Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT)

also known as Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), is a goal-oriented therapeutic approach that focuses on identifying and amplifying clients’ strengths, resources, and solutions rather than dwelling on problems or deficits. Developed by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg in the 1980s, SFT is grounded in the belief that clients have the capacity to create positive change in their lives and that solutions to their problems are often already present within them.

In Solution-Focused Therapy, therapists typically use a range of techniques to help clients clarify their goals, explore exceptions to their problems, and identify small steps they can take towards their desired outcomes. The therapy sessions are often structured and solution-focused, with an emphasis on exploring what is already working well in the client’s life and how these successes can be expanded upon to address current challenges.

Key principles of Solution-Focused Therapy include:

1. Brief and Solution-Focused: SFT is typically brief and focused on finding solutions rather than delving into the client’s past or analyzing the root causes of their problems.
2. Client-Centred: The therapy is client-centred, with the therapist adopting a non-judgmental, collaborative, and respectful stance towards the client.
3. Focus on the Present and Future: SFT focuses on the client’s current strengths and resources, as well as their desired future outcomes, rather than dwelling on past problems or failures.
4. Goal-Oriented: The therapy is goal-oriented, with an emphasis on identifying clear and achievable goals that the client wishes to work towards.
5. Amplifying Exceptions: Therapists help clients identify exceptions to their problems—times when the problem is less severe or absent—and explore what is different during those times.
6. Scaling Questions: Therapists use scaling questions to assess the client’s progress and motivation, asking clients to rate their current level of satisfaction or progress on a scale from 0 to 10.
7. Solution-Focused Techniques: SFT employs a range of techniques, including miracle question, scaling questions, exception-seeking questions, and coping questions, to facilitate change and goal attainment.

Overall, Solution-Focused Therapy is a strengths-based, collaborative, and future-focused approach that empowers clients to identify and implement solutions to their problems, leading to positive and sustainable change.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

is a type of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) that combines mindfulness strategies with behavioural techniques to help individuals develop psychological flexibility and lead more meaningful lives. Developed by Steven C. Hayes and his colleagues in the late 20th century, ACT is grounded in the belief that suffering is a normal part of the human experience and that attempts to control or avoid painful thoughts and emotions often lead to increased distress.

In ACT, the primary goal is not to eliminate or change difficult thoughts and feelings but rather to develop acceptance of them while taking committed action towards living a values-based life. The therapy is based on six core principles, often referred to by the acronym “ACT”:

1. Acceptance: Clients are encouraged to accept their thoughts and feelings without judgment, recognizing that struggle against them often leads to increased distress.
   Cognitive Diffusion: Clients learn to distance themselves from their thoughts and see them for what they are—just thoughts—rather than as facts or truths.
2. Being Present: Mindfulness techniques are used to help clients stay present in the moment, fostering awareness of their experiences without getting caught up in them.
3. Self-as-Context: Clients develop a perspective that sees themselves as more than their thoughts, feelings, or experiences, fostering a sense of continuity and self-awareness.
4. Values: Clients identify what matters most to them in life—their values—and work towards living in alignment with these values, even in the presence of difficult thoughts and emotions.
5. Committed Action: Clients take meaningful, values-based action in their lives, moving towards their goals and aspirations despite the presence of discomfort or fear.

Therapists use a variety of techniques and exercises in ACT, including mindfulness exercises, metaphors, experiential exercises, and behavioural experiments, to help clients develop psychological flexibility and enhance their quality of life.

Overall, ACT aims to help individuals develop a more open, flexible, and values-driven approach to life, enabling them to respond more effectively to difficult thoughts, emotions, and experiences.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBTe): A Brief Overview

CBTe is a specialized form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy designed to address the unique challenges associated with eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. This evidence-based approach focuses on understanding and changing the patterns of thinking and behavior that sustain disordered eating habits. Key components include:

• Assessment and Goal Setting: Initial sessions focus on understanding the individual’s eating disorder and setting personalized treatment goals.
• Psychoeducation: Patients learn about the physical and psychological aspects of eating disorders to better understand their condition.
• Behavioral Interventions: Techniques such as self-monitoring, exposure to feared foods, and structured eating plans help normalize eating behaviors.
• Cognitive Restructuring: Identifying and challenging distorted thoughts related to food, body image, and self-worth.
• Relapse Prevention: Developing strategies to maintain progress and handle potential setbacks.
  CBTe is a collaborative process, involving regular sessions with a trained therapist and practical homework assignments. It empowers individuals to take an active role in their recovery, promoting lasting change and improved quality of life.