SFBT

Question 1

What are the core concepts of SFBT? How does SFBT weigh the importance of past experiences?

Answer 1

Social constructionism (therapist takes a not-knowing stance)
Importance of language (postmodern influences, future-focused + goal-directed)

Is future-oriented, knowing root of prob is deemed unnecessary

Question 2

What are the parameters for SBT (i.e., session length etc.)?

Answer 2

Aim for 5 sessions (rarely beyond 8), 45m each
Includes ranking/scaling questions to assess baseline in each session

Question 3

What are some key ingredients to the therapist stance in SFBT?

Answer 3

Focuses on client’s desired future rather than past problems or current conflicts
Maintains a positive, respectful and hopeful attitude
Encourages clients to increase the frequency of currently useful behaviours
Co-constructs solutions or alternatives with clients
Stance of “not-knowing” and of leading from “one-step behind”
Focus on what is possible and changeable, rather than what is impossible and intractable
Resistance is a message rather than a problem

Question 4

What are the 8 “puzzle” pieces of an SFBT session?

Answer 4

1. problem talk
2. Separating the person from the problem
3. Miracle question
4. Exceptions
5. Scaling questions
6. Goals/feedback
7. Compliments
8. Task setting

Question 5

What are the issues with SFBT? Who does it work well for?

Answer 5

Not culturally sensitive due to manualization
Does not acknowledge that the problem may be out of the client’s control due to systems

Works well for clients and cultures who like a fast-paced, no-nonsense down to each approach and who are not interested in the CBT or affective components of the problem

Question 6

What are the main SFBT question types? At what stage of session may you begin to ask these questions?

Answer 6

Questions to identify previous solutions/exceptions (e.g., tell me about times when the problem isn’t around?)
Relationship questions (e.g., what would people notice if things were different?)
Coping questions (e.g., what stopped total disaster from occurring?)
Scaling questions (e.g., show ladder, ask them to rate themselves, ask how have you stopped yourself from going to the bottom of the ladder?)

Middle-stage, story development

Question 7

What occurs during a session break in SFBT? What does the clinician’s team provide to the therapist?

Answer 7

Feedback about the session
A list of compliments for the client or family
Some possible experiments for the client or family to try

Question 8

What a are the components of the end session?
What are the two skills utilized at the end session for SFBT?

Answer 8

1. Feedback looped back to the client referring to the problem they came in for, a review of how they described the problem and reflecting back to the client on their hopes for the future, what they had already been doing + compliments
2. Co-developing experiments, next possibilities
3. Crafting of a therapeutic or session note

Compliments
Experiments (will act as first small step towards goal, will be a behavior that the client can practice regularly)

Question 9

When is SFBT not the right approach for someone?

Answer 9

When a client cannot identify a goal, even after multiple sessions
When focused interaction is not possible
When client perceives the approach to be too positive and not in step with their frame of mind
When previous attempts at SFBT have been unproductive