What is the basic philosophy behind the solution-focused approach?
1. Reflect on your practicum experience this week. What has gone well? What areas have been challenging for you and why?
In this week, the practicum experience concentrated on the application of solution-focused approach into counseling. I learned that solution-focused therapy is future-focused and goal-oriented to solving human problems such as depression, stress and anxiety, substance abuse/addiction, relationship problems, and more. In order to find a solution, counselors rely on the patients’ coping abilities, personal strengths, and resources to help them reach/attain their set therapy goals. I have learned that SFT is a short-term approach useful for both children and older adults. During the practicum, some aspects gone well while others were challenging for me. Examples of what gone well as the understanding of the key concepts of SFT and the ability to create positive relationships with the patients. The challenging areas were some clients’ inability to exhibit the desired coping skills, use their resources and capabilities, and the avoidant nature which made the counseling approach difficult to use and reap the desired goals.
2. What is the basic philosophy behind the solution-focused approach? Do you feel this approach is effective? Why or why not? What solution-focused approaches do you think would be most applicable for a client suffering with depression? Why do you think these approaches are most effective?
According to (Murray, 2021), solution-focused therapy (SFT) is a future-oriented, goal-directed approach to solving human problems. Also termed solution-focused brief therapy, SFT focuses on solutions to issues, and finding the strengths and resources the individual has, instead of focusing on the problem. Thus, this approach concentrates on the problem at the current time, and how to progress ahead with its solution. I feel that SFT is an effective approach to counseling, as it works actively toward solutions. This is because SFT helps people use their strengths and capabilities to recover and find solution and attain their therapy goals. Besides, since SFT is short-term and goal-oriented, it is cost effective and time saving compared to long-term therapy approaches (Murray, 2021). SFT is useful in treating depression, stress, addiction, and relationship problems. For example, when treating a depressed patient, SFT techniques such as the miracle question, miracle question, and exceptions to the problems are effective as they help the patient describe the solutions they want and utilize their coping abilities, resources and strengths to reach their counseling goals.
References
Murray, H. (2021). Solution Focused Therapy. Simply Pyschology, 1-25.