When we talk about change, we often think of it as a long, gradual process – unfolding over weeks, months or even years.
Research from Adam Froerer and his team, Dr Rachel Gillibrand and Mia Lunde at the Centre for Solutions Focused Research, suggests change happens much faster than we might expect – notably in the very moment of conversation itself.
During an SF24 Watch Party session exploring the impact of Solution-Focused (SF) conversations, Adam shared the team’s findings from monitoring EEG headsets to measure participants’ brain activity. The researchers observed cognitive and emotional shifts happening in real time. These changes were not just theoretical or anecdotal; they were visible, measurable and immediate.
Change in the moment
During or at the end of a Solution-Focused conversation, participants experienced shifts, which they reported as:
- A more positive outlook
- A sense of relief or feeling “lighter”
- Increased clarity and focus
- A more ordered, structured way of seeing their problems
- New perspectives and realisations
The impact was significant and some even described it as “amazing”. These changes are valuable in themselves, even before they ripple out into behavioural change. A difference in thinking, feeling and expressing oneself can precede one’s changes in interactions with other people.
The power of being heard
The Centre for Solutions Focused Research showed participants felt a sense of normalcy simply by being heard. They felt validated, accepted and acknowledged. These experiences are worthwhile and meaningful. Change includes how someone engages with the world from that moment forward, Now they’ll perceive themselves and their challenges differently, perhaps moving through their day with a renewed sense of clarity and hope.
Hidden impact
Meanwhile, those on the other side of the conversation – the practitioners, coaches, therapists or even just friends offering a listening ear – are likely to not even realise the extent of what’s happening in the participant’s brain. Like the researchers, we can ask. But the good work can be happening invisibly nonetheless. Often it’s happening right before our eyes, even if we can’t always see it.
Want to see change in action? You can access our solution-focused coaching guide to changing conversations today and notice the immediate impact. Download OSKAR here.
You can listen to the research team discuss their findings here: ‘What is it like to receive solution-focused therapy?‘