Introduction
This essay examines three key techniques drawn from solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) and narrative therapy, approaches commonly taught on UK undergraduate counselling programmes. The Miracle Question, externalisation and exception-finding questions each offer structured ways to shift clients’ perspectives on difficulties such as low self-esteem, anxiety or procrastination. The discussion presents a verbatim script illustrating the Miracle Question, an exercise demonstrating externalisation and three example exception questions. Reference is made to foundational literature to illustrate both the practical application and the conceptual underpinnings of these methods, while also noting their potential limitations when used in isolation.
The Miracle Question and Scaling Question in Practice
The Miracle Question invites clients to imagine a future in which the problem no longer exists, thereby generating a detailed picture of preferred behaviour and feelings (de Shazer, 1988). In work with a client named Alex who reports persistent low self-esteem, the following dialogue might occur:
Therapist: “Alex, I’m going to ask you a rather unusual question. Suppose tonight, while you are asleep, a miracle happens and the problem that brought you here is solved. But because you were asleep you don’t know the miracle has happened. When you wake up tomorrow morning, what would be the first small sign that would tell you the miracle had occurred?”
Client: “I suppose I wouldn’t immediately check my phone to see if anyone had messaged me. I’d get up and make breakfast without thinking everyone at work probably thinks I’m useless.”
Therapist: “What else would be different?”
Client: “I’d probably choose clothes that actually fit properly instead of the baggiest things I own. And when my colleague said good morning I might say it back instead of mumbling and looking at the floor.”
Therapist: “On a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is how things are right now and 10 is the day after the miracle, where would you say you are today?”
Client: “Probably a 3.”
Therapist: “What’s already happening that puts you at a 3 rather than a 2?”
By moving from the hypothetical miracle scenario to a scaling question, the therapist helps Alex identify existing strengths and small steps that can be repeated. This combination reflects the SFBT emphasis on noticing and amplifying what is already working (O’Connell, 2005). However, critics note that some clients find the miracle framing culturally alien or overly optimistic, suggesting therapists must remain attentive to individual context.
Externalising the Problem through Naming and Persona
Narrative therapy posits that problems are constructed through language; externalisation separates the person from the problem so that the client can examine its influence rather than internalise it as identity (White and Epston, 1990). Consider a client, Jordan, who describes herself as “a procrastinator.” The therapist might introduce externalisation as follows:
Therapist: “It sounds as though ‘Procrastination’ has been making quite a lot of decisions lately. If we were to give Procrastination a name and imagine it as a character, what sort of character would it be?”
Jordan: “I think it would be this grey, shapeless blob that sits on the sofa and tells me there’s plenty of time.”
Therapist: “And how does ‘Grey Blob’ manage to keep you from starting assignments?”
Jordan: “It reminds me of all the times I handed work in late before and says it’s safer not to try.”
Therapist: “If you were to speak back to Grey Blob, what might you say?”
Through this short exchange the problem is repositioned as an external entity with its own tactics. Jordan can then evaluate the effects of Grey Blob on her studies and relationships, an exercise that often reduces self-blame. While externalisation can promote agency, the technique requires careful pacing; some clients initially experience the personification as trivialising their distress.
The Role of Exception Questions in Brief Therapy
Exception questions constitute a core component of SFBT because they challenge the problem-saturated narrative by locating times when the difficulty was absent or less intense (de Shazer et al., 2007). Identifying exceptions provides concrete evidence that change is already occurring and supplies building blocks for future solutions. Three examples of exception questions that might be used with a client experiencing performance anxiety are:
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“Can you think of a recent occasion when you felt anxious but still managed to speak up in the meeting? What was different about that situation?”
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“Have there been moments this week when Anxiety was present but you noticed it later than usual? What do you think helped delay its arrival?”
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“On a day when things went better than expected, what small things were you doing differently that Anxiety had less influence over?”
Such questions encourage the client to scan for counter-evidence and to attribute success to their own actions rather than to chance. Research indicates that systematic attention to exceptions correlates with improved outcome scores in brief therapy settings, although practitioners must guard against implying that clients should simply “think positive” (O’Connell, 2005).
Conclusion
The Miracle Question, externalisation and exception finding each provide counsellors with accessible, collaborative tools for helping clients re-author their relationship with difficulties. When applied with sensitivity to context and cultural fit, these techniques can foster hope and agency. At the same time, their effectiveness is enhanced when integrated within a broader therapeutic relationship rather than used as stand-alone interventions. Continued supervised practice and critical reflection on the evidence base remain essential for students developing competence in these methods.
References
- de Shazer, S. (1988) Clues: Investigating Solutions in Brief Therapy. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
- de Shazer, S., Dolan, Y., Korman, H., Trepper, T., McCollum, E. and Berg, I.K. (2007) More Than Miracles: The State of the Art of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. New York: Haworth Press.
- O’Connell, B. (2005) Solution-Focused Therapy. 2nd edn. London: SAGE Publications.
- White, M. and Epston, D. (1990) Narrative Means to Therapeutic Ends. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
