Brief therapy is being increasingly used for a variety of reasons in helping individuals developing coping skills and mechanisms to deal with problem behavior in their lives. One of the most distinguishing features of brief therapy is its deliberate use of time in forging a contract between the therapist and client. As Vann (1995) notes, ôBrief therapy is frequently identified as being between one and 20 sessions in length and requires a variety of flexible and creative approachesö (398).
Brief therapy is a therapy I will utilize in my work, primarily because it looks for the strengths in individuals rather than weaknesses. Brief therapy also helps clients set goals and structure positive and practical ways of achieving them. The goal of the therapist is often to help clients overcome problems in the here and now of their lives. For example, the therapist uses a number of techniques to assist the client in discovering practical solutions to present problems. One technique is to ask the client to define times in their life that represent exceptions to the current problem. In this way, the clientÆs problems are deemphasized and the emergence of solutions to the problem begin. The exception instances are used as a means of discovering solutions to the current problem. Such techniques work well for addictive and problematic behavior in teens. According to Szapocznik and Williams (2000), brief therapy has proven to be a ôsuperior therapy in engaging drug abusing, behavior problem Hispanic adolescents and their familiesö (125).
Another technique in brief therapy is referred to as the miracle question. In this instance, the therapist asks the client a question like, ôIf you could get up tomorrow and your (presenting) problem would be absent, what would be changed?ö From here the client explores and senses an existence without the problem and attempts to use this way of life as a means for setting goals to change the...