Which combination of questions is central to helping clients envision a preferred future and identify steps in solution-focused brief therapy?

• A. Exploring past failures and tracing patterns
• B. Uncovering root causes
• C. Scaling questions and the miracle question
• D. Dream analysis of goals

Answer: (C)

In solution-focused brief therapy, the focus is on creating a clear, preferred future and concrete steps to reach it. The miracle question is central because it invites clients to imagine a future where the problem is solved and describe what would be different, which helps them articulate specific goals and a compelling vision to work toward. Scaling questions then take those goals and translate them into measurable progress, identifying small, doable steps and clarifying where the client is now versus where they want to be. This pairing moves the conversation from vague wishes to actionable plans and progress checks.

Other approaches tend to look at why the problem persists—exploring past failures and tracing patterns, uncovering root causes, or analyzing dreams. Those methods focus more on origins or symbols of distress rather than on forging a concrete, future-oriented plan and steps to achieve it, which is why the combination of the miracle question and scaling questions is the hallmark of this method.