1.
Solution Focused Approaches to Helping
Peter Creagh( 2014), MCIPD:- Trainer, Supervisor , BACP Accredited & Registered Counsellor and
UKRC Independent Therapist email : - petercreagh43@virginmedia.com Essentials of SFA
SEVEN KEY PRINCIPLES OF THE
SOLUTION FOCUSED APPROACH (SFA) TO HELPING/MENTORING
All forms of helping that involve person-to-person conversations are merely efforts to
provide an empathic and safe atmosphere where helpful and, hopefully healing,
conversations can take place. The Solution Focused Approach (SFA) is based on the
firm principles that every person is unique, that they possess strengths, gifts and talents
and that the main focus of any ‘helpful conversation’ is to assist people to develop and
achieve, to some degree, their own vision of a preferred future and thus lead to a better
solution. In short it focuses on SOLUTIONS rather than problems.
These notes are primarily designed as an additional handout for those who have
undertaken a brief introductory course in Solution Focused Approaches. They are intended
to outline some of the key concepts and strategies that inform the use of SFA in any
helping and supportive relationship. They may be used as pre-training notes but are not a
substitute for more in-depth training.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) or the Solution Focused Approach ( SFA) is a
future-focused, goal-directed form of helping/therapy and focuses on solutions, rather than
on the problems that brought clients to seek therapy. The following are seven key points
about the SFA are outlined. They form part of a coherent approach to helping but not in a
definite or mandatory sequence.
1. SOLUTIONS are rarely connected to PROBLEMS There is rarely a connection
between PROBLEMS and SOLUTIONS. This may seem surprising but, in fact, solutions
are present when problems are either absent or considerably reduced. Problems can often
be an inappropriate coping strategy in stressful and emotional situations.
2. Look for Evidence of Previous Success & Compliments SFA is based on the
firm principle that every human being has previous experience(s) of success. Therefore,
Helpers need to look for and expect to find STRENGTHS, QUALITIES, GIFTS and
COPING STRATEGIES (more on this later). This leads to SFA Strategies such as
‘Problem Free Talk’, Questions that focus on Coping Strategies (What helps or has
helped?) etc.
At every opportunity, evidence of ANY of the above is fed-back to the person as
COMPLIMENTS. These are seen as an essential part of this approach as they validate
people’s efforts and also acknowledge that Helpers have heard, understood and cared for
them and their issues. e.g. If a person had done something that helped to reduce the
problem or make things better a typical response could be; ‘Well done ! How did you
Do that? ‘
3. Exceptions Life is dynamic and therefore change naturally occurs. Therefore,
there will invariably be ‘exceptions’ to the seemingly ‘normal’ rule. That is, there will be
times when the problem either is not so intense or is not occurring as often or at all.
Helpers are always seeking to find exceptions. A typical Exception Seeking Question is ;
“What is different about the times when this is less of a problem?”

2.
Solution Focused Approaches to Helping
Peter Creagh( 2014), MCIPD:- Trainer, Supervisor , BACP Accredited & Registered Counsellor and
UKRC Independent Therapist email : - petercreagh43@virginmedia.com Essentials of SFA
4. Solution Language and the Focus of Questions This approach lays great
emphasis on the importance of Helpers developing the gift of Solution Language. This
requires that Helpers avoid focusing on the problem and direct their power, energy and
imagination to assist people in the search for a preferred future. Consequently, developing
a ‘store’ of helpful solution focused questions is extremely important. The focus of
questions, as far as possible, avoids direct reference to the past and its problems and
focuses on two main areas. These are the present and future and any connection to a
preferred future. This links in with Points 1, 2 and 3 and leads on to the next points. A
typical question that assists people to focus of solutions and a preferred future is ; , “What
will you be doing in the next week that would indicate to you that you are continuing
to make progress?”
5. Preferred Future & the Value of Small Step Change Many approaches to
helping emphasise the importance of Hope and our natural human expectations of a better
or preferred future. In addition, they stress the importance of ‘small step’ change to
effectively reach our goals. This point is supported by a variety of imaginative strategies
designed to assist people to envision or see their preferred: future.
One of the most powerful and well known of these is ‘The Miracle Question’. Recent
advances in Neuro-science confirm our inherent ability to imagine and envision things
differently. Modern sports psychology adopts this approach for coaching. The ‘ Miracle
Question’ harnesses this inherent ability. However, to effectively use this, one requires
further training, practice and reflection. Like all powerful strategies it comes with an
‘emotional health warning’ and Helpers need to thoroughly understand its purpose and
place in the SFA approach to helping.
6. Experimenting with Life ( Tasks) Once Helpers have carried out some of the
above and particularly Points 2 and 3, they can begin to encourage and work with people
to do more of what works already. This brings us to the important strategy of Tasks.
There are a variety tasks and many of these involve people ‘experimenting’ and ‘noticing’
what goes on in their life. This has connections with the very powerful practice of
Mindfulness which is a separate topic. Many tasks centre on the following simple
‘mantra’
‘Keep doing what works; stop doing what does not work and, if in
doubt, do something different’
7. Scaling The Scaling Strategy is one of the most powerful ‘tools’ used in SFA. It is
easily understood by others and can be creatively adapted for children. It involves a simple
0 to 10 scale and assists people to relate any and all aspects of the life
( problems, goals, small steps, confidence to change , determination etc) and their
preferred future to a simple scale. However, it requires considerable skill and ability of the
Helper to effectively use this strategy focused and to employ relevant and helpful
questions.

3.
Solution Focused Approaches to Helping
Peter Creagh( 2014), MCIPD:- Trainer, Supervisor , BACP Accredited & Registered Counsellor and
UKRC Independent Therapist email : - petercreagh43@virginmedia.com Essentials of SFA
Final Point – Our Human Ability to Cope. Human beings, no matter their age and
ability, possess a remarkable ability to employ and deploy a wide variety of coping
strategies. Whenever people display or disclose helpful coping strategies it is important
that Helpers respond with Compliments and use Questions and Scaling to explore these.
This can often lead to evidence of Exceptions which are ‘seeds’ or ‘signs’ of the Preferred
Future and eventual ‘solution’. Creative strategies that ‘unleash the imaginative power
of the brain’ can assist people in finding pathways towards their preferred future.
These notes have briefly outlined some of the main elements of the Solution Focused
Approach to Helping . To further their understanding, readers could benefit from further
reading, training and reflection.
Suggested Readings and References
Berg, I.K. & Dolan, Y. (2001). Tales of solution: A collection of hope inspiring stories. New
York: W.W. Norton.
Berg, I. K., & de Shazer, S. (1993). Making numbers talk: Language in therapy. In S.
Friedman (Ed.), The new language of change: Constructive collaboration in
psychotherapy. New York: Guilford.
De Jong, P., & Berg, I.K.(2007). Interviewing for solutions (3rd
Edition). Brooks/Cole:
Pacific Grove.
De Shazer, S. & Dolan, Y. with Korman, H , Trepper, T. S., McCollom, E., Berg, I. K.
(2007). More Than Miracles: The State of the Art of Solution-focused Brief Therapy.
Binghamtom, N.Y: Haworth Press.
Gingerich, W., & Eisengrat, S. (2000). Solution-focused brief therapy: A review of the
outcome research. Family Process, 39, 477-498.
Jackson,Paul.Z and McKergow,Mark (2002) the Solutions Focus Nicholas Brealey
Publishing
O’Connell,Bill ( 2005) Solution Focused Therapy Sage
Pichot ,T and Dolan, Y (2003) Solution Focused Brief Therapy The Haworth Press