The Committee's Mission and Goals
The SFBTA Research Committee serves to advance the knowledge and training of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy for clinicians and researchers. The mission and goals of the Research Committee are to:
- Serve as the official research arm of SFBTA
- Encourage research in SFBT
- Help SFBTA serve as a clearinghouse for research in SFBT via its website
- Provide research materials and consultation to those interested in pursuing research in SFBT
- Maintain a state of the art Treatment Manual, fidelity instrument, and other appropriate instruments and measures to be used by SFBT researchers
- Develop guidelines and make recommendations to the board for research awards
- Coordinate research presentations (e.g., Research Day) to take place in conjunction with the annual conference.
Committee Members

Helen Taylor Yates, Ph.D., LCSW
Committee Chair
Assistant Professor
University of North Carolina Wilmington
School of Social Work
College of Health and Human Services
601 South College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403
yatesh@uncw.edu
Major Areas of Interest:
Solution-focused brief therapy, Behavioral intervention research for people living with HIV, Wellness and women’s health issues
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Related Research:
The Solution Focused Wellness for HIV Intervention for Women

Cynthia Franklin, PhD, LCSW, LMFT
Co-Chair
Major Areas of Interest:
Solution-focused brief therapy, school mental health, efficacy studies and meta-analysis.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Related Research:
Testing the effectiveness of the school-based, Taking Charge intervention for adolescent mothers. Continued training and support of the solution-focused high school: Garza High School in Austin, Texas

James Beauchemin, PhD, LCSW
Committee Member
Major Areas of Interest:
Solution-focused brief therapy, multidimensional wellness promotion, mind-body-spirit interventions
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Related Research:
Solution-focused wellness coaching, SFBT interventions for improving college student mental health and well-being

Karla Gonzalez Suitt, PhD, MSW
Committee Member
Major Areas of Interest:
Solution-focused brief interventions and strengths-based interventions in primary care, child protective services, schools, and other settings, performed by social workers and/or interdisciplinary teams. Development of clinical social work in Chile.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Related Research:
Adaptation of Solution-focused brief therapy for Chilean culture, implementation of the model in primary care and schools. Systematic Review of Solution-focused brief therapy with Latinos.

Stephen M. Langer, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Major Areas of Interest:
Solution-focused brief therapy, trauma treatment, substance abuse, chronic pain and illness, evidence-based practice.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Related Research:
Solution-Focused Trauma Treatment outcomes with private practice population and with war and natural disaster refugees, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy’s establishment as an evidence-based practice.

Mo Yee Lee, Ph.D.
Committee Member/ Board Liaison
Major Areas of Interest:
Intervention research using a strengths-based, solution-focused approach in social work practice, group treatment for domestic violence offenders, home-based family treatment with high-risk youth, multicultural social work practice
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Related Research:
Solution group treatment of domestic violence offenders, home-based treatment with high-risk youth.

Johnny S. Kim, PhD, LCSW
Committee Member
Major Areas of Interest:
Solution-focused brief therapy, school social work, and meta-analysis.Solution-focused brief therapy, clinical intervention research, school social work, and meta-analysis
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Related Research:
Randomized Control Trial study using SFBT with parents involved in child welfare system; Large 4 state Randomized Control Trial study using SFBT as part of a program reentry service demonstration project with former prisoners (Safe Streets, Second Chances; S3C project).

Zach Cooper LCSW
Committee Member
Major Area of Interest:
Behavioral Science, Clinical Research Methods, Chronic and Cardiometabolic Disease, Integrated Behavioral Healthcare, Solution-Focused Interventions, Implementation Science, Latent Variable Modeling
Solution Focused Brief Therapy Research:
Examining solution-focused brief therapy interventions within medical settings. Tailoring solution-focused interventions for individuals with co-occurring medical and mental health conditions. Examining the effects of solution-focused interventions for individuals with diabetes and related disorders. Analyzing measurement approaches regarding solution-focused constructs

Ray Eads, PhD
Committee Member
Major Areas of Interest:
Strengths-based and holistic interventions, youth and family trauma, intergenerational trauma, solution-focused brief therapy
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Related Research:
Implementation of SFBT in integrated care settings, integration of solution-focused and body-mind-spirit approaches, systematic reviews of SFBT with trauma survivors and children and adolescents

Nate Guyton, M.Ed., LPC, LCDC, NCC
Committee Member
Major Area of Interest:
Microanalysis, Interactional Constructivism, Deliberate Practice, Solution-Focused Practice and Programs
Solution Focused Brief Therapy Research:
Examining common practices in athletic settings as influences to deliberate practice in psychotherapy. Utilizing microanalytic methods to refine clinician conversational actions in participatory action research settings. Researching the impact of focused feedback on moment-by-moment responsiveness. Investigating disciplined SFBT mindsets. Researching solution-building approaches tailored for athletes and high-stress clientele.

