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One of our approaches
Solution-Focused Therapy
Solution-Focused Therapy is a brief, goal-focused approach. It spends less time digging into the problem, and more time building a clear picture of what you want instead, and the concrete steps to get there.
Less about how you got here. More about where you want to be next.
How it works
The idea behind it
Many approaches assume you need to understand the root cause of a problem before things can change. Solution-Focused Therapy starts from a different idea: you already have strengths, resources, and past successes to build on, even if they’re hard to see right now.
Two techniques drive the approach. The miracle question asks you to imagine, in detail, what life would look like if the problem were solved overnight. That turns a vague sense of “things need to be better” into a concrete goal. Exception-finding looks for specific times when the problem was smaller, or absent altogether. That uncovers what’s already working, even in small ways.
In session
What a session looks like
Conversations are focused and forward-looking, rather than centred on the history of the problem. You’ll work together to define specific, achievable goals. Not vague ones like “feel better,” but concrete signs you’d notice if things were improving.
Your clinician will also ask about exceptions: times, even brief ones, when the problem didn’t show up, or showed up less. What was different about those moments? You’ll also use scaling questions to track progress in a concrete, visible way: rating where you are today, and describing what one small step up would look like. Because the focus is so specific, sessions are usually brief and to the point.
Frequently asked questions
Is this covered by insurance?
The approach doesn’t change the coverage. Most extended health plans cover sessions with a Registered Counselling Therapist or Registered Social Worker. Call the number on your benefits card and ask. We bill most major insurers directly, so you only pay what your plan doesn’t cover; otherwise you get a receipt after every session.
How many sessions will it take?
It depends on you and what you’re working on. By session two you’ll have a written plan, and every few sessions we check in with the same short questions so you can see what’s changing. You can stop at any time.
Does it work online?
Yes. We offer every approach in person in Dartmouth and by secure video anywhere in Nova Scotia. If one of them works better in person, we’ll tell you.
Does it cost more?
No. Whichever approach we use, it’s included in your standard session fee. See fees and insurance.
Ready when you are.
You don’t need to choose an approach before you book. That’s our job, together with you, in the first two sessions.