Approach
Solution-focused therapy asks what you want, then maps the steps.
A problem does not always need its roots mapped before something can change. Solution-focused therapy starts with the life you want and works out small, concrete steps toward it. Erin L. Smith, MSPC, LPCC, LPC blends it with strength-based and cognitive-behavioral work, with sessions at her Georgetown, KY office or through telehealth in Kentucky, Arizona and Minnesota.
01Solution-focused therapy
Goals you can picture
Solution-focused therapy opens with a direct question: what do you want to be different? The answer gets shaped until it is concrete enough to notice. 'Less stressed' is a start. 'Leaving work at work on most days' or 'laughing at dinner again' is something you can actually see. With Erin, treatment goals are worked out together in specific terms rather than handed to you, and they can be reshaped as you learn more. A clear goal also keeps the conversation honest, because you both know what you are looking for.
02Solution-focused therapy
Looking for exceptions
Even persistent problems have quieter days. Solution-focused work pays close attention to those exceptions: the morning the anxiety stayed in the background, the argument that did not escalate, the week the drinking was lighter. What was different? Maybe you slept better, called someone, or handled the first moment in a new way. Exceptions are not flukes to dismiss. They are clues about what already works for you, and they tie into the strength-based side of Erin's style, which starts from the coping skills you already have.
03Solution-focused therapy
Scaling questions
A scaling question asks where things stand right now, often on a scale from zero to ten, with zero as the worst it has been and ten as where you want to be. The number matters less than the conversation it opens. Why a four and not a two? What got you there? What would one step higher look like on an ordinary Tuesday? Scaling turns a vague 'not good' into something you can track together over time, without pretending your life can be measured precisely.
04Solution-focused therapy
The 'what would be different' question
Another classic solution-focused question asks you to imagine that tomorrow, for no clear reason, things are noticeably better. What is the first small thing you would notice? What would the people around you notice? What would you be doing that you are not doing now? The answers tend to be specific and surprisingly ordinary: answering a text, sitting outside with coffee, speaking up once in a meeting. Those details become the next steps, and they make the change you want easier to picture and easier to start.
05Solution-focused therapy
Who solution-focused therapy tends to suit
Erin works especially well with people who are focused on their goals and want to complete treatment, and solution-focused therapy suits that kind of energy. It keeps sessions pointed at what you came for and makes progress easier to see. It also blends with the rest of her style: strength-based work brings in what you already do well, and cognitive-behavioral tools help with the thoughts that get in the way. You talk openly about progress as you go, so the work stays honest about what is changing.
06Solution-focused therapy
Planning the finish early
Therapy with Erin is not designed to last forever, and solution-focused work keeps the finish line in view. Once your goals are met, the two of you talk about what keeping your progress will look like, which early warning signs to watch for, and what returning would involve if you ever need it. Ending this way is not a door slamming shut. It is a plan you leave with. Coming back later, if life calls for it, is part of that plan rather than a step backward.
You might like this if
- You want clear goals and visible progress
- A change or decision has you stuck
- Endless analysis has stopped feeling useful
- You plan to finish therapy, not stay forever
Fit and pace are decided with Erin, starting from the goals you name.
Questions
Common questions
- Is solution-focused therapy short-term?
- It is built to stay focused, and its length varies with what you bring. Work around a life transition, for example, is often shorter and more focused than people expect. Erin does not decide on a number of sessions before meeting you.
- Does solution-focused therapy ignore the past?
- No. It just does not require the past to be fully explained before change can start. If an old trauma needs attention, Erin can make room for it with other methods, while the solution-focused side keeps pointing toward the life you want.
- What happens in a solution-focused session?
- In solution-focused work, a session often opens with what has gone even slightly better. You might place yourself on a scale, look at an exception from the week and agree on one small next step. Erin explains what she is using and why.
In Erin's words
What she would say if you called today.
I like to hear early what you want to be different, in words concrete enough that we will both notice it happening. We set those goals together, I give you honest feedback along the way, and when you get there, we plan how you keep it.
Free 15-minute consultation
Book a consultation with Erin
Fifteen minutes by telehealth, at no charge. You can describe what is going on, ask how Erin works, and decide afterward whether to book a first session. Scheduling opens in her secure SimplePractice portal.
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