Exploring Relationships between Needs and Solutions in Solution Focused Brief Therapy: A Recursive Frame Analysis

Authors

Annette BoVee-Akyurek, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Ronald J. Chenail, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Kara Erolin, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow

Abstract

Focus is a critical component in solution focused brief therapy (SFBT; de Shazer et al., 1986), yet little research has been conducted on how SFBT therapists utilize the clients’ focus on their awareness of needs to relationally build solutions (Reiter & Chenail, 2016). To address this gap, we reviewed the notion of utilizing clients’ focus in SFBT conceptually and presented the results of our discovery-oriented qualitative study of a classic training case conducted by one of SFBT’s co-developers, Insoo Kim Berg (1994). We explored how Berg appeared to demonstrate relationally focused solution development. The findings suggest that Berg’s therapeutic style and recursive nature facilitates the clients’ awareness of needs in all stages, tapping into the clients’ internal wisdom to enhance movement towards solutions.

Keywords

Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Recursive Frame Analysis, Needs, Milton Erickson, Marriage and Family Therapy

Author Bio(s)

Annette BoVee-Akyurek, Ph.D., MFT, LMHC, NCC, PT is a psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, and physical therapist in private practice at In Touch-therapy for mind and body. She is an adjunct professor at the Department of Family Therapy program at Nova Southeastern University. Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed directly to: annetteak@yahoo.com.

Ronald J. Chenail, Ph.D. is Interim Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Professor of Family Therapy at Nova Southeastern University. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: ron@nova.edu.

Kara Erolin, Ph.D., LMFT is Doctoral Programs Director of and Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Therapy at Nova Southeastern University. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: kerolin@nova.edu.

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the dedication and work that Insoo Kim Berg and Steve deShazer put forth in exploration and development of solution focused brief therapy. We would also like to give attention to the Solution Focused Brief Therapy Association in its dedication to the continuation of this work and its practice as Berg and deShazer intended. In addition, the Department of Family Therapy at Nova Southeastern University continues with sharing this work with their students of family therapy, facilitating solution focused brief therapy’s understanding and practice.

Publication Date

7-8-2019

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3600

Recommended APA Citation

BoVee-Akyurek, A., Chenail, R. J., & Erolin, K. (2019). Exploring Relationships between Needs and Solutions in Solution Focused Brief Therapy: A Recursive Frame Analysis. The Qualitative Report, 24(7), 1618-1635. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3600