Which best describes the therapist-client relationship in Solution Focused Therapy?

• A. Collaborative
• B. Expert-Driven
• C. Confrontational
• D. Passive

Answer: (A)

In Solution Focused Therapy, the therapist and client work as partners. The therapist acts as a facilitator, guiding the client to articulate goals, identify exceptions when things were better, and explore resources and small, doable steps toward change. The emphasis is on the client’s own knowledge and strengths, with future possibilities rather than dwelling on problems.

This collaborative stance means the therapist asks empowering questions, uses tools like scaling questions and the miracle question, and co-creates a plan with the client. The relationship is respectful, non-judgmental, and active—the therapist helps steer the conversation toward solutions while honoring the client’s autonomy.

Why the other approaches don’t fit: being expert-driven places the therapist as the sole source of wisdom, which contradicts the client’s expertise about their life. being confrontational clashes with the collaborative, non-pressuring tone that seeks to engage the client’s strengths. being passive would fail to move the process forward, since the therapist actively guides questions, monitors progress, and helps translate ideas into concrete steps.