Solution-focused therapy / SFB-A05-1
Deliberate and Accidental Exceptions — Concept brief
Understand the idea behind deliberate and accidental exceptions and consider whether it fits your context.
8 minutes · Handout · Adults; supported use as appropriate
Fictional example: Devin worked well in a quiet waiting room without planning to.
Use an ordinary or fictional example, with a clinician when appropriate. A helpful difference can be noticed even when it was unplanned.
The idea
A helpful difference can be noticed even when it was unplanned.
An ordinary example
Devin worked well in a quiet waiting room without planning to.
What this can look like
Compare one intentional change with one helpful accident and identify what can be repeated.
Check the fit
What part of the accident can become a chosen support? You may disagree with the framing, use fiction, or decide that this approach is not useful today.
A useful distinction
A preferred future can include advocacy, accommodations, and external change; optimism is not required.
Prompts for this resource
- What part of this idea makes sense to me?
- What part of the accident can become a chosen support?
Conceptual background
What is Solution-Focused Therapy? — Solution-Focused Therapy Institute
Background on the approach only. Original exercises and wording are by More Than Therapy with AI assistance; the source does not validate or endorse these materials.