# Steve de Shazer

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American psychotherapist

**Steve de Shazer** (June 25, 1940, [Milwaukee](/source/Milwaukee) – September 11, 2005, [Vienna](/source/Vienna)) was a [psychotherapist](/source/Psychotherapy), [author](/source/Author), and developer and pioneer of [solution focused brief therapy](/source/Solution_focused_brief_therapy). In 1978, he founded the [Brief Family Therapy Center](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brief_Family_Therapy_Center&action=edit&redlink=1) (BFTC) in [Milwaukee, Wisconsin](/source/Milwaukee%2C_Wisconsin) with his wife [Insoo Kim Berg](/source/Insoo_Kim_Berg).

De Shazer was originally trained as a classical musician and worked as a jazz saxophonist. He received a Bachelor in Fine Arts and an MSSW in Social Work from the [University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee](/source/University_of_Wisconsin%E2%80%93Milwaukee). De Shazer wrote six books and was translated into 14 languages. He was a lifelong friend of [John Weakland](/source/John_Weakland), whom he saw as his mentor.[1][2]

De Shazer died in Vienna while traveling on a training and consulting tour in Europe from pneumonia.[3] De Shazer has a nephew, Tony de Shazer whose wife is Marie Laure de Shazer, educator and author, and two great nieces Elodie and Amelie de Shazer.[4]

## Solution-focused heritage

### Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

In 1978, de Shazer and [Insoo Kim Berg](/source/Insoo_Kim_Berg) co-founded the Brief Family Therapy Center (BFTC) in Milwaukee.[5] With this move, the couple are recognized as the primary developers of [solution-focused brief therapy](/source/Solution-focused_brief_therapy), which emerged from research they conducted at the BFTC in the 1980s, building upon studies conducted at the Mental Research Institute.[6][7]

BFTC served as a research center to study, develop, and test techniques of psychotherapy to find those that are most efficient and effective with clients. The team at BFTC was very diverse, with practitioners with various backgrounds, educations, and academic disciplines. Besides mental health professionals, the team included educators, sociologists, linguists, and even engineers and philosophers.[8] Steve de Shazer, the director of BFTC, referred to this group as a "therapeutic think tank".[9] Over time people began to request training, so BFTC became a research and training center.[9]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Norman, H., McKergow, M. and Clarke, J. 1996. "Paradox is a muddle: An Interview with Steve de Shazer". Rapport. 34: 41-49 [http://sfwork.com/paradox-is-a-muddle](http://sfwork.com/paradox-is-a-muddle)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Lipchik, E. 2002. "Uncovering MRI Roots in Solution-Focused Therapy" [http://socialconstructiontherapy.com/mri-roots.php](http://socialconstructiontherapy.com/mri-roots.php)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Iveson, Chris (2005-10-12). ["Steve de Shazer"](https://www.theguardian.com/news/2005/oct/13/obituaries.mainsection). *The Guardian*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0261-3077](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3077). Retrieved 2025-11-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Gingerich, W. (2006). Obituary: Steve de Shazer. Research On Social Work Practice, 16(5), 549-550.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:1_5-0)** West, John D.; Bubenzer, Donald L.; Smith, Jeffrey M.; Hamm, Terri L. (1997). "Insoo Kim Berg and Solution-Focused Therapy". *The Family Journal*. **5** (4): 346–354. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1177/1066480797054014](https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1066480797054014). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1066-4807](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1066-4807). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [143032470](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:143032470).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Shazer, Steve; Berg, Insoo Kim; Lipchik, Eve; Nunnally, Elam; Molnar, Alex; Gingerich, Wallace; Weiner-Davis, Michele (1986). "Brief Therapy: Focused Solution Development". *Family Process*. **25** (2): 207–221. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1545-5300.1986.00207.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1545-5300.1986.00207.x). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0014-7370](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0014-7370). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [3732502](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3732502).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** McKergow, M. (2016). "SFBT 2.0: The next generation of Solution Focused Brief Therapy has already arrived". *Journal of Solution Focused Brief Therapy*. **2** (2): 1–17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Berg, Insoo Kim. ["Student's Corner"](https://www.sdstate.edu/sites/default/files/2018-06/students_corner.pdf) (PDF).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:30_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:30_9-1) Norman, Harry; McKergow, Mark; Clarke, Jenny. ["Paradox is a muddle - an interview with Steve de Shazer"](https://sfwork.com/paradox-is-a-muddle).

## External links

- [Brief Family Therapy Center](https://web.archive.org/web/20050802111235/http://www.brief-therapy.org/)

- [Social Construction Therapy Online](http://www.socialconstructiontherapy.com)

- [Interview with Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a71M1b7YOU) MRI/BFTC conference The Global Reach Of Brief Therapy, Sunny Vale CA, 26–27 August 1994.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Steve de Shazer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_de_Shazer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_de_Shazer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.