehmann, P., & Patton, J. D. (2012). The development of a solution-focused fidelity instrument: A pilot study. In C. Franklin, T. Trepper, E. E. McCollum, & W. J. Gingerich, W. J. (Eds.), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: From practice to evidence informed practice (pp. 39-54). Oxford University Press.

Yates, H. T., & Lee, S. E. (2021). Fidelity monitoring in the solution focused wellness for HIV (SFWH) intervention for women. Journal of Solution Focused Practices, 5(2), Article 4. https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/journalsfp/vol5/iss2/4

Implementation Guides or Manuals

There are implementation guides or manuals for Solution-Focused Brief Therapy as listed below:

Franklin, C., Streeter, C.L., Webb, L., & Guz, S. (2018). Solution Focused Brief Therapy in alternative schools: Ensuring student success and preventing dropout. Routledge Publishing.

Implementation Cost

There have been studies of the costs of implementing Solution-Focused Brief Therapy which are listed below:

Eads, R., Boccio, R. M., & Carpenter, S. (2026). Local champions to promote implementation of solution-focused brief therapy in integrated care settings: A mixed methods evaluation. Advances in Mental Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/18387357.2026.2673125

Eads, R., Boccio, R., Carpenter, S., Lee, M., Schindeler, B., Stolberg, R., & Scurto, A. (2025). Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) Training and Implementation in Integrated Care Settings: Pilot Initiative Evaluation [Report]. Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center (BHWC). https://illinoisbhwc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/BHWC-SFBT-Training-and-Implementation-Pilot-Initiative-Final-Report.pd

Research on How to Implement the Program

Research has not been conducted on how to implement Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.

Child Welfare Outcome: Child/Family Well-Being

“What is included in the Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research section?”

• Kim, J. S., Brook, J., & Akin, B. A. (2018). Solution-Focused Brief Therapy with substance-using individuals: A randomized controlled trial study. Research on Social Work Practice, 28(4), 452–462. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731516650517

  Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial

  Sample:

  Age — Mean=31.3 years

  Participants: 64

  Race/Ethnicity — 56% White, 14% African American, 9% American Indians/Alaskan Native, 2% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and 9% Mixed Race

  Gender — 44% Male

  Status — Participants were individuals from substance use and mental health clinics who had their children removed by the child welfare agencies.

  Location/Institution: Oklahoma

  Summary:

  The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) intervention on substance abuse and trauma-related problems. Participants were randomized into either SFBT or a treatment-as-usual control condition. Measures utilized include the Addiction Severity Index-Self-Report (ASI-SR), the Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 (TSC-40), and the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). Results indicate that pretest and posttest scores on substance use and related problems showed slight improvements for both the SFBT and control groups based on the ASI-SR in all subscales, except for the family/relationship status subscale for the control group which showed an increase in mean score and small effect size in the opposite desired direction. Trauma-related problems, as measured by the TSC-40, showed that both the SFBT and control group clients improved in the desired direction. Limitations include the small sample size; lack of random assignment of clinicians to see which ones are selected to receive the SFBT training; and clients in both study groups were also receiving multiple sources of support from various community providers and, therefore, it is difficult to fully account for those possibly additional contributions to the clients’ substance use and trauma-related problems.

  Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: None.

• Kim, J. S., Brook, J., & Akin, B. A. (2021). Randomized controlled trial study of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy for substance use disorder affected parents involved in the child welfare system. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 12(3), 545–568. https://doi.org/10.1086/715892

  Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial

  Sample:

  Age — Mean=31.1 years

  Participants: 179

  Race/Ethnicity — 61% White, 13% American Indian/Alaskan Native, 13% Mixed Race, 12% African American, 5% Hispanic, and 1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

  Gender — 22% Male

  Status — Participants were child welfare involved parents.

  Location/Institution: Tulsa, Oklahoma

  Summary:

  The study used the same sample as Kim et al. (2018). The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) on child well-being and family functioning outcomes for child welfare involved parents. Participants were randomized into either SFBT or a treatment as usual (TAU) control condition. Measures utilized include the Addiction Severity Index-SR (ASI-SR) and the Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 (TSC-40). Results indicate that both groups decreased on most of the ASI-SR and on all of the TSC-40 measures indicating improvements. Between-group effect sizes for two ASI-SR subscales favored the control group, while they favored SFBT for the TSC-40 subscale measures, though none were statistically significant except for the TSC-40 subscale depression. Limitations include lack of generalizability due to a sample that was specific to child welfare involved families of children in foster care due to substance abuse, reliance on self-reported measures, lack of significant differences between groups, and comparing SFBT with a control group that received some evidence-based interventions.

  Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: 1 year.

• Nelise de Paula Araujo, C., Mendonça Corradi-Webster, C., Gonçalves Correia-Zanini, M. R., & M. Yurasek, A. (2025). Quasi-randomized trial of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy intervention for readiness to change and alcohol and other drug use in a Brazilian community-based treatment center. Psychotherapy Research, 35(6), 959–971. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2024.2336192

  Type of Study: Pretest–posttest study with a nonequivalent control group (Quasi-experimental)

  Sample:

  Age — Age: Mean=36.8 years

  Participants: 102

  Race/Ethnicity — 64 African descendent and 38 White or Caucasian

  Gender — 76 Male and 26 Female

  Status — Participants were adults with substance abuse problems.

  Location/Institution: Brazil

  Summary:

  The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) on readiness to change and substance use compared to treatment as usual (TAU) in a Brazilian community-based substance use treatment center. Participants were allocated to SFBT and were compared to a TAU control group. Measures utilized include the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale (URICA) and the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). Results indicate that both groups decreased tobacco, alcohol, and cocaine/crack use at 1-month follow-up, but SFBT had greater reductions in alcohol use. Analysis also demonstrated no differences between groups on readiness to change at any time point. However, among participants who used multiple substances, SFBT showed higher readiness to change at post-test. Limitations include a high attrition rate (<30% at follow-up) thus limiting generalizability.

  Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: 1 month.

• Note: The following study was not included in rating Solution-Focused Brief Therapy on the Scientific Rating Scale.

  Knekt, P., Lindfors, O., Harkanen, T., Valikoski, M, Virtala, E., Laaksonen, M. A., Marttunen, M., Kaipainen, M., & 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(5), 689–703. https://doi.org/10.1017/S003329170700164X

  Summary:

  The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) [now called Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)] intervention on treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. Participants were randomized into either SFT or short- and long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. Measures utilized include the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), the Symptom Check List Anxiety Scale (SCL-90-Anx) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA).  Results indicate that a significant reduction of symptoms was noted for BDI, HAMD, SCL-90-Anx, and HAMA during the 3-year follow-up in all three groups. Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy was more effective than long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy during the first year, showing lower scores for the four outcome measures. During the second year of follow-up, no significant differences were found between the short-term psychodynamic therapy group, SFT group, and long-term therapy group; and after 3 years of follow-up, long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy was more effective than SFT and short-term psychodynamic therapy with lower scores for the outcome variables. No statistically significant differences were found in the effectiveness of the short-term therapies. Limitations include lack of a nontreatment control group and possible therapist effects due to nonuse of treatment manuals. Note: Since this study did not look at direct outcomes specified in the Substance Abuse Treatment (Adult) topic area definition, this study was not used in the rating/review process.

• Note: The following study was not included in rating Solution-Focused Brief Therapy on the Scientific Rating Scale.

  Kim, J. S., Akin, B. A., & Brook, J. (2019). Solution-Focused Brief Therapy to improve child well-being and family functioning outcomes with substance using parents in the child welfare system. Developmental Child Welfare, 1(2), 124–142. https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219829479

  Summary:

  The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) on child well-being and family functioning outcomes for child welfare involved parents. Participants were randomized into either the SFBT or treatment as usual (TAU) control condition. Measures utilized include the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function- Parent Report (BRIEF-PR), Child Behavior Checklist-School Age Form (CBCL-SA), Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Short Form (CES-D SF), and Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI-2). Results indicate that SFBT is an effective intervention for helping families improve child well-being and family functioning. While there were no statistical differences between SFBT and the TAU control group, both groups improved from pretest to posttest on the overall outcome measures and on many of the subscales. The biggest improvements for both the SFBT and the TAU control group were shown in family functioning around depression and parenting behaviors. Results on child well-being measures showed improvements for both groups on the BRIEF-PR measure. Results on family functioning outcomes also showed improvements for both groups on parenting and child rearing attitudes. Limitations include lack of generalizability due to the sample being specific to child welfare involved families of children in foster care due to substance abuse, a reliance on self-reported measures, and the length of follow-up. Note: Since this study did not look at direct outcomes specified in the Substance Abuse Treatment (Adult) topic area definition, this study was not used in the rating/review process.

• Kim, J. S., & Franklin, C. (2015). Understanding emotional change in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Facilitating positive emotions. Best Practices in Mental Health, 11(1), 25–41. https://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/follmer/bpmh/2015/00000011/00000001/art00005

• Kim, J., Jordan, S. S., Franklin, C., & Froerer, A. (2019). Is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy evidence-cased? An update 10 years later. Families in Society, 100(2), 127–138. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044389419841688

• Kim, J. S., Smock, S., Trepper, T. S., McCollum, E.E., & Franklin, C. (2010). Is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy evidence-based? Families in Society, 91(3), 300–306. https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.4009