Abstract
Objectives: To explore young people’s experiences of attending a Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) clinic, and the meanings they attribute to this experience. Design: A qualitative research method. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, was employed to analyse and interpret young people’s verbal accounts of their experiences, gained during semi-structured interviews. Setting: A SFBT clinic in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in the South of England. Participants: Eight young people aged between 11 and 17, who were attending or had recently completed SFBT. Main Outcome Measure: The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. A process of systematic analysis proceeded and a number of main themes emerged. Results: The young people sought help to overcome problems and found attending the clinic, at first, anxiety provoking. They experienced the development of a therapeutic relationship and the therapist’s personality and attitude were important. The therapist was active in the process, providing advice and solutions. Facilitative factors included certain SFBT techniques (problem-free talk, complimenting, scaling), client motivation, support from others, and a goal-focused and realistic approach to change. The experience impacted upon the young people in many ways beyond their defined goals. Having some control over the process of therapy was important, and this led to a sense of control over their future and difficulties. Conclusions: The young people experienced the creation of a setting whereby successes could be celebrated, and valued praise from the therapist. Self-motivation, feeling actively included and being able to be in control of the therapy process were central to their experience.