Village Counseling Center, Family & Marriage Counseling in Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria.
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Solution-Focused Therapy

Therapy doesn't have to take years

    Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a fast-acting, goal-focused therapeutic approach which helps clients change by constructing solutions rather than dwelling on problems. Elements of an optimum solution are often already present in a client’s life, and it is the solution-focused therapist's job is to help them recognize and build upon these areas of strength.
    The therapist in this style of therapy is active but not directive, encouraging clients to view themselves as agents of change rather than victims of circumstance.     A solution-focused perspective is based on the belief that significant therapeutic change can occur quickly, an approach that is gaining in popularity since the advent of managed forms of health care.
    Our director, Clay Watkins, has two decades of training and experience using this style of therapy and invites you to contact him with any questions you might have. Call or e-mail him today to schedule your free phone consultation. It is never too late to start enjoying your life.

Components of a Brief Treatment Perspective

  • The therapist takes responsibility for the effectiveness of therapy.
  • The therapist assists the client in developing a clear goal for therapy.
  • The therapist supports and works toward helping clients reach their goals, letting the client be the expert.
  • The therapist is willing to take a one-down position, helping the client to become their own therapist.
  • The therapist stays in the present, helping the client stay focused on their stated goal.
  • Instead of looking for a cure, the therapist looks for ways to get the client unstuck.
  • Main therapeutic goals are: decreased client dependency and increased patient responsibility.
  • The therapist assumes that many changes will occur outside of therapy. Homework is assigned to help the client expect and look for the changes that will be occurring between sessions.

Steps in the SFBT Process

  • Evaluating the perspectives and beliefs of the client (Complaining vs Non-Complaining, Suggestible vs Oppositional, Victim or Agent of Change, Goal-Oriented vs Process-Oriented) to determine possible therapeutic response strategies
  • Helping clients clarify their goal for therapy (goals should be specific, time-limited, quantifiable, active, positive, within their control, modifiable)
  • Exploring and mining past successful solutions
  • Exploring new solutions
  • Exploring and learning from the client's past unsuccessful solution attempts
  • Exploring strategies to continue therapeutic gains after therapy recesses
  • Recessing the client

History of SFBT

This very effective form of therapy was originally developed by Steve de Shazer, Insoo Kim Berg, and the team at the Brief Family Therapy Center of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the mid-1980's, but has its roots in the earlier work of Milton Erickson. Related areas of strategic and narrative forms of therapy have also been developed by the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto, California and Bill O'Hanlon in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Solution-Focused Links

Our director, Clay Watkins, M.A. LMFT, a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. Our director, Clay Watkins, LMFT, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He provides individual, couples and family counseling. He specializes in anxiety-related difficulties including panic attacks, post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and phobias. He has advanced training and a decade of experience utilizing EMDR to treat trauma, and his unique brand of counseling integrates a solution-focused perspective that often speeds up the therapy process compared to more traditional forms of counseling. (BBS License #: MFC 37239)
Clay's Curriculum Vitae

In addition to seeing clients himself, Clay coordinates referrals to a network of experienced and qualified counselors with a variety of specialties to meet your specific needs. Contact him today and start creating a better life for you and your family.

Philosophy

At Village Counseling Center we believe most people have the resources to solve their problems. At times, however, a trauma or broken relationships or even the normal pressures of life can cause us to lose sight of our strengths; obscuring our natural ability to problem solve. Counseling provides a safe place where clients can regain their perspective, find acceptance, and challenge themselves to grow. And though true growth does require significant effort and courage, we at Village Counseling Center believe happiness is worth the price. Call us and begin building a better life, one risk at a time.

Learn more about Solution-Focused Therapy

Learn more about EMDR and the treatment of trauma, fear and anxiety