Some Common Interventions:
The Miracle Question: A question that asks the student to envision (imagine) a future where their problem no longer exists.
Example: "What if, when you go to sleep tonight, a miracle happened. When you wake up, imagine your problem no longer exists. What is the first thing you would notice that would prove to you your problem is solved?"
How it helps: The student is able to identify positive qualities and goals that will help them move beyond their problem.
Scaling Questions: This technique is especially useful for students who struggle to articulate the intensity or complexity of their feelings towards a given situation or concern.
Example: "On a scale of 0 to 10, where 10 is you feel confident and 0 is you want to run and hide, where are you right now when you think about this test?...You said you feel like a 2. What needs to happen to help you feel like a 5?"
How it helps: It helps the student find articulate their experience and discover small actionable steps they can take to improve their sense of wellbeing and ability to manage stress or uncomfortable feelings.
References for Further Reading
Altundağ, Y., & Bulut, S. (2019). The effect of solution-focused brief counseling on reducing test anxiety. Avances en Psicología Latinoamericana, 37(1), 1–11. <-block _nghost-ng-c2744776588="" class="ng-star-inserted">https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/apl/a.6270
Alvina Auliza Firjana, Dian Ari Widyastuti, Sri Tutur Martaningsih, Agungbudiprabowo, & Hjh Salwa Dato Seri Setia Hj Mahalle. (2026). Effectiveness of solution-focused brief counseling in promoting self-disclosure among junior high school students: A single subject design study. Indonesian Journal of Learning Education and Counseling, 8(2), 136–152. <-block _nghost-ng-c2744776588="" class="ng-star-inserted">https://doi.org/10.31960/ijolec.v8i2.3334
Aulthouse, M., Kolbert, J. B., Bundick, M. J., & Crothers, L. M. (2017). Positive psychology and career development. Journal of School Counseling, 15(15).
Gading, I. K., Hassan, S. A., Bakar, A. Y. A., & Rismawan, K. S. G. (2021). Solution-focused brief counseling and ABC manipulation technique in self-control training to reduce aggressive behaviour. Cakrawala Pendidikan, 40(3), 670–712. <-block _nghost-ng-c2744776588="" class="ng-star-inserted">https://doi.org/10.21831/cp.v40i3.40755
Gresiana, J., Gading, I. K., & Putri, D. A. W. M. (2025). A brief solution-focused counseling guide to improve self-regulated learning in vocational high school students. Jurnal Ilmiah Bimbingan Konseling Undiksha, 16(2), 200–208. <-block _nghost-ng-c2744776588="" class="ng-star-inserted">https://doi.org/10.23887/jibk.v16i2.101614
Indriani, I., Wibowo, M. E., & Mulawarman, M. (2022). Effectiveness of solution-focused brief counseling and motivational interviewing in improving students’ self-disclosure. Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan dan Konseling, 7(2), 81–88. <-block _nghost-ng-c2744776588="" class="ng-star-inserted">https://doi.org/10.17977/um001v7i22022p81-88
Priyandana, I. P. Y., Gading, I. K., & Rismawan, K. S. G. (2025). Solution-focused brief counseling to increase self-confidence of Grade X high school students. Bisma: The Journal of Counseling, 9(2), 316–323. <-block _nghost-ng-c2744776588="" class="ng-star-inserted">https://doi.org/10.23887/bisma.v9i2.97914