Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), also known as Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), is a goal-oriented therapeutic approach that emphasizes finding solutions rather than dwelling on problems. Developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg, this approach focuses on the present and future rather than exploring past issues.

Key principles of SFBT include:

1. Change is constant and certain
2. Clients are the experts in their own lives
3. Focus on solutions rather than problems
4. Emphasis on what is changeable and possible
5. Therapy is short-term and goal-oriented

SFBT techniques include:

1. The miracle question: Asking clients to envision their life without the problem
2. Exception questions: Exploring times when the problem was less severe or absent
3. Scaling questions: Using numerical scales to assess progress and set goals
4. Compliments: Highlighting client strengths and resources
5. Future-oriented questions: Focusing on how life will be different when goals are achieved

Benefits of SFBT:

• Brief and time-efficient
• Empowers clients by focusing on their strengths and resources
• Promotes positive change and optimism
• Applicable to a wide range of issues and settings

SFBT is based on the belief that clients have the inner resources to solve their problems. Therapists collaborate with clients to identify goals, explore exceptions to problems, and develop practical solutions. This approach is particularly effective for those seeking quick, pragmatic resolutions to their concerns.