BRIEF shifted the opening of the session from "What brought you?" (the problem) to "What are your best hopes?" (the solution). This is an even more direct path to the desired future. The difference from the Miracle Question: more direct, less fantastical, more practical.
Step-by-step guide
- Open the session (instead of, or in addition to, the standard question about the problem)
- Ask the best-hopes question
- Develop: "What will it look like? What will be different?"
- Use the answer as the basis for the further work
When to use
- Instead of the Miracle Question, or as a session-opener variant
- When the client is not ready for a fantastical scenario
- For practically oriented clients
- In a follow-up session as a refinement of progress
Key phrases
What are your best hopes for our meeting?
If this meeting is useful — what will you notice?
How will you know that it was worth coming?
Alternative phrasings
Miracle Question: "At night a miracle happened, the problem is solved, what changed?"
Best Hopes: more direct, less fantastical, more practical
Warnings
- ⚠️ Do not turn it into a goal-setting form — it is a question for opening, not for filling out
- ⚠️ Allow time — the answer may not come at once
Source: BRIEF (Ratner, George, Iveson, late 1980s); Elliott Connie
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.