BRIEF

What BRIEF does

BRIEF (legally BRIEF Therapy UK Limited, also operating as The Centre for Solution Focused Practice) is a London-based private training and therapy organization founded in 1989 by Chris Iveson, Harvey Ratner, and Evan George. The company's core technology is the Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) methodology, derived from Steve de Shazer's Milwaukee model, which emphasizes client-generated solutions, brief therapeutic contacts (typically fewer than five sessions), and forward-focused questioning techniques such as the Miracle Question, Best Hopes, and scale questions. BRIEF has been active in this field since 1987 when the founders established a Brief Therapy Project within an NHS Mental Health Clinic in North London; the organization was renamed from "Brief Therapy Practice" to BRIEF in 1989 to reflect its broader application to coaching, leadership, and conflict resolution.

The company generates revenue through four streams: (1) open-enrollment online training courses (Foundation Levels 1–3, Foundation Plus Level 4, Advanced Certificate, Solution Focused Groupwork, Advanced Practice Programme) priced at £390 per 2-day course and delivered via Zoom with Eventbrite booking; (2) customized in-service training delivered on-site to organizations in public, corporate, and voluntary sectors (over 5,000 days of agency-based training delivered since 1989); (3) individual and team therapy, coaching, and supervision delivered via phone and online; and (4) publications including the Journal of Solution Focused Practices, self-help books, and translated editions. Primary customers are health, education, and social-care professionals in the UK, public-sector and NHS clients (e.g., Essex County Council's DBIT, CAMHS), international institutional clients (Abu Dhabi Health Service, Greek drug and alcohol services, Western Australia mining managers), and corporate executives and managers across 20+ countries on four continents.

BRIEF operates with a very lean team of 1–10 employees but maintains a global footprint through partnerships with the European Brief Therapy Association (EBTA), UKASFP, the Latin Centre for Brief Therapy in Trujillo, University Colleges of Leuven-Limburg, and the Korzbyski Institute in Bruges. Its go-to-market combines content marketing (an extensive blog with over 100 posts, YouTube/Vimeo videos, newsletters) with event-driven demand generation (annual Summer School, UKASFP and EBTA conferences, AGIS presentations) and direct-to-consumer delivery of therapy and open-enrollment courses. The organization is privately held with no external investment or parent company affiliation, and the three founders remain actively involved in training delivery and content production.

Name

BRIEF

Legal name

BRIEF Therapy UK Limited

Website

https://brief.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BRIEF is a London-based private organization founded in 1989 that delivers Solution Focused Brief Therapy training, therapy, and coaching to healthcare, education, social services, and corporate clients across 20+ countries through online courses, customized in-service programs, and direct service delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Therapy and Training Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM)

Keywords

• Solution focused therapy
• Brief therapy training
• Professional coaching services
• Therapist certification courses
• Workplace coaching training

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Training Courses: Open enrollment courses offered online including Foundation Levels 1-3, Foundation Plus Level 4, Advanced Certificate, and Solution Focused Groupwork. Priced at £390 per 2-day course. Revenue generated through participant fees booked via Eventbrite.
2. In-Service Training: Customized training delivered to organizations in public, corporate and voluntary sectors. Since 1989, BRIEF has delivered over 5000 days of agency-based training. Organizations commission bespoke training programs for their staff.
3. Therapy and Coaching Services: Individual and team coaching, therapeutic coaching, conflict resolution, and supervision services delivered via phone and online. Pricing available on their Appointments page.
4. Publications: Sale of books and resources including the Journal of Solution Focused Practices, self-help books, and training materials. Book sales page referenced for 2026.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BRIEF delivers Solution Focused Brief Therapy training and practice through open-enrollment online courses (Foundation Levels 1-4, Advanced Certificate, Solution Focused Groupwork, Advanced Practice Programme), bespoke in-service training commissioned by public, corporate and voluntary sector organisations, and individual therapy, coaching, supervision and conflict resolution services delivered by phone and online. The organisation was founded in 1989 by Evan George, Chris Iveson and Harvey Ratner and has delivered over 5,000 days of agency-based training across more than 20 countries.

Product overview

BRIEF is a service-based organization offering Solution Focused therapy, coaching, and training services rather than a technology product. The core offerings consist of therapy and coaching services, in-service training for organizations, and professional certification courses. The course portfolio includes Foundation Levels 1-4, Advanced Certificate, the BRIEF Certificate in Solution Focused Practice, Solution Focused Groupwork, and an Advanced Practice Programme. Supporting resources include educational videos, practice notes, research evidence, and the Journal of Solution Focused Practices. Services are delivered in-person, by phone, and online.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Therapy & Coaching Services
• In-Service Training
• Foundation Level 1 Course
• Foundation Level 2 Course
• Foundation Level 3 Course
• Foundation Plus: Level 4
• Advanced Certificate in Solution Focused Practice
• The BRIEF Certificate in Solution Focused Practice
• Solution Focused Groupwork Course
• Advanced Practice Programme Online
• Wales Training Programme
• Journal of Solution Focused Practices

Quantifiable outcome

• Therapeutic change typically achieved in less than 5 sessions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• European Brief Therapy Association (EBTA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Founding relationship - Harvey Ratner was present at EBTA's birth and BRIEF has attended virtually every annual conference since, presenting at most. BRIEF contributed 'Briefly does it' chapter to the EBTA 25th anniversary book 'Making Waves: Solution Focused Practice in Europe'. BRIEF presented at EBTA Bulgaria conference.
• DBIT (Divisional-Based Intervention Team) - Essex County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished January 2012 to work with families where young people are 'on the edge of care'. BRIEF delivered training to staff; 11 DBIT staff completed BRIEF Diploma. DBIT hosted first national conference on Solution Focused Practice in Statutory Contexts (February 2019) with BRIEF participation. Success measured in hard outcomes has enabled team growth.
• Latin Centre for Brief Therapy (Trujillo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn September, Evan George and Denise Yusuf worked with this center in Trujillo. They run a four-year training programme with the first cohort graduating in 2018. Ongoing partnership for solution focused training delivery.
• University Colleges of Leuven-Limburg (Belgium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining delivered at university campuses in Belgium as part of BRIEF's international education program.
• Korzbyski Institute (Bruges, Belgium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented at the world-famous Korzbyski Institute in Bruges as part of BRIEF's international training circuit.
• Denise YusufcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose friend and collaborator. Co-presented two-day pre-conference workshop at AGIS conference in Hanover with Denise Yusuf. Routledge commissioned book edited by Denise Yusuf on SF applications with children and young people worldwide. Wife of Evan George.
• UKASFP (UK Association for Solution Focused Practice)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK professional association for solution focused practice. BRIEF presented at UKASFP Conference in Oxford 2023. BRIEF founders are key figures in the UK SF community.
• Essex Social Care Academy (ESCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted 'Hopes, Successes & Sparkling Moments' national conference on Solution Focused Practice with families. Second national conference delivered with DBIT (Divisional Based Intervention Team).
• AGIS (Association for German International Schools)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented at AGIS conference in Hanover, Germany. Delivered two-day pre-conference workshop in collaboration with Denise Yusuf and opened/closed the conference.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Maudsley Learning: Commercial training arm of South London and Maudsley NHS Trust delivering mental-health training to NHS and private-sector professionals. A scaled UK incumbent offering similar therapeutic and behavioural training BRIEF provides to NHS clients.
• Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust: Large UK NHS mental-health training provider covering therapy, systemic practice, and organisational consultancy. Much broader portfolio than BRIEF but competes for the same NHS and local-authority training-commissioning budgets.
• New Savoy Partnership: UK partnership representing psychological therapists and IAPT providers, including training and CPD functions for brief-therapy modalities. Adjacent incumbent competing for the same NHS Talking Therapies training spend as BRIEF.

Direct peers

• Taos Institute: Philanthropic organisation advancing social-constructionist and solution-oriented approaches in coaching, therapy, and organisations; offers programmes and certifications comparable to BRIEF's Advanced Practice Programme and Diploma.
• Erickson Coaching International: Coaching training organisation built around the solution-focused approach of the Erickson school, directly overlapping BRIEF's coaching and leadership curriculum and competing for the same corporate and practitioner buyers.
• Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT): International network that trains and certifies practitioners in Motivational Interviewing, another brief, methodology-driven therapeutic approach. Highly comparable to BRIEF as a methodology-anchored training organisation with multi-tier workshops and a global trainer community.
• Center for Solution Focused Practice (formerly Brief Family Therapy Center): US-based organisation offering solution focused brief therapy training, supervision, and consultations; overlaps BRIEF's therapy-and-training model and competes in the same North American SF training market.

Regional players

• Family Therapy Institute of Cambridge: UK family-therapy training provider offering postgraduate certificates and systemic practice training; overlaps BRIEF's family-therapy and child-protection training use cases within the same NHS and council buyer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BRIEF.SolutionFocus
• Xx.com/briefsolutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brief-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BRIEF