Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

Solution-focused brief therapy deliberately spends little time on the problem. Instead of asking how a difficulty started, it asks a different question: what would things look like if it were already solved, and what's the smallest sign that would tell you it's starting to happen? From there, the work is building on what's already working, however small.

A signature technique is the "miracle question" — imagining you woke up tomorrow with the problem gone, and noticing the concrete details that would be different. Sessions are typically short (often 4–8 in total) and forward-looking throughout, which makes SFBT a good fit for people who want practical progress fast rather than an extended exploration of the past.

It's widely used for anxiety, low confidence, relationship friction, and workplace or family situations where a specific change is wanted. SFBT practitioners with ABCAP have verified training and insurance.

23 Therapists Found
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Suzi Tutus

Accredited Member
Verified
Verified by it's Owner
Popular
  • Midlands, United Kingdom
    • Sessions offered : Online, Phone
    Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Gestalt Therapy, Integrative Therapy, Life Coaching, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Person-Centred Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Humanistic
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Soraya Mohammadi

Accredited Member
Verified
Verified by it's Owner
Popular
  • London / UK
    • Sessions offered : Online, Phone
    Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Existential Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Integrative Therapy, Person-Centred Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Humanistic
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Michael McArdle

Accredited Member
Verified
Verified by it's Owner
Popular
  • Longford, Ireland
    • Sessions offered : Face-to-Face, Online, Phone
    Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Animal Assisted Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Existential Therapy, Group Therapy, Integrative Therapy, Life Coaching, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Men's Health Therapy, Person-Centred Therapy, Play Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Humanistic
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Naielah Ackbarali

Accredited Member
Verified
Verified by it's Owner
Popular
  • Online
    • Sessions offered : Online
    Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Couples Therapy, Life Coaching, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
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Andrea Bednarz

Accredited Member
Verified
Verified by it's Owner
Popular
  • United States
    • Sessions offered : Online, Phone
    Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Couples Therapy, Family Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Person-Centred Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
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Deborah Huxley

Accredited Member
Verified
Verified by it's Owner
Popular
  • Anywhere via online sessions
    • Sessions offered : Online
    Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT), Couples Therapy, Family Therapy, Life Coaching, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Men's Health Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Humanistic, Meditation Therapy
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Rebecca McKenzie

Accredited Member
Verified
Verified by it's Owner
Popular
  • Online and croydon locations
    • Sessions offered : Face-to-Face, Online, Phone
    Couples Therapy, Integrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
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Miss Kelly Elaine Handley

Accredited Member
Verified
Verified by it's Owner
Popular
  • Leeds, Yorkshire.
    • Sessions offered : Face-to-Face, Online, Phone
    Couples Therapy, Family Therapy, Life Coaching, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Men's Health Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
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Azemina Okeke

Verified
Verified by it's Owner
Popular
  • Cardiff, United Kingdom
    • Sessions offered : Online
    Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Existential Therapy, Life Coaching, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Men's Health Therapy, Person-Centred Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Humanistic

ABCAP is not a regulatory body. Listing in the ABCAP directory is not an endorsement of a therapist's competence, fitness to practise, or conduct. We recommend verifying a therapist's qualifications and professional body membership directly before booking a session.

Frequently asked questions

Does SFBT ignore the problem entirely?

Not entirely — there's a brief acknowledgement of what's difficult, but the therapist quickly redirects towards what a better future looks like and what resources you already have. The theory is that dwelling on the problem's causes doesn't automatically reveal its solution.

How many sessions will I need?

Often just 4–8, sometimes fewer — it's designed to be brief. Many people find a handful of sessions enough for a specific, well-defined goal.

Is SFBT suitable for serious mental health problems?

It's best suited to specific, definable goals rather than complex or long-standing difficulties — for those, a longer-term approach like CBT or integrative therapy may serve better. A good therapist will say so if SFBT isn't the right fit.

What does a session actually involve?

Structured conversation: your best hopes for the work, questions about exceptions (times the problem was less present), scaling questions (rating progress out of ten), and small, specific next steps.