Does solution-focus mean ignoring people's pain and problems?

No — pain is fully acknowledged with compassion; it just isn't further explored, dug into, or analysed.

This is the key safeguard against misreading the method as toxic positivity. The distinction is between honouring a problem and investigating it:

• Difficulties and suffering are perceived — compassionately, with acknowledgement and respect (mitfühlend, anerkennend, würdigend).
• They are simply not explored, dug into or deepened further.
• The rationale: problem- and cause-analysis are not a necessary condition for finding solutions. As de Shazer put it, you don't first have to grasp, describe, analyse and discuss the problem in order to reach a solution.

So pain is witnessed, not bulldozed — but the energy of the work goes into constructing the wanted future rather than touring the wound.

Tip: Acknowledge the problem; don't make it the project.