BetterTalk: The heart of solution focus in the UK

Psychology Today points out that  Solution-Focused Therapy is "one of the world's most widely used therapeutic treatments (De Shazer, 2007, Hsu, 2011) ...the efficacy, practicality, and optimistic nature of the treatment translate well across cultures, and... allows patients to maintain familial relations and personal dignity while addressing mental health issues." (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy | Psychology Today). 

Today, solution focus is an important tool in organisations and educational settings (see BetterTalk Teams), while Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a positive and future-focused psychological approach. As practiced by BetterTalk it is supportive and highly empathetic. Many traditional therapies spend a long time analyzing problems and relating them to past life events, traumas etc; clients may be told they'll need years of agonising and expensive therapy before seeing even small signs of progress, and therapists can seem remote and obsessed by the client's past and diagnosis. SFBT, by contrast, focuses straightaway on your world now, on developing a sense of what a possible future could look like -- and on what abilities you possess that can straightaway help to shape that future. Most therapeutic approaches focus on problems, but SFBT only uses the problem as a means to help us envision a problem-free future. 

We believe that you, the client,  know how you want your life to be, and have a pretty good idea of certain changes that could improve your situation. True, everyone has established patterns of behaviour, habits, beliefs, assumptions etc., as well as external factors we can't control -- and these may make positive change seem remote and unattainable. But the evolution of SFT has  demonstrated that with support, a majority of clients can find ways to cut through the mental clutter that stops them progressing; they can quickly develop sharp and clear perspectives on how they want their lives to be. This process empowers the client, making what previously seemed impossible now appear far closer than they previously believed.    

SFT was originally developed by Steve de Shazer in the 1970s, alongside his wife Insoo Kim Berg,  and others, who were rejecting psychoanalysis and seeking a faster, effective, and future-facing therapeutic approach.

Today, SFT is extensively "evidence-based" -- i.e., it has been scientifically studied and tested, resulting in evidence demonstrating its efficacy and supporting the techniques SFT-trained therapists employ. Research has provided strong evidence that SFT is an effective treatment for a wide variety of behavioural and psychological issues, and quicker -- therefore cheaper -- than comparable therapies. A 2013 review of 43 studies reviewed "all available controlled outcome studies of solution-focused brief therapy " and found that over 96% of the research found positive results, while 32 of the studies (74%) reported significant positive benefits. Importantly, where solution focused therapy was found to be comparable to other well-established treatments, it "used fewer sessions...  The studies... provide strong evidence that SFBT is an effective treatment for a wide variety of behavioral and psychological outcomes and, in addition, it may be briefer and therefore less costly than alternative approaches." 

For those who are interested, detailed academic research studies into the efficacy of SFT include the following two:

Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: A Systematic Qualitative Review of Controlled Outcome Studies - Wallace J. Gingerich, Lance T. Peterson, 2013 (sagepub.com

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01926187.2022.2069175.

A recent study also demonstrated the effectiveness of SFT for adolescents diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder:

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1246986/full

*Specialist therapists: BetterTalk is the only UK therapeutic provider where every therapist has been trained to Advanced Level at the prestigious BRIEF Centre for Solution Focused Practice in London, and is a member of the United Kingdom Association for Solution-Focused Practice (UKASFP). 

Martin Buckley's therapy also incorporates the IPNB framework. Interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB), which was developed by by Dr. Dan Siegel, explores how relationships and the brain interact to shape mental health and well-being.  It is a multidisciplinary approach which integrates insights from neuroscience, psychology, systems theory and mindfulness practices to understand how interpersonal connections influence brain development and psychological functioning. IPNB also emphasizes the importance of attachment relationships, which are foundational in shaping an individual's emotional and cognitive development.

In the context of adult attachment, IPNB highlights how early relational experiences influence the development of the brain and the emergence of the "self". These early interactions lay the groundwork for how individuals perceive themselves and others, how they experience anxieties etc. emerging from childhood and young adulthood (and from traumas), and how these issues affect their ability to form secure and meaningful relationships later in life. Siegel's work underscores the concept of "mindsight," which refers to the capacity to perceive, observe, understand, come to terms with, and to a degree shape, the internal world of the mind -- both one's own and others -- to foster empathy and deeper connections.

The integration of Buddhist principles with IPNB offers a unique perspective on healing and personal transformation. Spirituality, particularly within the framework of Nichiren Buddhism, is seen as a powerful tool for fostering healing, especially for developmental conditions such as post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). 

Somatic practices, which focus on the body's role in emotional and psychological experiences, are also integral to IPNB. These practices help individuals develop greater body awareness and mindfulness, facilitating the integration of the mind and body. Siegel's "Wheel of Awareness" is a mindfulness exercise designed to enhance this integration, promoting a sense of presence and well-being. 

Overall, IPNB provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the interplay between relationships, the brain, mental health in general and, to a degree, physical health. Man's relationship with the planet is also integrated into the IPNB model. Overall, it offers both a therapeutic pathway and practical tools for the journey towards our personal and collective well-being.

Attachment theory is a very important tool in psychotherapy. There are two aspects, one of them based on childhood, and the other on adult relationship so called 'attachment styles' .

Dab Siegel describes how  the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), originally developed by John Bowlby and expanded by Mary Ainsworth, focuses on the quality of early attachment relationships between infants and their primary caregivers that shape emotional regulation, interpersonal relationships, and personality development. The (AAI) is designed to assess an adult’s state of mind regarding attachment by examining their narrative coherence and integration about early attachment experiences—not merely their reported attachment style or behaviour in childhood.

 Siegel emphasizes that the AAI measures internalized working models and unresolved trauma or loss related to attachment figures. It provides insight into how adults mentally organize and reflect on their early attachment experiences and how this influences their current relational patterns and parenting.

• The AAI is thus a measure of attachment "representation" or "state of mind" about attachment security, focusing on coherence and integration in a person’s narrative about their past, rather than a direct categorization of behaviorally observable attachment styles.
• Importantly, Siegel highlights that the AAI is a predictor of how securely a child will be attached to their parent in the future and helps clinicians understand intergenerational transmission of attachment patterns.
• 2. Attachment Styles
  
• Attachment styles (secure, avoidant, ambivalent, disorganized) are behavioral classifications of how children—and later adults—relate to attachment figures, often assessed by observation or self-report questionnaires.
• Dr. Siegel explains that these styles are patterns of relating formed through the history of interactions with caregivers, reflecting how individuals experience connection, trust, and vulnerability.
• Attachment styles serve as “lenses” through which individuals view relationships, shaping emotional responses and expectations. For example:
  • Secure attachment reflects trust and comfort with closeness.
  • Avoidant attachment involves distancing or emotional suppression.
  • Ambivalent attachment shows anxiety and uncertainty.
  • Disorganized attachment involves conflicting or fragmented behaviors.
• Siegel’s work additionally underscores that attachment styles are not fixed personality traits but adaptive patterns influenced by temperament, relational history, and ongoing developmental processes.
• 3. How Dr. Siegel Conceptually Differentiates AAI and Attachment Styles
  
• AAI is an adult focused, narrative-based assessment of attachment representations — how adults make meaning of their relational history and organize their attachment experiences internally.
• Attachment styles are behavioral or relational patterns often observed in infants, children, and adults, reflecting how attachment needs are expressed or managed outwardly.
• While the AAI assesses internal coherence and processing of attachment, attachment styles describe observable patterns and emotional experiences in relationships.
• Dr. Siegel also links attachment styles with neuroscience, explaining how early attachment experiences shape brain integration, emotional regulation, and interpersonal neurobiology.
• 4. Key Takeaways from Dan Siegel’s Work
  
• Attachment is relational and neurobiological, involving internal “working models” reflected in the AAI and expressed as attachment styles.
• AAI reveals unresolved trauma or “earned security,” showing a capacity to make sense of the past despite adverse experiences, enabling better relational health.
• Attachment styles help understand clients’ patterns but are enriched by insights from the AAI, which adds depth around trauma, coherence, and narrative integration.
• Parenting, therapeutic interventions, and personal development benefit from integrating both perspectives: understanding behavioral styles (attachment styles) alongside deeper representational states (AAI findings).
• Summary:
  
• Attachment Theory (via AAI) assesses how adults mentally represent attachment experiences, focusing on narrative coherence, trauma processing, and internalized relationship models.
• Attachment Styles describe observable behavioral and emotional patterns in relationships, formed through early attachment but expressed outwardly in relational dynamics.
• Dr. Dan Siegel’s work emphasizes the complementarity of these concepts within interpersonal neurobiology, highlighting how integrated mental representations (AAI) underpin observed attachment styles, influencing emotional regulation, relationships, and healing.
• If you want, I can also provide references to specific works by Dr. Siegel, such as The Mindful Therapist or his teachings on interpersonal neurobiology, for deeper exploration of these distinctions.Dr. Dan SiegelThe Verdict Is In — The case for attachment theory - Dr. Dan Siegelhappilyfamily.comDr. Daniel Siegel Talks about Parenting & AttachmentGrowing Self Counseling & CoachingIntroduction to Attachment Style TherapyView all