The emphasis of Solution-Focused Couples Therapy is on rapidly removing blocks to intimacy and establishing a foundation of improved communication that leads to empathic skills, and active listening. Therapy generally lasts between 4-12 sessions and is goal-oriented.

As its name implies, Solution-Focused Couples Therapy is designed to be brief and is based on four stages of therapy; awareness and education, developing and implementing strategies for change, emphasizing the positive, and rehearsal of newly learned skills. The therapist helps the couple identify elements of the desired solution, which are usually already present in the relationship. The couple learns to build on these elements, which form the basis for ongoing change. In order to achieve this, a solution-focused therapist is likely to do the following:

1. Instead of going over past events and focusing on problems, the therapist helps you envision your future without today's problems.
2. During the course of therapy (often as few as 3 to 6 sessions), the therapist helps you discover solutions.
3. The therapist encourages you to identify and do more of what is already working.
4. The therapist guides you to identify what doesn't work and to focus on doing less of it.
5. The emphasis is on the future, not the past.
6. The therapist believes that the couple is the best expert about what it takes to change their relationship.
7. The therapist's role is to help you identify solutions that will remove the barriers to having the relationship you want.

Creating a detailed picture of what it will be like when life is better creates a feeling of hope, and this makes the solution seem possible. The therapist helps the couple focus on the future and how it will be better when things change. It is important to develop a set of specific, detailed goals. These goals drive the therapy process and keep it focused and efficient.

Why Solution-Focused Couples Therapy tends to be short-term

Solution-Focused therapists don't set out to artificially limit the number of sessions. A good brief therapist will not focus on limiting sessions or time, but rather on helping clients set goals and develop strategies to reach those goals. Focusing on the couple's goals and the concrete steps needed to achieve them usually takes less time than traditional therapy, in which the couple typically spends many sessions talking about the past and explores reasons and feelings. Solution-Focused therapists aim to provide a couple with the most effective treatment in the most efficient way possible so they can achieve their goals and get on with their lives.

San Jose Couples Therapist Providing Marriage Counseling and Relationship Counseling

San Jose Couples Counseling services include couples counseling, depression and relationship counseling, and parenting counseling. Service area includes San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Cruz, Palo Alto, Monte Sereno, Los Gatos, Cupertino, Mountain View, Scotts Valley, Campbell, Willow Glen, and Milpitas CA.