How’s That Working for You? Utilizing Reality

Therapy with Court Referred Clients

By Laura Heil

Chloe Lancaster Rachel Payne

1993 – Center for Hispanic Arts1997 – South Texas Institute for the Arts 1998 – Dedicated as the Antonio E. Garcia

Arts Education Center2004 – College of Education – OJJDP Grant: Office of Juvenile Justice

& Delinquency Prevention

Garcia Center Background

94 % Hispanic Average age: 14 65% male At risk Low SES Court referred Resistant to counseling (Lipsey & Cullen, 2003) Benefits of counseling program (Lipsey & Cullen,

2003)

Population Characteristics

0 reoffended Re-off in < 3 months

Re-off in < 6 months

Re-off in < 1 year

Re-off in < 18 months

Re-off in < 2 years

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

60

20

58

52

47

11 9

20

11

2

Garcia Center

Control Grouop

Time series re-cidivism com-parisonin %

Comparison of Recidivism Rates Between Garcia Center

Clients and Control Group

Provides psycho-educational programs and psychotherapy to high-risk, court- mandated youth and their families

Helps students and families grow, relate, support one another, show respect, and succeed.

Garcia Center Counseling Programs

Conflict Resolution ( 7 session group) Life Enhancement & Academic Direction

Program (LEAD)◦ Family Connectivity◦ Healthy Interactions◦ Academic Success

Family Night Out Family Counseling

Garcia Center Counseling Programs

Reality Therapy Principles Developed by Dr. William Glasser, psychiatrist

in 1965 needs: survival, love, power, freedom, and fun Behavior is an attempt to satisfy our needs Are you succeeding in meeting your needs? If not, what could you do differently? Self-responsibility: the only person you can

control is yourselfSource: Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom. New

York: Harper-Collins.

Reality Therapy Strategies Establish a relationship with the client by creating a

need-satisfying environment Move away from the past by asking, “What do you

want?” Focus on action: “What are you doing to get what you

want?” Encourage clients to analyze their behavior by asking,

“Is what I am doing getting me closer to what I want?” Assist clients in developing concrete, attainable plans

to fulfill their needs in the futureSource:Wubbolding, R. E. (2000). Reality therapy for the 21st century. New York: Brunner-Routledge.

WDEP W: What do you want?

D: What are you doing to get what you want?

E: Is what you are doing getting you what you want? Evaluate

P: What is your plan?

Source: Wubbolding, R. E. (2000). Reality therapy for the 21st century. New York: Brunner-

Routledge.

What we decide is our choice, and the goal of reality therapy is to help clients figure out and put into practice better choices than those they have been making”

~Glasser, 1982

Typical 14 year old

Formal operational- abstract thinking Piaget (1969)

- cause and effect

Identity versus role confusion - Developing a self image Erikson (1968)

- Who am I ? Where am I going?

Developmental Level

Implementing our model

Corey, 2000

• Training site• Practical approach• Focus on the present• Phenomenological approach

Why Reality Therapy ?

Glasser, 1998; Wubbolding, 1996c

The foundation is a phenomenological relationship.

Leader becomes a guide along with the client

Facilitate insight Hold up a mirror so that they can evaluate

their choices. The therapeutic relationship attempts to

fulfill the client’s need for love and belonging.

Role and Function of the Group Leader

Quality world (Glasser, 1998)Window into client world and potential world

Counselor become part of quality world

Integrated into client’s goalGoal Establishes the client’s want

Quality World

Informed by reality therapy principals: Survival, Love (primary need), Power , Freedom , & Fun.

Goal: All behavior can be understood in relation to need fulfillment.

Focus on the process

Needs Venn Diagram

Opportunity to understand mind body Externalizing activity – Helps kids cope with

situations which feel overwhelming Normalizes experiences Normalizes differences Creates meta-awareness Put the brakes on

Mind body connection body map

Modeled on concept of total behavior: Feeling, Physiology, Thinking, Acting (Glasser, 1998)

Goal : Clients understand that they make choices based on their own volition

Choice Mobile

Schroder, 2005

Goal: Identify client’s goal Formulate a plan of actionRecognize their strengths and resources

Evaluate possible stumbling blocks

Swamp Drawing

Meaningfully connected theory to practice Tailored interventions to meet client need,

age, and developmental level. Empowered our clients to consider the

function of their behavior Engaged clients in a self evaluation process

to reduce incidences of negative behavior

Conclusion

Corey, G. (2000) Theory and practice of group counseling 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Erikson, e. (1968). Identity, youth, and crisis. New York: Norton.Glaser, W. (1998). Choice Theory: A new psychology of personal

freedom. New York: Harper Collins Lipsey, M. W., & Cullen, F. T. (2003). The effectiveness of correctional

rehabilitation: A review of the literature. Annual Review of Law and Social Science. 3, 298-316.

Piaget, J., & Inhelder, B. (1969). The psychology of the child. New York: Basic Books.

Schroder, D. (2005) Little windows into art therapy. Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley  Publishers.

Wubbolding, R. E. (1996c). Professional issues: The use of questions in reality therapy . Journal of Reality Therapy, 16 (1), 122-127.

References

laughinglane@gmail.com

chloelan@netscape.com