Solution Focused Practice Training
What is SFP?
Solution Focused Practice is an evidence-based approach that helps people to make changes in their lives, in even the most challenging situations. Input may be brief but sufficient to help people focus on what they want and enable them to see how their skills and resources might be helping now (or have helped in the past) towards achieving signs of success.
It can be used with all ages, focusing on quality-of-life outcomes that can have a lasting and powerful impact on a person’s life. We offer an introduction to the foundations and also follow-up Solution Focused Practice Training.
Where Solution Focused Practice Can Be Useful
Solution Focused Practice offers a flexible framework that can be applied across many areas of professional work. The approach places an emphasis on collaboration, resources and meaningful change which makes it relevant to a wide range of settings, including:
Clinical practice
Solution Focused conversation can support children and adults with conditions affecting their physical and mental health, mobility, independence, confidence, communication or swallowing. Each conversation begins by identifying an individual’s hoped for outcomes and develops to highlight progress, build confidence and recognise when small signs occur.
Supervision
Within all forms of supervision, Solution Focused Practice provides a structured, empowering approach that helps supervisees reflect on their work, recognise what’s going well and build on their existing skills.
Team development
Used within a group or team, it enhances communication, cooperation and morale by focusing on shared successes and effective ways of working together.
Service delivery
Solution Focused Practice is an ethical, effective and efficient way of working. It has been shown to achieve positive, lasting outcomes within a small number of sessions, helping practitioners to manage busy caseloads often through fewer sessions and earlier discharge.
Personal and professional growth
As a reflective practice it encourages increased self-awareness by drawing attention to one’s own resources, what’s already working and the impact this has on one’s life.
Training options
Currently both open-access and bespoke training courses are offered. The two-day foundations course is suitable for those both new to the approach as well as those who have some experience, who would like to develop and strengthen their existing knowledge. Prices for group bookings are available.
Bespoke courses can be tailored to a groups’ needs and delivered online or face to face.
For enquiries or a conversation on your training hopes please contact: hello@refindyourway.co.uk
Upcoming Training Courses
Professional development opportunities in Solution Focused Brief Therapy
Two-day online foundations in
Solution Focused Practice
£190
Prerequisite: None
Dates Available
Date: 23rd and 24th APR 2026 | 0900 – 1630
Date: 22nd and 23rd OCT 2026 | 0900 – 1630
What will be covered?
Understanding the foundations
Participants will gain an understanding of the key theoretical foundations of Solution Focused Practice, including its historical context and the underlying principles that guide the approach.
Mastering Basic SFBT Tools
Attendees will learn and practice fundamental Solution Focused questions, such as asking what clients want from therapy, asking for descriptions of these hoped-for outcomes and what has worked well in the past.
Applying Solution Focused Skills To Case Examples
Through discussion of case examples and role-playing exercises, participants will hone their skills in establishing rapport with clients, as well as identifying and amplifying clients’ strengths and resources.
What will be included in the course?
This two-day foundations introduces you to the practice and assumptions behind SFP and will enable you to increase your skills in facilitating change and building on clients’ strengths. Live demonstrations will highlight the flow of each solution focused interaction and time will be given for practical exercises. This will enable you to both understand and experience the difference between problem solving and solution building conversations, inspiring you to use and develop this creative approach both with clients and in supervision within your workplace.
By the end of the two-day course, participants should feel equipped with the foundational knowledge and practical skills necessary to begin using Solution-Focused approaches in their therapeutic practice.
Solution Focused Refresher Course
One day online refresher and confidence building course
£90
Prerequisite: SFBT experience required
Dates Available
2026 | TO BE ANNOUNCED
What will be covered?
Refreshing The Use Of SFP assumptions and questions
Activities and short exercises throughout the day will remind the attendees of how key SF questions can generate hope and change when interacting with others.
Developing Your Solution Focused Skills
Attendees will gain further learning and practice within 1:1 and group formats. Kidge and Susannah will ensure that the pair work will rotate so that you get to ‘meet’ as many as the other participants as possible.
Before The Day
Upon registration, you will be invited to share your best hopes and details of any clients that you would like to discuss.
What will be included in the course?
The course will be shaped around the unique needs of the group and will be tailored to the areas of practice on which participants would like to focus.
You will have the opportunity to listen to other participants, share case examples, further develop your skills and discuss current thinking in SFP, within a supportive environment facilitated by Kidge Burns and Susannah Stobart. There will be space to practice SF conversations both 1:1 and within a solution focused reflecting team. Combined with some fun solution focused activities you will finish the day feeling that your SF skills have been sharpened and refreshed.
Who is this follow up day for?
Are you familiar with Solution Focused Practice and would like to develop your SF skills further. Do you have some clients that you would like help with or questions on SF practice that you would like to discuss? Would you enjoy spending a day with fellow SF practitioners in a safe environment where support from others will give you encouragement to expand your own practice and SF thinking?
What Healthcare Professionals Say
Real feedback from Allied Health Professionals who have completed our training
“This refresher one day course in Solution Focused Therapy was an invaluable experience that deepened my understanding and significantly enhanced my practical skills for working with clients. The online format was highly interactive, offering ample opportunities to practice throughout the day, which helped me gain confidence and fluency in applying the Solution Focused approach in real-world settings. Kidge and Susannah were exceptionally knowledgeable and supportive.”
Maeve
Speech and Language Therapist
“I would definitely recommend both the initial SFBT course and the follow up day. I really enjoyed the well managed sessions with the emphasis on the practical application of skills, the chance to meet and practice with other AHPs online, and the generally warm and supportive atmosphere. I’m excited about implementing everything I’ve learnt and practised, and I know it will be useful with my varied caseloads for great training sessions!”
Diane
Speech and Language Therapist
“While I had some previous knowledge of SFT I found the training extremely helpful. Since completing the training, I have become aware of the versatility of SFT and how it can be implemented in many therapeutic settings. I find myself regularly using a SFT framework whereas I would not have had the confidence to do this previously. SFT questions regarding a client’s best hopes, preferred future, and progress towards goals help me to structure therapy sessions in a collaborative and non-directive way. I have found that having a framework focused on generating solutions works particularly well in a system where the focus often remains on the problems that a person is presenting with. I would have no hesitation in recommending SFT training to a colleague and would in fact encourage them to complete the training given how useful I have found it.”
Seán
Senior Clinical Psychologist
“I just wanted to drop you a line to highlight that this is one of the best and most applicable training opportunities I’ve had. Practising the methods as part of the training has given me the confidence to immediately try it out in the real world with patients! SF questioning has already helped me gather valuable information to relate therapy to patient’s real lives and I’ve seen some of their faces light up in conversation thanks to the positive focused structure. Looking forward to continuing to hone my skills over time!
Cath
Speech and Language Therapist
“Many thanks Susannah and Kidge to connect us all together. What a fantastic group to feel inspired to continue not only using SF in practice (or to start in my case) but to have a safe place to share with no fears. I truly enjoyed my day and felt quite emotional.”
Katy
Specialist Paediatric OT
‘I just wanted to thank you and Kidge again for delivering such an informative and engaging course. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to implementing what I learnt ASAP!’
Lynette
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
“I found this course incredibly valuable, as the high level of interaction meant that those who were beginners and those who had studied SF previously, like me, all got to develop their skills. The small group size of this two-day course created a really supportive space to explore SF ideas in more depth and to build on what I already knew. It was a great opportunity to develop my practice and helped me grow in confidence. I would highly recommend, both for people who are starting off on their SF journey and people with previous experience.”
Eithne
Social Prescriber
Who we are
Experienced Solution Focused practitioners with specialist healthcare expertise
Kidge Burns and Susannah Stobart bring many years of experience within the NHS, independent practice and volunteering, combining extensive clinical knowledge with a practical understanding of how Solution Focused Practice works in real settings.
As Allied Health Professionals, we understand the realities of limited time, assessment demands and the need for purposeful, compassionate conversations. Our experience spans acute and outpatient services, working with individuals and groups, including those with reduced cognitive or communication skills.
We share evidence and real examples of how Solution Focused Practice can be integrated into everyday work. Our training blends research evidence with lived experience, offering participants clear, practical ways to apply the approach with confidence in their own professional roles.
Meet Your Facilitators
Experienced Solution Focused practitioners with specialist healthcare expertise
Kidge Burns
UKASFP Accredited Practitioner
Kidge worked for over 23 years as a Speech and Language Therapist in a hospital setting, working with clients who have acute or chronic health conditions. Since 2016 she has been working independently as a Solution Focused (SF) Practitioner.
Kidge began her training in SF practice in 1998 and has since published ‘Focus on Solutions’ (2nd edition 2016) and ‘Working with Solution Focused Brief Therapy in Healthcare Settings’ with Sarah Northcott (2023).
At both a national and international level she has given training in SFBT and SF skills in supervision and team building within the workplace.
Susannah Stobart
UKASFP Accredited Practitioner
Susannah worked for over 15 years as a Speech and Language Therapist in the NHS, specialising in adult neurological conditions. She moved to independent practice in 2022.
She first encountered Solution Focused Practice in 2013 and has since developed her practice both within Speech and Language Therapy, as a volunteer with Let’s Keep Talking and as an associate with Green Tree Therapy.
In 2023 she chaired the committee organising the UKASFP conference in Oxford, demonstrating her commitment to advancing the field of Solution Focused Practice.
Working with Solution Focused Brief Therapy in Healthcare Settings
A Practical Guide
By Kidge Burns and Sarah Northcott
This comprehensive guide provides healthcare professionals with practical tools and evidence-based techniques for implementing solution-focused approaches in clinical settings.
Available formats: Paperback & Digital editions