Examples Of Problem Solving Therapy

Problem-solving therapy is a type of psychotherapy that helps an individual to develop coping skills to manage difficult life situations. Problem- solving therapy focuses on the here and now, emphasizes teaching skills, and offers a structured support system for the client. An average problem solving therapy involves six to eight sessions, renders all seven skills in the first session and the remaining sessions are used to emphasize clients’ use of the model (Areán, 2009). This therapy is comprised of seven steps that leads to helping the client to discover a solution to his/her problem. The steps in problem-solving therapy are defining the problem, setting realistic and achievable goals, generating multiple solutions, evaluating and comparing

The session begins with the client filling out a patient health questionnaire, which determines their level of depression. When the client defines the problem, it should be both current and specific. As the professional, you want to gain insight on the problem that seems to be effecting the client in a negative manner. Creating a problem list based on the information that the client provides is also helpful in establishing what the problem is. The problem that the client describes should be clarified, explored, and broken down into simpler measures. After the problem is discovered, understanding what makes it a problem, when and where it occurs, who is involved, and how often the problem transpires are important pieces of information that are considered necessary. Learning if the client has attempted to solve the problem on their own and if they have control over the problem is key. Some clients will have large problems that they are in the midst of tackling but ensuring that the problems are broken down into smaller, manageable parts will be helpful for the client. Once the problem has been identified, it should be written

This step involves reviewing homework, which is followed by asking the client about their sense of fulfillment and efforts regarding the tasks. The client should also be questioned about the impact of their accomplishments and how it has affected their mood, behavior, and/or relationships. Another part of this step is learning if the client experienced difficulties and informing them that this presents useful information about the problem and the best way to solve it. If difficulties occurred, discovering what happened to the client upon implementation of the intervention is also important. The client’s efforts to the therapy and reinforcing their understanding of the logic for the intervention