NLP’s “well-formed outcomes” ask what you want instead of what’s wrong (NLP part 13). A therapy with a similar spirit, but a stronger research record, is solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT).
Where it comes from
SFBT was developed in the mid-1980s by Steve de Shazer, Insoo Kim Berg and colleagues at the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They watched many real sessions and kept the language and behaviours that reliably moved clients towards their goals. It isn’t an NLP therapy, but it overlaps with NLP in its focus on goals and its attention to language.
The core ideas
- Focus on solutions, not causes. You don’t need to analyse why a problem began to start doing something about it.
- Look for exceptions. When is the problem absent or less severe? What’s different then?
- Build on strengths. What’s already working?
- Small steps. Tiny changes can lead to bigger ones.
- Brief. Often a handful of sessions.
Typical tools
The miracle question. “Suppose that tonight, while you sleep, a miracle happens and the problem is solved. When you wake up, what is the first thing you’d notice?”
Scaling questions. “On a scale of 0 to 10, where are you now? What would one point higher look like?”
Exception questions. “Tell me about a time recently when this was a little better.”
Coping questions. “How have you managed to keep going?”
How it compares with NLP
| SFBT | NLP | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | Central | Central |
| Language focus | Yes | Yes |
| Techniques | Questions, scaling | Wide range, many imagery-based |
| Research | Dozens of controlled studies | Limited |
| Practitioners | Therapists and coaches, with training | Unregulated |
What the evidence says
- One review of 43 controlled outcome studies found that 32 (74%) reported significant benefit from SFBT and 10 (23%) reported positive trends.
- The strongest evidence was for depression in adults, where four studies found SFBT comparable to well-established treatments.
- Fewer sessions. Three studies found SFBT used fewer sessions than alternative therapies.
- Further systematic reviews and meta-analyses have followed.
Caveats: study quality varies, effects are generally modest, and “positive trend” is a weaker finding than a significant difference. (These figures come from a search summary of one review and weren’t checked against the paper.)
Where it fits
- Everyday problems and goals. Work, relationships, motivation.
- Short-term support within schools, social services and workplaces.
- Alongside other therapies. Solution-focused questions can be added to CBT or coaching.
Limits
- Not a substitute for specialist treatment in severe or complex conditions such as PTSD or psychosis.
- Can feel too positive if someone needs to talk about pain first. A good therapist balances both.
- Quality depends on training. Ask about it.
Try it yourself
- Imagine the problem solved. What’s the first sign?
- Rate where you are today, 0 to 10.
- Recall a time it was better. What was different?
- Choose one small step that would move you up a point.
- Do it this week.
The bottom line
If you like NLP’s outcome thinking, SFBT offers much the same spirit with a larger evidence base. It’s one of the few approaches that began as evidence-based, and it can be a good first choice for short-term support.
Next in the series: Brain Retraining Programmes: The Gupta Programme and Limbic Retraining
This article is for general information and is not medical advice.