Keiko Yoneyama-Sims, MS. LMFT.
Postpartum Counseling in Denver
Offering Online meetings to ensure the safety of clients due to COVID-19.
From March 1st, we offer safe In-Person counseling. Please ask for more detail.
Solution Focused Approach
What is the benefits of Solution Focused Approach?
Solution Focused Approach (SFA) is respectful and outcome based therapy. The clients are the equal partner in the therapy sessions and are the expert of their life. The work in the therapy sessions is tailored to your needs, your situation, and desired result of therapy. SFA works with many varieties of problems, life issues, and mental health diagnosis, proven by scientific research. SFA tends to be a short term treatment. Research says that the majority of SFA session took 6 sessions and under to achieve outcome clients wanted. SFA philosophy is not to have one more session than the client needs.
How did Solution Focused Approach created?
Solution Focused Approach was originally established as a new way of counseling by Steve de Shazer, Insoo Kim-Berg, and other colleagues in 1980’s. They observed numerous therapy sessions and extracted what worked for clients to make changes and improvements. Its philosophy is influenced by Strategic Family therapy, Ericksonian therapy, Adlarian psychology, Wittgensteinian philosophy, and Buddhist philosophy.
What are Solution Focused Approach Core Beliefs?
If it isn't broken, don't fix it.
If it works, do more of it.
If it's not working, do something different.
Small steps can lead to big changes.
Solution is not necessary directly related to the problem.
The language for solution development is different from that needed to describe a problem.
No problems happen all the time; there are always exceptions that can be utilized.
The future is both created and negotiable. (De Shazer et al, 2007)
What to expect during the first meeting?
During the first meeting, we will go over the information packet and disclosure statement first to make sure you understand rules and limitations for therapy sessions and for Marriage and Family Therapists. We will set aside time to get to know each other. Then, we will exploring your goal, what you want from the meetings. Once the goal is decided and clear for you and me, we will discuss how to get to what you want. In this process, I will be asking range of questions to help us figure out what you want and how to go about it with respectful, non-judgmental and supportive manner. At the end of the session, I will provide feedback that includes, but not limited to, highlight of important topics we discussed that day, and past success or current resources that you mentioned in the session. The session is usually lasts about 50 - 60 minutes.
How do I know if it is for me?
During the first session, you will get some feel of therapy process, therapist and office environment. These are very important aspect of your progress and changes. It is very important to listen to your feel for the therapy session, and to find a therapist you are comfortable to work with. It is important that you feel respected and supported during the session. At the end of the therapy session, you will make decision of coming back to therapy for the next session or you do not need to come back. I will not assume either you should come back or you should end the session. It is truly up to your needs.
How many times or how long do I need to attend therapy sessions?
In Solution Focused Brief Approach, there is not preset frequency or number of sessions that you need to follow. When you need more sessions to achieve your goal, we will have more sessions. When you get to the point where you are satisfied with goal achieved so far, then that will indicate the end of therapy. de Shazer wrote about it in very simple manner "it (therapy) should be no longer and not one bit shorter than necessary" (Connie & Metchalf, 2009).