Photo of Palo Alto Wellness, Psychiatrist in 94025, CA
Palo Alto Wellness
Psychiatrist, MD
Verified Verified
Menlo Park, CA 94025
PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT ACCEPT INSURANCE. Dr. Shivani Chmura is an expert in treating patients with an evidence based, compassionate approach. She also has extensive experience with medication management for eating disorders. Dr. Chmura is trained in both Child and Adolescent and Adult Psychiatry from UCSF and Stanford Universities. She uses a warm, holistic approach to treating every individual, couple, and family. Dr. Chmura is trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities, (CBT, DBT, Supportive). She is an expert on pharmacologic management for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, ADHD, and post-partum depression and anxiety.
PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT ACCEPT INSURANCE. Dr. Shivani Chmura is an expert in treating patients with an evidence based, compassionate approach. She also has extensive experience with medication management for eating disorders. Dr. Chmura is trained in both Child and Adolescent and Adult Psychiatry from UCSF and Stanford Universities. She uses a warm, holistic approach to treating every individual, couple, and family. Dr. Chmura is trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities, (CBT, DBT, Supportive). She is an expert on pharmacologic management for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, ADHD, and post-partum depression and anxiety.
(415) 993-4146 View (415) 993-4146
Solution Focused Brief (SFBT) Psychiatrists

How does solution-focused therapy work?

The treatment works by helping a client notice which behaviors and thoughts have positive results on their lives and building a plan around how to maximise these strengths. Practitioners of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) believe that individuals already have the experience, wisdom, and resilience to create change in their lives, but may need a guide to help them realise which changes to make and how to make them.

Is solution-focused brief therapy evidence-based?

Yes. Solution-focused brief therapy has been extensively studied, and researchers find strong evidence that it’s an effective treatment for many behavioral and psychological concerns. This may be due to the uplifting nature and practicality of the treatment, which allows patients to employ strategies to reach their goals that are incremental and achievable.

How long does solution-focused brief therapy last?

Solution-focused brief therapy, as the name implies, is brief. The timeline may vary from person to person, given the challenges they face and their situation in life, but treatment is typically complete within four to eight sessions. This therapy type is a pragmatic one: it’s concerned more with “how” problems can be addressed and improved than getting to the root of “why” they exist in the first place.

Is solution-focused brief therapy a type of cognitive behavioral therapy?

Solution-focused brief therapy is related to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)in that both are pragmatic approaches that deal less with gaining a full understanding of the cause of a mental health problem and more with creating plans for how to cope with these problems and improve an individual’s day-to-day life. They are distinct, however, in that SFBT emphasises building on strengths and resources, while CBT focuses on changing negative thoughts and behaviors.