Prior to meeting anyone in the field, my understanding of Solutioned Focused Brief Therapy was that it is a modality. That’s it. I honestly did not know what to expect. Arriving in Colorado for the SFBT Training with Teri Pichot, I noticed awesome new landscapes that I had never experienced before. My hope for SFBT is that it would be one more tool in my box of therapy knowledge. I thought it was right alongside Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, etcetera. I was WRONG. This new type of therapy is much more than just another way of therapy, it is a new way of thinking and approaching consumers.

Most clinicians are taught from a problem solving point of view, this is also true for myself. Learning to focus on solutions instead of problems is proving to be very difficult, but I am confident it is doable. I am currently attending the 2016 Annual SFBT Expo, where I am meeting a multitude of clinicians all with their own experiences of SFBT.

The more I hear, see, and practice the principles of SFBT, the more of a reality I see with consumers. Almost fully licensed, (I just have to submit my hours) I have decided the areas of focus I am interested in include substance abuse, trauma, lgbt issues, prison inmates, and life adjustments such as divorce, moving, work stress, weight loss, etcetera.

I am not yet sure how to fulfill all of my interests while working primarily with chemically dependent consumers, but I am determined and willing to work weekends. My best hopes for the next year is to implement the solution focused mindset effectively with consumers and with myself.

“Problem talk creates problems – Solution talk creates solutions”
Steve de Shazer (1940-2005)