Choice Theory/Reality Therapy

Willliam Glasser is the author he chose to go to engineering and prpacticed as a chemical engineer until he realized it was not fulfilling, in his first semester back he was drafted to the us army and once he got back he dealt with ptsd. Premise of choice therapy is that we as human beings are active agents of our life by making active decisions.

INTRODUCTION

  • Glasser believed that clients should not be labaled with a diagnosis except when it is necessary for insurance purposes.

  • he limits the term mental illness to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and head trauma

  • he believes that these people should be treated by neurologists

  • quality world- in the quality world we choose to pick things tailored to our wants and needs such as individuals. very significant part of our existence.

  • picture album- the precise way you want to fulfill your desire, gives you a step by step. It is stored within the quality world inside our brain.

  • total behavior- comprosied of acting, thinking, feeling, and physiology

  • reality therapy is how you help a client take control of their life.

  • the therapeutic relationship- it is essential for therapists to develop a therepeutic relationship with clients. providing the conditions that help the client feel safe.

  • how do problems occur and persist? having trouble connecting with others or not having relationships at all.

  • reality therapists believe the underlying problem for most clients is the same: unsatisying relationship or lacking what could even be called a relationship.

THE PROCESS OF CHANGE

  • reality therapists operate on the assumption that clients are motivated to change

  • 1) when they are convinced that their present behaviors are not meeting their needs, and

  • 2) when they believe that they can choose other behaviors that will get them closer to what they want.

  • “the only person you can control is you”

  • as the therapist you need to help them explore not give them a list.

VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE

  • human beings are born with five genetically encoded needs that derive from

  1. survival

  2. love and belonging

  3. power or inner control (having control of their own life)

  4. freedom or independence

  5. fun (prioritize)

CHARACTERISTICS OF REALITY THERAPY

  • choice and responsibility

  • transference- client projects thoughts on someone else onto to the counselor, william glasser doesnt believe in it.

  • the present- heavily emphasizes the present

  • diagnosis- very critical of the dsm

  • mental illness

THE THERAPEUTIC PROCESS

  • therapeutic goals:

  • connection or reconnecting with the people they have chosen to out in their quality world

  • learning better ways of fulfilling all their needs while taking responsibility for their choices and understanding the impact of those choices on their relationships.

THERAPISTS FUNCTION AND ROLE

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  • therapy is considered a mentoring process

  • the therapist is the teacher, and the client is the student

  • the role of the reality therapist is not make the evaluation for clients but to challenge clients to examine whwat they are doing.

  • “what do you want in your life that you are not getting?”

  • “what should you have in you rlife if you were to change?”

  • “Is what you are choosing to do getting you what you want and need?”

  • “What do you have to do now to make the changees happen?”

  • “What stooped you from doing what you want to do?”

  • “What will you do tomorrow?’

CLIENT EXPERIENCE IN THERAPY

  • the emphasis is on actions

  • when clients change what they are doing, they often change how they are feeling and thinking. The doing is very important

  • clients do not need to be sidetracked by talking about symptoms also clients are not expected to heavily talk about emotions

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THERAPIST AND CLIENT

  • the therapeutic alliance is the foundation for effective outcomes

  • if the therapeutic relationship is lacking, there is a little hope that the system can be successfully implemented

  • although the therapeutic relationship is paramount, it is not an end itself, and it not automatically curative or healing

WDEP (GENTLE CONFRONTATION IS VERY IMPORTANT)

  • wants (exploring wants, needs, and perceptions)

  • direction and doing

  • self-evaluation

  • planning and action (both parties are engaged in the planning process)

STRENGTH AND LIMITATIONS

  • very action oriented which can create problems

  • the system can be adapted to any other theory