Solution-focused brief therapy from the client's perspective: A descriptive phenomenological analysis

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) from the client’s perspective. The secondary purpose was to inform counsellors about how the model can be used more effectively. Semi-structured interviews with five clients were conducted in order to explore: (a) the lived experience; (b) meaning attributed to, and (c) the lived effect of SFBT on clients’ lives. Data were collected and analyzed using the descriptive phenomenological method. A general structure, including five key themes describing clients’ common experiences with the model, was established. The themes and their constituents (i.e., subthemes) were elaborated upon, providing an in-depth understanding of how clients experience and are affected by SFBT, with clear indications for how the model can be used and taught more effectively. Evidence in support of SFBT was also established, as was theory about how and why the model works.