LARRAPY Convos – Blog 29 - “What Is Solution-Focused Therapy—and How Can It Help You?”

“I don’t want to talk about my past—I want to fix my future.”

“I know what’s wrong. I just need help getting unstuck.”

“What’s one thing I can do differently, starting today?”

These are the kinds of thoughts that Solution-Focused Therapy is built around.

While many forms of therapy dive deep into your past (which has value), Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) is different. It meets you where you are and helps you build what’s next—one small, intentional step at a time.

💡 What Is Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT)?

Solution-Focused Therapy is a short-term, strength-based counseling approach that focuses on:

• Your goals

• Your resources

• Your future possibilities

• What’s working instead of what’s broken

It was developed in the 1980s by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg, and it’s used by therapists, coaches, educators, and even pastors.

It’s not about minimizing pain—it’s about maximizing hope.

🎯 Core Principles of SFT

1. Focus on Solutions, Not Problems

Instead of asking, “Why are you stuck?”We ask, “What would progress look like?”

2. You Already Have Strengths

SFT believes that you already have the resources and wisdom inside you—you just need help uncovering and activating them.

3. Small Changes Lead to Big Shifts

You don’t need a miracle to start. You need a step.SFT asks: “What’s one small thing you could do differently this week?”

4. The Client Is the Expert

In this model, you define your goals.The therapist helps clarify, affirm, and explore what works best for you.

🛠️ What Happens in a Solution-Focused Therapy Session?

• You define your goal (even if it’s small or vague)

• The therapist asks focused questions like:

  • “What will be different when this problem is gone?”

  • “When was a time you handled this better?”

  • “On a scale of 1–10, how close are you to your goal?”

• You leave with specific, doable action steps

📈 What Can Solution-Focused Therapy Help With?

• Anxiety, stress, or overwhelm

• Relationship conflict

• Family or parenting issues

• Motivation and productivity

• Self-esteem and decision-making

• Faith or identity struggles

• Life transitions

It’s especially effective when you feel stuck and want to gain clarity fast.

🙏 Faith Integration: Biblical Roots of SFT

Solution-Focused Therapy aligns with the biblical principle of renewing your mind and taking faithful, future-focused steps:

“Do not dwell on the former things… See, I am doing a new thing!” – Isaiah 43:18–19“Faith without works is dead.” – James 2:17“Whatever is true… think about these things.” – Philippians 4:8

SFT helps you shift from shame to strategy, from fear to focus, from talking about what’s wrong to living into what’s possible.

🧭 Why Choose Solution-Focused Therapy?

If you’ve ever said:

• “I don’t have time for years of therapy.”

• “I just need direction and accountability.”

• “I want to focus on what I can control.”

Then SFT may be for you.

It’s:

✅ Practical

✅ Goal-oriented

✅ Actionable

✅ Empowering

✅ Often short-term (4–12 sessions)

🕊️ Final Word: Hope Starts with a Vision

Healing doesn’t always start by going backward.Sometimes it starts by seeing what’s ahead—and believing it’s possible.

Solution-Focused Therapy reminds you that:

• You are not powerless.

• You are not defined by your past.

• Your next step matters.

• And with God, small steps become life change.

“Write the vision; make it plain…” – Habakkuk 2:2

🙏 A Prayer for Clarity and Progress

“Lord, I know where I’ve been—but help me see where I’m going. Open my eyes to possibilities I’ve stopped believing in. Give me strength to take small steps with big faith. Let every move I make reflect hope, not fear. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”