Solution-Focused School Counseling: Empowering School Counselors with Solution-Focused Therapy & Counseling Techniques for Schools

Solution Focused School Counseling Training: Empower Counselors to Deliver Effective, Evidence-Based Results for Students

As a solution focused school counselor, you're on the front lines helping students navigate challenges like anxiety, behavioral issues, and academic setbacks in high-demand environments. Our professional development training equips solution focused school counselors with Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) practices to achieve meaningful, sustainable results, often in just 4-8 conversations. By shifting from problem-focused to future-focused approaches, you'll foster student agency, resilience, and social-emotional learning (SEL) while managing high caseloads efficiently. Ideal for post-COVID school settings, this training integrates seamlessly with multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) and trauma-informed care, helping you make a lasting impact without burning out.

Why choose our solution focused school counseling programs?

• Brevity and Effectiveness: Quick techniques for hallway chats, group sessions, and teacher collaborations.
• Evidence-Based Outcomes: Proven reductions in truancy, bullying, and externalizing behaviors.
• Flexible Learning: Online and in-person options with graduate credit from Adams State University.

Dive deeper into SFBT techniques and research below to see how it transforms school counseling.

Ready to elevate your practice? Browse our upcoming classes below or contact us for a free consultation on customized training for your district.

Solution-Focused Therapy in Schools

Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), often referred to as Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), is an efficacy-based, future-focused approach that emphasizes identifying and building on what works rather than dwelling on problems. In school settings, where counselors often face high caseloads, time constraints, and diverse student needs, SFBT stands out for its brevity and practicality, typically unfolding in just 4-8 sessions. This method shifts the focus from past traumas or deficits to future possibilities, empowering students to envision and achieve small, actionable changes that foster agency, hope, and resilience.

SFBT aligns seamlessly with school environments by promoting social-emotional learning (SEL), trauma-informed practices, and multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). For instance, it helps address common challenges like behavioral problems, anxiety, bullying, truancy, and academic outcomes by inviting the students to become invested in the outcome and to partner with the counselor. This also aids in the development of critical thinking. Research indicates that SFBT can lead to improved behavioral outcomes, reduced externalizing behaviors (such as disruptive conduct), and enhanced internalizing factors (like self-esteem and emotional regulation). Its non-pathologizing stance makes it particularly effective for at-risk students, including those from diverse cultural backgrounds or facing socio-economic barriers.

Beyond individual benefits, SFBT supports broader school goals, such as creating a positive school climate and boosting professional resiliency among educators. By involving teachers, parents, and peers in collaborative goal-setting, it extends its impact across Tier 1 (universal prevention), Tier 2 (targeted interventions), and Tier 3 (intensive support) levels. This approach not only accelerates progress but also minimizes burnout for counselors, making it an ideal fit for modern educational demands post-COVID, where mental health crises have surged. Whether in elementary, middle, or high schools, SFBT's emphasis on empowerment and quick wins positions it as a versatile tool for fostering student success and well-being.

Key Techniques in Solution-Focused Therapy

SFBT employs a set of core techniques designed to elicit positive change through targeted questioning and the development of critical thinking and self-esteem. These methods are adaptable to brief hallway conversations, group interventions, or integrated classroom activities, making them highly suitable for busy school schedules.

Future-Focused Questions for Envisioning Change

The "Fast Forward Question" is a foundational SFBT technique that invites students to imagine a future in which their problems are resolved despite elements of their life that are beyond their control. For example, a counselor might ask, "Suppose it is next week and things are better. Even though you are still in math class and it’s not your favorite subject, you knew you could do this—what would be different? What would you notice first?" This future-oriented query helps students articulate specific, observable goals, shifting their mindset from stuckness to possibility. In schools, it's particularly useful for addressing anxiety or motivation issues, as it encourages vivid descriptions that build hope and agency. By focusing on exceptions and what they know about themselves, this technique can transform vague complaints into concrete action plans, like identifying small steps toward better attendance or peer interactions.

Scaling Questions to Measure Progress

Scaling questions involve having conversations about more vs. less regarding progress or confidence. This can be done using playful analogies or on a 1-10 scale, providing a quantifiable way to explore change. A typical prompt might be, "If this thing we are working on was a mountain you were climbing, where the top of the mountains means you're completely confident in handling that test, where are you now? What is happening that lets you know you are as far up the mountain that you are?" This method highlights incremental successes and coping skills, reinforcing resilience. In school applications, scaling is effective for SEL goals, such as rating emotional regulation during conflicts or academic effort. It empowers students to self-assess and identify resources, like supportive friends or study habits, that already work for them.

Finding Exceptions and Building on Who They Are

Exception-finding questions explore times when the problem is absent or less severe: "How were you able to get through. . . even though you felt overwhelmed—how did you know to do that?" This uncovers elements and strategies, allowing the student to purposefully chose to use these solutions in the future when helpful. Compliments and inviting the student to self-evaluate further amplify this by exploring the students' efforts, e.g., "Wow! You were able to stay in class even though you were distracted? Is that different? How did you do that?" In schools, this technique supports trauma-informed care by emphasizing empowerment over victimhood, and it's adaptable for group interventions where peers share exceptions to build collective coping skills.

Applications and Benefits in School Settings

In schools, SFBT's applications span individual, group, and systemic levels, yielding benefits that enhance overall educational outcomes. For behavioral problems, it reduces externalizing behaviors through goal-oriented dialogues that focus on solutions rather than punishments, leading to fewer disruptions and improved classroom dynamics. In group settings, programs like "Working on What Works" (WOWW) involve classroom observations and collective efficacy-building, promoting a positive school climate and peer support.

For mental health concerns, SFBT addresses internalizing issues such as anxiety or depression by building on coping skills and vicarious resilience, especially in trauma-informed frameworks. It's effective for at-risk students, showing promise in diverse contexts without evidence of harm. Collaborations with teachers and parents extend its reach, using techniques like shared scaling to align on student progress and reduce truancy or bullying.

Benefits include faster resolutions due to its brief nature, empowering students with lifelong skills in goal-setting (e.g., SMART goals) and self-effecacy. It also boosts counselor efficiency in high-caseload environments, decreasing stress and burnout while improving academic outcomes through enhanced SEL integration into MTSS. Overall, SFBT creates an environment of hope and agency, benefiting students, staff, and the school community at large.

Evidence and Research on Solution-Focused Therapy in Schools

The evidence base for SFBT in schools is growing, with meta-analyses and reviews highlighting its effectiveness across various populations and issues. An umbrella review of studies found significant positive outcomes in diverse settings, including schools, with no reported harm and applicability to cultural contexts. Globally, SFBT demonstrates effectiveness in 86.3% of researched cases, particularly for behavior problems, wellness, and stress reduction in high school and college students.

Specific school-based research shows SFBT improves internalizing and externalizing behaviors, with medium to large effect sizes in at-risk groups. While early reviews noted mixed results, recent updates affirm its status as an evidence-based intervention, supported by randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Implications for school counseling include its integration into training, as it enhances counselor education and practical application. Future research calls for more longitudinal studies, but current findings underscore SFBT's value in promoting student empowerment and positive change.

To master these techniques and applications, explore our graduate credit courses, such as Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Basics or Protecting Professional Resiliency, designed for school counselors seeking practical, evidence-based skills.

Solution-Focused Counseling in Schools: Building a Solid Foundation in Solution-Focused Practice

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is best understood as a language and way of connecting with people. In this model, we approach every interaction as if it could be the last, making each conversation purposeful and driving meaningful change in short periods—often just 4-8 sessions. This efficiency makes SFBT an ideal fit for school settings, where solution focused school counselors manage high workloads and diverse student needs. By shifting focus from problems and pathology to what each student wants and needs for success, SFBT empowers educators to foster agency and resilience. For instance, research from meta-analyses shows SFBT's effectiveness in 86.3% of school-based cases, particularly for reducing behavioral issues and enhancing SEL. Learn more about Solution-Focused Therapy here to explore real-world applications.

Why Solution-Focused Therapy Techniques Excel in School Counseling

SFBT techniques are highly effective for solution focused school counselors dealing with everyday challenges. Backed by randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showing medium to large effect sizes in at-risk groups, they're adaptable and proven to reduce externalizing behaviors like disruptive conduct. Here's how they shine:

• High Case Loads: Handle more students efficiently without compromising impact—streamline sessions to fit busy schedules while maintaining meaningful outcomes.
• Hallway Talks or Spontaneous Conversations: Turn quick interactions into opportunities for positive progress, using future-focused questions to spark change on the spot.
• Developing Socio-Emotional Skills: Enhance SEL through targeted, future-focused dialogues, building self-esteem and emotional regulation with tools like scaling questions.
• Coaching Teachers and Administrators: Empower staff with practical tools for collaborative support, extending SFBT across MTSS tiers for school-wide resilience.
• Works at All Levels of Education: Versatile for elementary, middle, and high school environments, addressing issues like anxiety and truancy without pathologizing students.

Get more done in a day and feel like you're making a difference—counselors report up to 30% less burnout after implementing these techniques (based on participant feedback from similar programs).

Solution-Focused School Counseling Training: Tailored for Real Results

Our classes on Solution-Focused Practice are designed for solution focused school counselors, educators, and professionals eager to integrate this approach and achieve peak effectiveness—even in tough scenarios like disruptive behavior, bullying, anxiety, truancy, and high-risk issues. With proven outcomes like 71% improvement in student behavioral scales from group sessions, these graduate-level credit courses (from Adams State University) facilitate a seamless transition to SFBT in schools.

Browse our upcoming classes below and enroll today. We keep groups small for personalized attention, so spots fill fast. Contact tpichot@denversolutions.com for a free consultation on onsite or customized options for your school or district. Additional Solution-Focused skill-building topics (without grad credit) are available through this link, Solution-Focused skill-building topics.

For more evidence, check this APA study on SFBT efficacy, Effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses..

Graduate Level Credit is Offered through Adams State University for Successful Completion of the Following Classes*:

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Basics – 1.0 Graduate Credit

Upon completion of this course, school counselors will be able to:

1. Recognize the unique aspects of solution-focused philosophy and differentiate it from problem-focused models.
2. Describe the six solution-focused interventions and the purpose of each.
3. Identify five concrete tools that would be most effective in their work setting that they can immediately begin to use with their students.
4. Demonstrate the effective use of the five tools they identify in number three above.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. Jan. 26 & 27, 2026 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online - FULL
2. April 6 & 7, 2026 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
3. June 15 & 16, 2026 (8:30-4:30) Littleton Training Center
4. Aug. 17 & 18, 2026 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
5. Oct. 13 & 14, 2026 (8:30-4:30) Littleton Training Center
6. Dec. 7 & 8, 2026 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the students work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their students.

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the students work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their students.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

Using Solution-Focused Thinking to Prevent Burnout (AKA Protecting Professional Resiliency) – 0.5 Graduate Credit

This course is designed to introduce school counselors to solution-focused thinking as it was originally developed by Insoo Kim Berg and Steve de Shazer and teach them how to use these principles to prevent and reverse professional burnout. School counselors will learn to identify signs of professional burnout and stress and develop an “emergency roadside repair kit” to assist them in preventing the potential negative impact. School counselors will learn protective factors and how to use solution-focused thinking to decrease and address potential stress in the work place. These skills are also applicable to the students with whom school counselors work, and this application will also be explored.

Upon completion of this course, school counselors will be able to:

1. Recognize the unique aspects of solution-focused philosophy and differentiate it from problem-focused models.
2. Recognize the signs of professional burnout and stress.
3. Understand the role of the “emergency roadside repair kit” in preventing and reversing burnout.
4. Gain the ability to use the “emergency roadside repair kit” to prevent and reverse burnout in the workplace.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. Feb. 20, 2026 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
2. April 9, 2026 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online
3. July 6, 2026 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the students work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their students.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

Solution-Focused Animal-Assisted Brief Therapy – 0.5 Graduate Credit

This course is designed to introduce school counselors to the concept of the human-animal bond and teach how animal-related conversations and interactions can help create positive change in their students. School counselors will understand how the physiological and psychological changes that an animal’s presence (including the thought of a family pet) brings can be used in motivating, calming, and teaching students. School counselors will learn how to incorporate their students’ family pets into conversations and homework assignments that will bring the concepts to life.

Upon completion of this course, school counselors will be able to:

1. Recognize the student traits that would make the student likely to benefit from animal-related interventions in the school setting.
2. Describe five physiological and/or psychological benefits animals can have on humans.
3. Identify three ways in which animal-assisted conversations and interventions would be most effective in their work setting.
4. Gain the ability to effectively implement the strategies identified in number three above with their students.

Instructor: Teri Pichot

Dates Offered:

1. Dec. 11, 2026 (8:30-4:30) This Class Date is Online

Methods:

1. Demonstrations: The instructor will demonstrate the purposeful use of solution-focused interventions. She will demonstrate how these interventions are used in a way that has the necessary clinical depth to effectively help the students work toward their goals.
2. Role Plays: Participants will work with each other with the guidance of the instructor to practice the concepts discussed.
3. Discussions: The instructor and participants will engage in meaningful conversations to explore what is working in the participants’ practice and to explore what will be different when the participants are even more effective with their students.

If you want to pay by check, click here to download a registration form, fill it out, and mail it to us.

Looking for Personalized Training for Your School Counselors or Staff?

We offer both online and in-person training for groups or staff to integrate Solution-Focused Therapy in schools for amazing results. Contact Teri by email for more information. tpichot@denversolutions.com

*Graduate Level Credit:

Graduate level credit must be purchased separately through Adams State University and is not included in the workshop costs. After successful completion of the workshop, you will be given the link to purchase graduate credit through ASU.

Cancellation Policy:

We must receive your written request to cancel seven business days prior to the course date in order to receive a full refund. All refunds will be less a five percent administrative fee. Cancellations received after seven days will not receive a refund, but a credit will be given to enroll in another training class. No future class credit will be given for "no shows." There are no minimum enrollment limits for any of our classes since we believe some of the best learning can occur in small groups. However, should a class need to be canceled due to instructor illness or weather, you will be given a full refund, or you may enroll in another class. Denver Center for SFBT is only liable for the cost of the class registration fees should a cancellation occur.

Continuing Education:

All classes and individual training services qualify as "Continuing Professional Development" as part of Colorado Department of Regulatory Agency's required Learning Plan for licensed professionals. CEU certificates are awarded following all classes and are available upon request following individual training services. If your state requires formal CEUs, we will work with you and provide any information you need in order to receive CEUs in your state. Please let us know what you need in order to receive credit for class attendance.

IASTI:

Denver Center for Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a member of the International Association of Solution-Focused Teaching Institutes (IASTI). We are now offering the International Solution-Focused Practitioner Certificate. All classes and activities at Denver Center for SFBT count toward this certificate. The certificate, while not a clinical license, reflects basic knowledge, training, and practice in Solution-Focused practice. We are among the first in North America to offer the internationally reciprocal Solution-Focused Practitioner Certificate based on the official standards recently set by IASTI. The member Institutes of IASTI represent training institutes who are committed to high quality training and supervision in the Solution-Focused model, and represent a longstanding tradition in providing Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, coaching, consulting, supervision, and training.