The goal of solution-focused therapy is to provide clients with therapy within a week of their initial presentation at intake for services. One of the changes made was that therapists’ schedules were available for intake specialists so follow-up appointments could be set during the initial screening session. This enabled solution-focused therapists to save time that would otherwise be spent trying to reach the clients to set-up following appointments. By setting these appointments up at the intervention stage, the second change would occur, which is that the services provided would be more consistent and more compliance would be followed by the clients. Lastly, the system replaced a once-a-week meeting during which all of the previous clients that had been seen the previous week by the solution-focused therapists were presented and then distributed amongst the therapists who would then try to reach the clients to set up follow-up appointments (Taylor, Wright, & Cole, 2010).
One of the goals of narrative therapy was to leave the division of the roles of the professional therapist and patient to a form of consulting which required initiative from the client, no longer referred to as the patient. Another way in which the model of narrative therapy has changed is that the most modern research focuses on the independent modules of the brain. Lastly, a different mindset is occurring as neurologists deconstruct the functions of the brain into independent modules (Beels, 2009).
Three similarities between the therapies is that they are client centered, they are trying to deliver care with results as soon as possible, and there is a behavioral-centered focus rather than a focus on using medication as a primary source of treatment. Having client-centered therapy is needed in the new styles of therapy since clients are not viewed as patients. They now take an active role in their treatment. Getting into treatment as soon as possible is important in order to increase compliance with treatment. Using therapy instead of solely relying on medication helps the clients become actively engaged in their treatment.
The differences is that narrative therapists look to brain defects and deficiencies for the underlying problems whereas solution-focused therapists are trying to evaluate the level of care needed and move the client to the proper next level of care. This biological aspect is a fairly new component to treatment. Narrative therapists focus on a relationship between client and counselor more than the problem-based therapists do. Lastly, narrative therapists also include use of a neurologist whereas it is not necessary to use such a specialist in solution-focused therapy. Solution-focused therapist is just trying to refer patients to the next and proper level of care at that time.
References
Beels, C. C. (2009). Some historical conditions of narrative work. Family Process, 48(3), 363-
78. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/218869106?accountid=35812
Taylor, L., Wright, P., & Cole, C. (2010). Introducing brief therapy into a community mental
health service. Journal of Systemic Therapies 29(2), 15-26.
