Solution Focused Brief Therapy Telemental Health Suicide Intervention

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Teletherapy
• Crisis Intervention

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid transition for mental health providers from in-person to online service delivery.
• This shift to teletherapy has introduced challenges, particularly in managing crisis situations, leading to potential anxiety for therapists.
• The ongoing prevalence of teletherapy requires robust support for clinicians managing crises remotely.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide recommendations for integrating solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) language into teletherapy practice.
• To support mental health providers in delivering ethical and evidence-based care to clients experiencing crises via teletherapy.
• To address the unique challenges therapists face in maintaining client control and therapeutic presence in a remote crisis setting.

Main Methods:

• The paper proposes applying solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) principles and language.
• A clinical vignette is presented to illustrate the practical application of SFBT in teletherapy for crisis intervention.
• The study discusses the integrative potential of SFBT across various therapeutic modalities.

Main Results:

• Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is identified as a valuable, integrative model for crisis intervention in teletherapy.
• SFBT's focus on client resources and strengths is particularly effective for individuals in crisis.
• The application of SFBT language can enhance therapists' confidence and effectiveness in online crisis care.

Conclusions:

• Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) provides a framework for effective and ethical teletherapy crisis intervention.
• Therapists can leverage SFBT techniques to better support clients in crisis within a remote setting.
• Further research and training are needed to refine teletherapy practices for crisis situations using SFBT.