But there is a way out of our despair that is efficient and effective. Solution-Focused Therapy is an approach that addresses troubling issues in a manner that cuts to the chase, so to speak. With laser light precision, Solution-Focused Therapy zeroes in on what is really troubling us, then, almost miraculously finds the solution. The reason it works so well is the answers, we soon come to realize, lie within ourselves. It's the therapist's role to ask the right questions that guide us toward the answers that were inside us all along.

Solution-Focused Therapy might sound surprisingly simple. It may, in fact, seem too simple to be anything more than a Band-Aid for what's really bothering us. But Solution-Focused Therapy is far from shallow. It's an effective approach to dealing with issues and moving us along the path to change.

Why it Works

There is no digging into the past, but instead the focus is on the future. You are able to envision your life as you would like it to be, minus the problems troubling you.

With a trained Solution-Focused Therapist as your guide, you are able to figure out what has worked in the past and incorporate it into your solution.

Solution-Focused Therapists recognize that you are the best expert of yourself and thus most equipped to find the answers that will help you change your behavior.

The emphasis is on finding out what works for you and not someone else.

Solution-Focused Therapy looks at concrete steps that you can take to solve your problem. Your therapist is there to ask the questions that will help you focus on what needs to change in your life. The answers are clear and succinct because you came up with them yourself.

What Kind of Issues Is It Best For?

It works well when dealing with specific problems: changing careers, coping with the loss of a job, dealing with an unruly child, learning to be more assertive or less aggressive, dealing with an empty-nest, moving to another city or addressing specific concerns surrounding family members.

Why Do You Need a Solution-Focused Therapist?

While you uncover the answers within yourself, it takes the skill of a certified Solution-Focused Therapist to guide you on the journey. A therapist with this type of training is equipped to help you build toward the "Miracle Question" that will help you see the life you want.

Mark Felber, LPC, LCDC, CP, CET II, received his training through the first Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Certification Program in the country. He is among the first in the nation to complete this unique program offered through the University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work.

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E-mail mark@marriagecpr.com