Self-Paced Core Skills in Solution-Focused Practice
This customized self-paced course is available exclusively to organizations that have completed the live Core Skills in Solution-Focused Practice training. It is not available as a stand-alone course because it is developed from recordings of your organization’s live training sessions and customized for your workforce.
The course consists of approximately 12 hours of asynchronous instruction designed to help participants develop confidence and competence in applying solution-focused principles and skills in everyday practice. Participants complete the course independently by viewing recorded lectures, demonstrations, and case discussions while reviewing accompanying course materials.
Participants strengthen core solution-focused skills, including solution-focused questioning, building an emotional “yes-set,” negotiating meaningful goals, identifying strengths and resources, using scaling questions, and integrating solution-focused practices into everyday clinical and professional conversations.
Organizations use this customized course to support onboarding, workforce development, implementation, staff turnover, scheduling conflicts, and other situations that prevent staff from attending the full live training.
Delivery Method: Asynchronous, noninteractive, self-paced online course consisting of recorded video lectures, a course examination, and a course evaluation. Optional written instructional materials are available for participants who wish to explore topics in greater depth.
Last Updated: July 2026
Target Audience: Social workers, psychologists, mental health counselors, educators, and medical professionals; appropriate for beginner levels of knowledge. This course provides participants with the fundamentals of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, an evidence-based trauma-informed treatment approach that can be implemented within diverse contexts and clinical populations.
Registration deadline: There is no registration deadline. Enrollment is available on a rolling basis, and participants may begin the course immediately after registration.
System requirements: Participants need a reliable internet connection, a current web browser, speakers or headphones, the ability to stream video, and a device capable of opening PDF documents. The course may be accessed on a computer, tablet, or compatible mobile device.
Participant support and instructor communication: Participants may contact info@solutionfocused.net with questions regarding course content, registration, technical support, or certificates of completion. Questions are reviewed by the instructor or knowledgeable course staff, and responses are typically provided within 24 hours.
Registration: Register and pay online by selecting “Purchase Course” above. Access instructions are emailed immediately after successful registration.
Financial Disclosure and Commercial Support
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy and all instructional personnel involved in this continuing education program have no relevant financial relationships or conflicts of interest to disclose. This continuing education activity is presented solely for educational purposes and has received no commercial support. No product endorsements are expressed or implied.
Learning Objectives
- Identify at least three solution-focused skills that enhance engagement and strengthen the therapeutic alliance with clients, colleagues, and other agency staff, based on video case studies.
- Recognize at least two core solution-focused questions and their appropriate use in agency settings through multiple-choice scenario-based assessments.
- Select appropriate evidence-based complimenting techniques and identify their effectiveness in various agency contexts.
- Determine strategies for discovering and amplifying positive differences or exceptions in clients or agency personnel by analyzing case-based multiple-choice questions.
- Identify the key components of building an emotional “yes-set” and understand its impact in agency-based interactions.
- Distinguish how client language and solution-focused terminology can be integrated to create a shared dialect in supervision and agency contexts.
- Analyze the application of a systems perspective in agencies by assessing the role of the VIPS framework in case-based learning modules.
- Differentiate skills that facilitate goal negotiation and maintain a solution-focused conversation in agency settings by selecting the most effective strategies in case-based scenarios.
- Evaluate the qualities of well-formed goals in agency contexts by identifying characteristics in multiple-choice case studies.
- Apply scaling questions to enhance goal negotiation, including the integration of VIPS, by selecting appropriate responses in given scenarios.
- Recognize techniques for amplifying scaling questions in agency-based settings through case-based applications.
- Identify appropriate solution-focused safety questions that promote client and staff well-being by evaluating their use in agency-based case scenarios.
Course Components
This course consists of the following components. The program must be completed in order, and your certificate of completion will be issued only after all components are complete.
- Course Introduction
- Recorded Video Lectures
- Exam Instructions and Exam Preview
- Complete the course examination and receive a passing grade of 80%
- Course Evaluation
- Certificate of Completion
Course Outline and Estimated Completion Time
Course Introduction — 15 minutes
Recorded Video Lectures — 11 hours
Course Examination (65 multiple-choice questions) — 30 minutes
Course Evaluation — 15 minutes
Total instructional and assessment time — 12 hours
Because this course is self-paced, participants may take breaks as needed. Break time is not included in the 12 CE credit hours.
Course Assessment
Participants complete one comprehensive final examination consisting of 65 multiple-choice questions designed to assess their understanding and ability to apply the course material. A minimum score of 80% is required to pass the examination. Participants may retake the examination as needed until a passing score is achieved. There are no graded assignments other than the final examination.
Certificate of Completion
Participants who complete all required course content, achieve a passing score of 80% or higher on the comprehensive final examination (65 multiple-choice questions), and complete the course evaluation may immediately download, save, and print their Certificate of Completion.
Continuing Education
12 CE Credit/Clock Hours are available for this course.
Please visit our Continuing Education Information page for details on CE credits, clock hours, and our accreditations and approvals for psychologists, social workers, and counselors. The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy offers continuing education credits. Click here for more information:
Participants are encouraged to check with their professional licensing boards to ensure that a specific course will be accepted toward their continuing education requirements.
Psychologists
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC, is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC, maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Psychologists completing this course receive 12 continuing education hours.
The Institute is also recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0127).
Social Workers
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, provider number 1831, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 9/22/2023 – 9/22/2026. Social workers completing this course receive 12 Clinical continuing education credits.
The Institute is also approved by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work (#SW-0656), and by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling.
Counselors
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7049. The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC, is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. Counselors completing this course receive 12 clock hours.
The Institute is also approved by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0233), and by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board.
Policy Information
Once enrolled, you may begin your course at any time.
Cancellation Policy
Because this is an asynchronous, self-paced online course, participants may begin the course immediately upon successful registration and payment.
Participants may discontinue the course at any time. Refund requests are subject to the Institute’s Refund Policy. The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy reserves the right to cancel, discontinue, postpone, or modify a course due to unforeseen circumstances. If this occurs, participants will be notified promptly and may be offered continued access, an equivalent course, an extension of access, or an appropriate refund or credit, as determined by the circumstances.
For complete information regarding enrollment and cancellation, please review our Policies, Terms, and Statements, including:
Instructors and Authors
Want More Information about Arranging Live Synchronous Training for Your Staff?
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy provides customized staff training designed to address the unique needs and goals of mental health, human service, medical, and educational organizations. If you are interested in scheduling a time to discuss staff training options for your workplace, simply fill out and return this short form, and our Director, Dr. Anne Lutz, will contact you to set up a Zoom consultation.