Brief therapyOften three to eight sessions

Solution-focused therapy

You do not have to understand where everything comes from before you can move on. Solution-focused therapy starts with the moments when things already go a little better, and builds on those.

What is solution-focused therapy?

Solution-focused therapy reverses the usual order. Instead of working out how a problem came about, you look at what you want to achieve and at the moments when that already works a little. Those moments are almost always there, even if they go unnoticed.

The method was developed in the 1980s by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg. Their starting point: the solution does not have to match the cause. What works, works, even if you do not know exactly what went wrong.

That makes it a short and practical form of therapy. You are the expert on your own life; your provider mainly asks questions that get you thinking about what you can already do.

Scientific basis: Gingerich and Peterson reviewed 43 controlled studies and found a clear positive effect in almost three quarters of them, with the strongest signals for depression in adults, where it performed comparably to established treatments (Research on Social Work Practice, 2013). Studies that looked at treatment length found that solution-focused therapy needs fewer sessions. An umbrella review of existing meta-analyses confirmed in 2024 that the method is effective, while noting that the quality of the research varies (Psychotherapy Research, 2024).

How does it work?

What do you want to achieve?

You start not with the diagnosis but with the goal. What does your life look like once this is resolved? The more concrete, the better.

Looking for exceptions

There are almost always moments when the complaint is less present. Those moments are sought out and examined: what were you doing, who was there, what was different?

Measuring on a scale

Where are you now on a scale from zero to ten, and what would one point higher look like? That makes progress visible and keeps the step small.

One small next step

You agree on something you can do this week. Small and achievable, because a step that works gives you more than a plan that stays on the shelf.

Looking at what worked

Next time you start with what went better. What works, you do more of. What does not work, you let go.

An example

You have slept badly for months and say it is never any good. Your provider asks about the last night that was bearable. There was one, two weeks ago, after a walk and without your phone in bed. That is not a coincidence but a clue. The agreement for this week is not "sleep better", but to repeat that one thing for a single evening and see what happens.

Who is it for?

✓Situations at a standstill where you do not know the next step

✓Questions about work and relationships

✓Low self-confidence

✓Low mood and stress complaints

✓People who would rather look forward than back

✓As a complement to another treatment

With severe or long-standing problems, solution-focused therapy is usually used alongside another treatment rather than instead of it. Your provider will discuss during the intake what fits your situation.

Related complaints

Low mood Stress Work stress Low self-confidence Relationship problems

Related treatments

CBT ACT Positive psychology Coaching

Frequently asked questions

How many sessions does solution-focused therapy take?

It is a short form of therapy. Three to eight sessions are often enough. Research shows that solution-focused therapy generally needs fewer sessions than other approaches. How many you need is something you discuss during the intake.

So I do not have to talk about my past?

You may tell whatever you want to share, and your past is part of that. The difference is where the attention goes: not to unpicking the cause, but to the moments when things were already going better and what you did differently then.

What is the miracle question?

A well-known question in this therapy: suppose you sleep tonight and a miracle happens that removes your problem, but you do not know it. What would be the first thing tomorrow morning that told you something had changed? That question makes concrete what you actually want, in behaviour you can see.

Is it suitable for severe complaints?

Solution-focused therapy has been studied for a range of complaints, with the strongest signals for depression in adults. With severe or complex problems it is more often used alongside another treatment than as the only approach. Your provider will assess that with you.

Take the first step

Ready for a first conversation?

Book an intake with a provider who works in a solution-focused way. Together you will look at whether this approach fits your situation.

Book an intake Other treatments

Sources: Gingerich & Peterson (2013), Research on Social Work Practice · De Shazer & Berg, founders of the method · Umbrella review (2024), Psychotherapy Research