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What is solution-focus brief therapy?

The basic ideas for solution-focus brief therapy began over 30 years ago.  Steve de Shazer became interested in what people do that help them find solutions to the problems that brought them into his office.  This was a very different way of thinking about therapy (it still is).  Most therapy is practiced from a theory.   So the client is viewed through the lens of the therapist's theoretical orientation.  What de Shazer was doing was very different; he was learning what works from clients who were figuring things out.  De Shazer learned to ask useful questions and these questions helped the client think in more positive and useful ways about their predicaments.   As he developed these useful questions from the clients, he applied them to other clients keeping the ones that work.  Later with his wife, Insoo Kim Berg, and other therapists at the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, they continued to research and develop the solution-focused approach.  Finally in 1982, they called what they were doing, solution-focus brief therapy.  I think a useful way of grasping what solution focus is about is to imagine that someone says to a therapist that they have a problem 98% of their waking hours.  The traditional therapist who might practice from a problem focused approach would want to know a lot about the 98%.  The solution-focused therapist would be interested in the 2%.   TOP

What is the difference between brief therapy and short-term therapy?

The focus of short-term therapy is usually on the number of sessions.  For example, the therapist might tell the client that they have 20 sessions together and anything that is to be accomplished will have to be completed within the 20 sessions.  Brief therapy, as we define it, is as many sessions as necessary to develop a satisfactory solution to the problem that motivated you to seek help and not one session more or less than that.  In my experience as a brief therapist, I usually find that brief therapy is actually shorter than short-term therapy. The 1995 Consumer Reports study obtained self-report data from 2,900 therapy clients. This was the biggest follow-up study of psychotherapy ever undertaken. The study found that psychotherapy works, but that there was no link between problem type and which therapy was helpful; that clients who make active choices about their therapy do better. Restrictions on the client’s choice of therapist or on the length of treatment reduced the effectiveness of therapy. TOP

But my problems are very complicated; won't I need a lot of sessions?

That would be true if we focused on the problems rather than what you want to be different and more satisfying in your life.  I suppose it's like taking a trip.  By having a specific direction (goal), there's a much better chance you're going to get somewhere useful and get there more briefly than without a plan.  In fact, The Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change , a well respected book that covers over 80 years of psychotherapy research, states that in comparative studies of brief and time unlimited therapy there are virtually no differences in  terms of both long-term and short-term results.  TOP

What should I expect when I meet with you?

Before we first meet, I will ask you to think about what you want to be different and better in our working together. This will be the question that will begin our journey together.  Pretty much the rest of the time will be spent putting the details on that difference. Once we've discussed how you want things to be different and better, I'll take a break, think about our conversation, review my notes, and then return to share those thoughts with you.  I might (and probably will) have a suggestion of something for you to do, or think about after you've returned home.    TOP

How often will we meet?

Whether we will continue to meet, how often, and when we should schedule our next appointment will be your decision to make.  There's no evidence to show that there's any advantage in meeting weekly.  My experience tells me that most of what happens that moves therapy in a positive direction occurs between sessions: in your real life.    TOP

Other therapists either don't return my calls or are full. How come you're able to take new clients?

Many therapists expect to see clients on a weekly basis. Once their caseload is full, they stop making appointments for new callers. As I said before, I believe that what happens as a result of therapy happens inbetween sessions and people need time to notice what's happening in their lives they want to continue and happen even more. Because of this, I don't expect to see people weekly which means I usually have openings in my schedule. TOP

What are your office hours?

On Mondays through Thursdays, my first session is 8:30am and the last session is 4pm. On Fridays, the hours are 8:30am - 12 noon. TOP

How much do you charge?

I charge $75 each session for the first four sessions and $95 each session for any additional sessions.  Because I work briefly, usually 3 or 4 sessions are sufficient to get you on track.  The first session is often longer than the others.  I don't stick rigidly to a 50 minute session; it could be longer, it could be shorter depending upon what we accomplish together.    TOP

Do you have a sliding scale?

With the fee schedule above, there really isn't a need.  But, if $75 is still too much, talk to me - we'll work out something.  I can also process credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover) if that's more convenient for you. Payment for therapy sessions can be made on-line. See the therapy payment page.  TOP  

Do you take insurance?

I am on many insurance companies' provider list. I would sugest that you contact your insurance company either via the phone number on the back of your ID card or using the company's internet website and verfiy that I am a provder for your policy. When you call to make an appointment, make sure that you have your insurance information on hand. I am unable to take clients with multiple payors (e.g. Medicare with insurance).

PLEASE NOTE: Since the Affortable Care Act, many insurance companies now offer a lower cost policies with a high deductible. If you are insured by your employer, you may also be insured under a high deductible policy in order to keep costs down. What this means is that you must first satsify the deductible by paying directly before your insurance will cover services. The deductible can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands. Before you call for an appointment, I suggest that you contact your insurance company and ask about your policy so there won't be any surprises. TOP

I don't live near you, but I would really like the idea of working solution-focused.  Can this be arranged?

If you are interested in working with me specifically, it is possible to do this even if your don't live near-by.  We can arrange virtual sessions using a HIPPA compliant virtual platform. To arrange virtual sessions, contact me at 845-778-7106. TOP