Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a short-term and evidence-based therapeutic framework that helps individuals construct concrete solutions rather than dwelling extensively on problems. Developed in the 1970s by pioneering social workers Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg at the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee, SFBT remains one of the most researched and validated brief therapy models in clinical practice today.
SFBT delivers real, measurable results. Rather than spending months re-examining the past, we focus on your goals, your strengths, exceptions to the problem, and what a better future could look like for you as an individual, a family, your partner, or a group.
SFBT does not ask what is wrong with you. It asks what you want instead of the problem, and what strengths you already have to get there. The clinical evidence is compelling: a peer-reviewed meta-analysis across 22 controlled studies found SFBT produces a 59% reduction in overall psychosocial problems (Stams et al., 2006), with outcomes comparable to longer-term therapies achieved in significantly fewer sessions.
We support clients in finding rapid, lasting relief from:
Renée Meggs is a Registered Psychologist and Coach with 30+ years of experience in the helping professions, including 19 years of licensed practice in Alberta. A lifelong Bow Valley local, she is licensed through the College of Alberta Psychologists and brings SFBT together with EMDR, the Gottman Method, somatic approaches, and mindfulness to meet every client exactly where they are.
SFBT is designed to produce results quickly. Clients can complete short-term treatment, and for some, a single session creates meaningful change. Each 55-minute appointment is built around what you want to be different, not a standardized agenda. Progress is measured in every session, and there is no long-term commitment required. When specialized support is needed, Renée may draw on EMDR, the Gottman Method, or somatic approaches as part of the same working relationship.
Unlike CBT or traditional talk therapy, SFBT focuses not only on exceptions to problems, but focusing on your preferred future, producing results in significantly fewer sessions.
Most clients complete SFBT in far fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy. . Some people see meaningful progress after just one appointment. Sessions run 55 minutes. The pace is yours, with no open-ended commitment required.
Yes. SFBT has strong clinical evidence for anxiety and mild-to-moderate depression, with effect sizes matching CBT, typically achieved in fewer total sessions.
CBT restructures negative thought patterns through skills and exercises. SFBT focuses on exceptions to problems and helps people identify possible solutions, as well as focusing on progress towards a client’s goal(s).
You identify what you want to be different. Renée uses questions to identify a preferred action-based future, exceptions to the problem(s), and to identify current and future progress.
