SFBT Is About Building, Not Solving Problems

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These are very challenging times for sure, but there is a lesson about the Solution Focused Approach we can learn from what is going on. In this video I share that lesson and I hope you carry it with you for as long as you use this approach.

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You know there is no two ways about it. What we’re going through right now is a very, very difficult and challenging time. And I certainly don’t want to be the person that’s sitting here like, you know, we can be really positive and let’s find the silver lining and all that kind of stuff like, you know, some problems you just can’t like, positive away, like they’re just, they’re just real and they’re just there. Having said that, there really is an important lesson related to Solution Focused

Brief Therapy that we can learn here. And I think we need to really pay attention and pick something up, and I want to share with you what that one thing is about this approach. I’m getting a lot of emails these days, and I have always gotten emails like this because I think people misunderstand Solution

Focused Brief Therapy and what it does in the session, how it impacts the client. But now,

with things were going through, I’m getting a ton more emails like this, people asking like, I’m seeing a client that’s really struggling with the stress and anxiety and all the things associated with these uncertain times.

So how do you help a client who’s dealing with situations related to Covid-19 and the virus spread?

And the assumption there is, in essence, how do you help a client when the problem is not likely to be solved anytime soon?

So if I’m losing my marbles because I’m stuck in my home and I’m really anxious about jobs and all that kind of stuff,

how do we help a client who’s dealing with those things? And that’s a really, really important question.

But the answer is we have to understand that Solution Focused Brief Therapy is actually not about solving anything.

It’s about building something. What I mean by that is Solution Focused Brief Therapy does not have the agenda to solve a problem in a client’s life.

We have the agenda to help build the client up through our questions, and then what the client does after being built up to becoming their best self.

Whether they solve a problem or deal with a difficult scenario is the client’s choice. Because very often there are certain problems that can’t be solved and ultimately can be solved.

I mean, even this virus. Eventually, we’re going to get back to some level of normalcy, and we’ll go back to work and we’ll go back to,

you know, restaurants and all those things will kind of go back to some level of normal. But it can’t be solved immediately,

and it’s not in the client’s control. And sometimes the thing that the client has to achieve is to build themselves up so that they can deal with a hard situation as opposed to fixing a problem.

We don’t want to take on the pressure and stresses of like it’s our responsibility to fix the client’s problem.

That’s not what Solution Focused Brief Therapy is about. Solution Focused Brief Therapy is about building up the client,

not necessarily solving the problem. The client is going to do that once they’re built up. If it’s a solvable problem within their control and something they can take care of then the client goes off and

solves the problem. But if it’s something like this where it’s like I’m likely wake up tomorrow still in a quarantine situation and still on the verge of lock down many people around the world already locked down and still dealing with social distancing and physical distancing and and avoiding our friends and loved ones. Like that

is likely to still be my reality tomorrow. So I can’t say suppose you woke up tomorrow and like that was solved because it’s not likely to be solved,

but I can’t say suppose you woke up tomorrow and you were somehow your very best self in spite of this situation,

what would you notice? Questions like that helped the client become more resilient, more focused, more strong,

more their best selves so they can deal with a hard situation, even if it is not going to solve the problem immediately.

So we got to remember that Solution Focused Brief Therapy is not about removing a problem. It’s about building a champion,

right? It’s about helping someone become their best selves, which is inherently more resilient and strong and capable. And that’s the purpose of this approach.

So thank you for watching this video. Please ‘like’, ‘share’, ‘subscribe’ to this video. If you’re on my YouTube channel,

hit the subscribe button. Don’t forget to hit the bells so you get a notification every time I release a new video. And I’m home now, stuck in one place,

so making more video, more content. Hopefully, you’re enjoying it! If you’re watching on my website or if you’re not watching on my website head on over to www.elliotconnie.com.

Subscribe to my email list. I got lots of stuff over there for you. And in the meantime,

since we’re still in a state of locked down and physical distancing and all those things…elbow bump!