Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and Spirituality

Abstract

Solution-focused therapy began to gain widespread attention in our country and around the world in the last quarter of the 20th century suggesting that clients possess the power, resources and problem-solving skills needed to solve their problems. During therapy, the counselor focuses on clients’ strengths in life rather than their problems. Clients’ strengths include their values, beliefs, experiences and spirituality. Since these strengths can be a part of the solution, it is possible to use them during therapy in accordance with the philosophy of solutionfocused therapy. Due to the client’s limited self-disclosure and the focus on solution rather than problem, it is considered that this approach can be used by clients from different cultures.Studies demonstrate that this therapy method can be benefited by Muslim clients, in particular, due to its emphasis on solution and future-focused and hope-oriented nature. In the present study, the emergence and philosophy of solution-focused therapy is briefly described and multiculturalism, spirituality and religion in solution-focused therapy and compatibility of solution-focused therapy with Islamic perspective are addressed with case examples and analyses.

Keywords

• Spirituality
• multiculturalism
• solution-focused therapy and Islamic principles