Brief psychotherapy is a type of psychotherapy with time or frequency limitations, which is now regarded as a concise concept. It has gradually moved to the mainstream of psychotherapy in the past 40 years. This paper reviews the development of brief psychotherapy at home and abroad, and systematically expounds its definition, effectiveness, core concept, basic technology, and future. In the rapidly developed 21st century, China’s huge population base, great social pressure and rapid urbanization lead to higher requirements for the efficiency and effect of mental health services, and brief psychotherapy will surely have broad application prospects.