A technique for finding moments when the problem was absent or less intense. De Shazer assumed that a problem is never completely constant; there are always exceptions. These exceptions are built-in solutions that can be discovered and amplified. The focus shifts from pathology to resource: what the client already does well when things are better. London BRIEF often prefers the term instances: times when the preferred future is already happening.
Step-by-step guide
- Ask about exceptions: "Were there times when the problem was smaller or did not bother you?"
- If the client finds one, explore it in detail: what exactly was happening then?
- Ask what the client did differently and what else was different: place, people, timing.
- Strengthen agency: "How did you do that? What do you think helped?"
- Invite the client to notice or repeat similar conditions intentionally, without turning it into a rigid prescription.
When to use
- When the problem seems constant and total to the client.
- Depression: "it is always bad"; anxiety: "I am never calm."
- When the client says nothing ever changes.
- When you want to find resources without introducing a new technique.
Key phrases
Were there days when this bothered you less, or moments when it was a little easier? Tell me about one of those times.
Follow-up questions
What was different that time? What did you do differently, or what was different around you?
How did you manage then? What do you think helped?
If you wanted to repeat something about that day, what might you do?
Alternative phrasings
If I had filmed you secretly on the day things were better, what would I have seen?
When this happens less often, what is usually going on in your life?
Warnings
- ⚠️ If the client denies all exceptions, do not push; return to preferred future or coping.
- ⚠️ Distinguish chance exceptions from deliberate exceptions; the latter are especially useful.
- ⚠️ Do not make the search sound like blame: the client is not responsible for causing the problem.
Source: de Shazer, 1985; de Shazer, 1988; Berg & de Shazer
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.