Choice Theory/ Reality Therapy:
Introduction:
- Formulated by William Glasser stemming from his doubts about the traditional
psychoanalytic approach. Established Institute for Reality Therapy of the Education
Training Centre and the William Glasser LaVerne College Center both in Los Angeles
- Many client problems are caused by their inability to connect; get close with others or
have a satisfying/successful relationship
- More clients connect with people – greater the chances of experiencing happiness
- Clients understand that their problem, unhappiness, results from the way they’re
choosing to behave
▪ they’re choosing to behave this way to deal with frustrations caused by
unsatisfying relationships
- Reality therapy is based on choice theory
▪ Choice theory: the theoretical basis for reality therapy; it explains why and how
we function
▪ Reality Therapy: provides a delivery system for helping individuals take more
effective control of their lives
Key Concepts
View of Human Nature
- Choice theory suggests that we are born with 5 genetically encoded needs that drive
us all our lives:
▪ Survival, or self-preservation
▪ love and belonging
▪ power, or inner control
▪ freedom, or independence
▪ fun or enjoyment
- each of us has all 5 needs, but they vary in strength
- the need to love and belong is the primary need because we need people to satisfy
the other needs
- our brain functions like a control system – closely monitoring our feelings to
determine how well we’re doing in our lifelong effort to satisfy our needs
- throughout our lives, we keep close track of anything we do that feels good. We store
information inside our minds & build a file of wants, called the quality world, which is
at the core of our life
- in our quality world we develop an inner picture album of specific wants & precise
ways to satisfy these wants. We’re trying to behave in a way that gives us the most
effective control over our lives
Choice Theory Explanation of Behaviour:
- With some exceptions, everything we do is chosen/generated from within ourselves
- Total Behaviour: teaches that all behaviour is made up of 4 distinct components that
can’t be separated: acting, thinking, feeling and physiology. These components
accompany all of our actions, thoughts and feelings
1
, - Behaviour is purposeful because it’s designed to close the gap between what we want
and what we perceive we’re getting – specific behaviours are always generated from
this gap
- Our behaviour comes from the inside, thus: we choose our destiny
- More accurate to think of people depressing or angering themselves rather than
having the behaviours thrust upon them from the outside world.
- When people choose misery by developing a range of ‘paining’ behaviours, it’s
because these are the best behaviours they’re able to devise at the time, and these
behaviours often get them what they want
- People don’t choose pain and suffering directly, rather it’s an unchosen part of their
total behaviour.
- Behaviour is a language and that we send messages by what we’re doing.
- The purpose of behaviour is to influence the world to get what we want.
Characteristics of Reality Therapy
- Focuses on the unsatisfying relationships or the lack of relationship
- Emphasis is on what clients can control in their relationships
- Basic Principle: the only person you can control is yourself – vital
- Emphasise Choice and Responsibility:
▪ Clients are seen as being responsible for their own choices because they have
more control of their behaviour than they often believe
▪ Clients are responsible for what they do. Choice theory changes the focus of
responsibility to choice and choosing.
- Reject transference:
▪ By being themselves, therapists can use the relationship to teach clients how
to relate to others in their lives
▪ Transference is a way for both therapist and client to avoid being who they are
and owning what they are doing right now
- Keep the Therapy in the Present:
▪ Whatever mistakes we made in the past are not relevant now.
▪ A principle of choice theory: the past may have contributed to a current
problem but that the past is never the problem.
▪ To function effectively, people need to live and plan the present and take
steps to create a better future.
▪ We can only satisfy our needs in the present
▪ Although past has driven us to the present, it doesn’t have to determine our
future
- Avoid Focusing on Symptoms:
▪ Focusing on the past or symptoms ‘protects’ the client from facing the reality
of unsatisfying present relationships
▪ Clients are reluctant to accept the reality that their suffering is due to the total
behaviour they’re choosing
▪ Their symptoms can be seen as the body’s way of warning them that the
behaviour they’re choosing isn’t satisfying their basic needs
- Challenge Traditional Views of Mental Illness:
▪ Rejects the traditional notion that people with problematic physical and
psychological symptoms are mentally ill
2
Introduction:
- Formulated by William Glasser stemming from his doubts about the traditional
psychoanalytic approach. Established Institute for Reality Therapy of the Education
Training Centre and the William Glasser LaVerne College Center both in Los Angeles
- Many client problems are caused by their inability to connect; get close with others or
have a satisfying/successful relationship
- More clients connect with people – greater the chances of experiencing happiness
- Clients understand that their problem, unhappiness, results from the way they’re
choosing to behave
▪ they’re choosing to behave this way to deal with frustrations caused by
unsatisfying relationships
- Reality therapy is based on choice theory
▪ Choice theory: the theoretical basis for reality therapy; it explains why and how
we function
▪ Reality Therapy: provides a delivery system for helping individuals take more
effective control of their lives
Key Concepts
View of Human Nature
- Choice theory suggests that we are born with 5 genetically encoded needs that drive
us all our lives:
▪ Survival, or self-preservation
▪ love and belonging
▪ power, or inner control
▪ freedom, or independence
▪ fun or enjoyment
- each of us has all 5 needs, but they vary in strength
- the need to love and belong is the primary need because we need people to satisfy
the other needs
- our brain functions like a control system – closely monitoring our feelings to
determine how well we’re doing in our lifelong effort to satisfy our needs
- throughout our lives, we keep close track of anything we do that feels good. We store
information inside our minds & build a file of wants, called the quality world, which is
at the core of our life
- in our quality world we develop an inner picture album of specific wants & precise
ways to satisfy these wants. We’re trying to behave in a way that gives us the most
effective control over our lives
Choice Theory Explanation of Behaviour:
- With some exceptions, everything we do is chosen/generated from within ourselves
- Total Behaviour: teaches that all behaviour is made up of 4 distinct components that
can’t be separated: acting, thinking, feeling and physiology. These components
accompany all of our actions, thoughts and feelings
1
, - Behaviour is purposeful because it’s designed to close the gap between what we want
and what we perceive we’re getting – specific behaviours are always generated from
this gap
- Our behaviour comes from the inside, thus: we choose our destiny
- More accurate to think of people depressing or angering themselves rather than
having the behaviours thrust upon them from the outside world.
- When people choose misery by developing a range of ‘paining’ behaviours, it’s
because these are the best behaviours they’re able to devise at the time, and these
behaviours often get them what they want
- People don’t choose pain and suffering directly, rather it’s an unchosen part of their
total behaviour.
- Behaviour is a language and that we send messages by what we’re doing.
- The purpose of behaviour is to influence the world to get what we want.
Characteristics of Reality Therapy
- Focuses on the unsatisfying relationships or the lack of relationship
- Emphasis is on what clients can control in their relationships
- Basic Principle: the only person you can control is yourself – vital
- Emphasise Choice and Responsibility:
▪ Clients are seen as being responsible for their own choices because they have
more control of their behaviour than they often believe
▪ Clients are responsible for what they do. Choice theory changes the focus of
responsibility to choice and choosing.
- Reject transference:
▪ By being themselves, therapists can use the relationship to teach clients how
to relate to others in their lives
▪ Transference is a way for both therapist and client to avoid being who they are
and owning what they are doing right now
- Keep the Therapy in the Present:
▪ Whatever mistakes we made in the past are not relevant now.
▪ A principle of choice theory: the past may have contributed to a current
problem but that the past is never the problem.
▪ To function effectively, people need to live and plan the present and take
steps to create a better future.
▪ We can only satisfy our needs in the present
▪ Although past has driven us to the present, it doesn’t have to determine our
future
- Avoid Focusing on Symptoms:
▪ Focusing on the past or symptoms ‘protects’ the client from facing the reality
of unsatisfying present relationships
▪ Clients are reluctant to accept the reality that their suffering is due to the total
behaviour they’re choosing
▪ Their symptoms can be seen as the body’s way of warning them that the
behaviour they’re choosing isn’t satisfying their basic needs
- Challenge Traditional Views of Mental Illness:
▪ Rejects the traditional notion that people with problematic physical and
psychological symptoms are mentally ill
2
