SFBT shifts the conversation toward solution building using the miracle question (imagining your preferred future), scaling questions (rating progress), and exception finding (discovering times the problem is less severe). You are positioned as the expert on your own life.

What issues can SFBT help with?

Depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, family conflict, substance use, work performance, self-esteem, life transitions, and behavioural challenges. Particularly suited for people who want practical results in a shorter timeframe (Kim, 2008).

Is SFBT evidence-based?

Yes. Gingerich and Peterson (2013) found strong evidence of positive outcomes across settings. Kim (2008) meta-analysis found positive treatment effects for internalizing problems like depression and anxiety.

What is the miracle question in SFBT?

The therapist asks you to imagine a miracle solves the problem overnight. 'When you wake up, what would be the first small sign things are different?' This clarifies what you actually want and reveals achievable steps. It is a tool for vision and motivation, not magical thinking.

How brief is solution-focused brief therapy?

Research typically involves 3 to 8 sessions. Many people experience meaningful progress within that range, but the number is guided by your needs. At Introspectus, SFBT principles are often integrated with ACT and narrative therapy.

What should I expect in my first SFBT session?

Your first 50-minute session focuses on what you want to be different, what is already working, and what a good outcome looks like. You may leave with a specific task to try between sessions. The tone is collaborative, optimistic, and practical.

How is SFBT different from CBT?

CBT identifies and restructures distorted thought patterns. SFBT spends less time analysing the problem and more time building the solution. CBT uses worksheets targeting cognitive distortions; SFBT uses the miracle question, scaling, and exception finding. Both are evidence-based.

Can SFBT help with serious issues like trauma or depression?

Yes, though often most effective when integrated with other approaches. SFBT identifies resilience, clarifies outcomes, and builds on strengths. For complex trauma, your therapist may integrate with ACT or mindfulness.

Does SFBT ignore problems or painful emotions?

No. SFBT acknowledges the pain while redirecting attention toward strengths, exceptions, and preferred future. Your feelings are always validated. As de Shazer said, 'The problem does not always have to be understood for the solution to be found.'

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

SFBT starts with what you want to be different, then explores when pieces of that preferred future are already happening, even in small ways. Through careful questioning together, we identify what’s working, what you’re already doing that helps, and how to do more of it. This approach respects that problems are real, but you don’t need to fully understand why something’s wrong to start moving toward what you want. The work is collaborative, concrete, and built on small steps forward.

A short 15-minute call to discuss your goals, no commitment.

What is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy?

SFBT focuses on what you want to be different and how to get there. Rather than analysing why problems exist, we notice what is already working, even in small ways, and build on it.

Through this collaborative approach, we:

Clarify what you want your life to look like when things improve
Explore exceptions: times when the problem is less present or you are managing better
Identify what you’re doing differently in those moments
Take small, concrete steps toward more of what’s working

The work is practical and incremental. You bring the expertise about your life. I ask questions that help you notice what you might have missed.

How SFBT Works

In sessions, I ask you to picture the future you want and explore what life looks like once the problem eases. We use a few specific questions:

The Miracle Question: Imagine your problem disappeared overnight. What would be different tomorrow?
Scaling Questions: Rate your progress or feelings on a scale to track growth and make abstract goals more concrete.
Exploring Exceptions: Identifying times when you’ve successfully managed challenges, so we can amplify those strengths.

SFBT works quickly. Many clients see measurable change in fewer sessions than traditional therapy.

Who Can Benefit from SFBT?

SFBT is flexible and has been successfully used with individuals, couples, and families. It is especially helpful for:

Managing stress and anxiety
Enhancing relationships and communication
Building self-confidence and motivation
Overcoming workplace or academic challenges
Coping with transitions or life changes
Creating clarity when you feel “stuck”

The focus on strengths and solutions helps you move forward quickly.

Ready to talk? A 15-minute conversation, no obligation.

The Result: Quick, Lasting Change

Solution-focused brief Therapy doesn’t ignore the challenges you face, it simply shifts the focus to what’s possible. By concentrating on solutions, you can take immediate, practical steps toward building the life you want.

The outcome is a renewed sense of confidence, clarity, and direction, helping you create meaningful change in less time.

Solution Focused Therapy; Practical Tools, Not Endless Talking

If you want practical tools rather than endless talking, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) focuses on where you want to go rather than endlessly analysing where you have been. Developed by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg, SFBT is supported by research showing measurable improvement in as few as three to five sessions for many clients.

Sean Lewis, Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC #11252849) with the CCPA, brings a natural fit to solution focused therapy. Building a plumbing business from scratch required exactly this kind of thinking; identify the problem, find what works, and move toward a concrete result without overcomplicating the path. His military training reinforced a forward-focused, mission-oriented mindset.

Sean uses SFBT techniques including the miracle question, exception-finding, and scaling questions to help you recognize strengths you may be overlooking and build momentum quickly. He integrates SFBT with his primary ACT modality, drawing on whichever approach serves you best in a given session.

Sean offers solution focused therapy from his Westshore practice in Colwood, serving Langford and Greater Victoria, with virtual sessions across British Columbia. Sessions are covered by most extended health plans through the CCPA. Book a session.