What are SFBT techniques?

SFBT techniques include practical conversations and questions that help people recognise strengths, identify what is already working, and build realistic steps toward change. This may include scaling questions, exception questions, and the miracle question.

What is the SFBT miracle question?

The miracle question is a well known solution focused therapy technique that encourages people to imagine how life may look if their problem became more manageable or resolved. It helps people identify goals, direction, and meaningful changes.

Is solution focused therapy only short term?

Solution focused therapy is often shorter term than some traditional approaches, but there is no fixed number of sessions. Some people attend for brief focused work while others choose longer term support.

Can solution focused therapy help with anxiety and burnout?

Yes. Solution focused therapy can help people struggling with anxiety, stress, burnout, low confidence, overwhelm, and feeling stuck by focusing on practical coping strategies, strengths, and realistic change.

Solution Focused Therapy | Practical Goal Focused Counselling

Q: What is Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)?

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a practical and goal focused approach to counselling that helps people identify strengths, progress, and realistic changes rather than focusing only on problems or the past.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy

Practical & Goal Focused Therapy

Therapy doesn’t have to be long-term to be deeply effective

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Therapy can be practical, focused & short

Sometimes people come to therapy wanting space to understand themselves more deeply. Other times, they already know what the problem is and simply want help moving forward.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a practical and forward-looking approach that focuses on change, progress, and identifying what already works in your life.

Rather than spending months analysing every detail of the past, solution focused therapy helps you look at where you are now, what needs to change, and what small realistic steps may help you get there.

For many people, that feels more manageable, more hopeful, and more useful.

I work with people facing a wide range of difficulties including anxiety, stress, low mood, burnout, addiction, compulsive sexual behaviours, relationship difficulties, and feeling emotionally overwhelmed or stuck in cycles they want to stop like porn addiction or other sexual addiction. Whilst Solution focused therapy can't be used for every problem, it can be used to good effect still.

If you aren't sure, book a free initial consultation and we can discuss what is happening and work out a way forward that works for you.

Sessions are tailored to you. Some people want brief, focused support around a specific issue. Others combine practical solution focused work with deeper therapeutic exploration over time.

Therapy with me is straightforward, flexible, and collaborative. We discuss what is happening for you, what you would like to change and agree on the way forward that will help you achieve this.

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What Is Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)?

Solution Focused Brief Therapy, often shortened to SFBT, is a type of counselling that focuses more on change and possibility than endlessly revisiting problems.

That does not mean ignoring difficult experiences or pretending problems do not exist. It means helping you identify:

what is already helping
what strengths you already have
when the problem feels less powerful
what progress would realistically look like
how small changes can create momentum

Many people searching for “what is SFBT” are often looking for therapy that feels practical rather than overly clinical or analytical.

Solution focused therapy can help people who:

feel stuck in repetitive patterns
want clearer direction
feel emotionally exhausted or overwhelmed
struggle with confidence or motivation
want short-term focused therapy
prefer practical conversations and realistic goals
want help building momentum and consistency

This approach can work particularly well for high functioning anxiety, workplace stress, burnout, and people who feel they are coping outwardly while struggling internally.

SFBT Techniques and Questions

You may have come across terms online such as SFBT techniques, SFBT questions, or the “SFBT miracle question.” These are simply ways of helping people think differently about change, progress, and possibility.

Rather than focusing only on what is wrong, solution focused therapy often explores:

when things feel slightly better
what coping strategies already exist
what strengths have helped you survive difficult periods
what realistic progress might look like
what would tell you things are beginning to improve

One well known solution focused therapy technique is the “miracle question,” which invites people to imagine how life may look if the problem became more manageable or less controlling.

The goal is not forced positivity or pretending life is easy. It is helping people reconnect with hope, direction, and practical change.

For some people, even recognising that there are moments where the problem is less intense can become the starting point for meaningful progress.

Does Solution Focused Therapy Mean Brief Therapy?

Solution focused brief therapy is often shorter term than some traditional forms of counselling, but there is no fixed number of sessions. Sessions tend to be shorter in duration, at 30 minutes rather than 50 minutes. This means the cost of each session is less also.

Some people attend for a handful of focused sessions around a specific issue. Others choose longer-term therapy while still using practical solution focused approaches within the work.

Therapy does not have to become open-ended to be valuable.

I work flexibly around your needs, finances, work commitments, and life circumstances. Sessions can be in person, online, or a combination of both.

The aim is not to keep people in therapy unnecessarily. The aim is to help you move toward meaningful and sustainable change.

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Starting Therapy

Starting counselling can feel difficult, especially if you are used to managing things alone or feel unsure whether your problems are “serious enough.”

You do not need to be in crisis to reach out. The benefit of SFBT is giving it a go to see how it helps without any notion of being committed to ongoing sessions.

Whether you are dealing with anxiety, burnout, compulsive behaviours, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, or simply feeling emotionally exhausted, therapy can offer space to think more clearly about what is happening and what needs to change.

If you would like to explore whether solution focused therapy may help, you are welcome to get in touch for an initial conversation.

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Get in Touch

If you’re considering therapy, the next step is to get in touch and arrange a free initial consultation to see if it feels like the right fit. If you want to read more check out the blog section.

If you’re thinking about getting support, you don’t have to figure it all out first.

You can explore related areas here:

You don’t need to commit to anything long-term. We can talk about what’s going on, what you’re looking for, and how I might be able to help.

Book a Free Initial Consultation

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