Reality Therapy3

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Reality Therapy



Overview

Formulated by William Glasser stemming fromhis doubts about the traditional psychoanalyticapproach. Established Institute for Reality

Therapy of the Education Training Center andthe William Glasser LaVerne College Center

both in Los Angeles. (Gilliland & James, p. 270)

It is geared toward verbal clients in the

technological society of the United States.(Gilliland & James, p. 291)

Common sense teaching approach that targets problems, not people



Reality Therapy Basic Beliefs

Emphasis is on responsibility

Therapist’s function is to keep therapy

focused on the present We often mistakenly choose misery in our

best attempt to meet our needs

We act responsibly when we meet ourneeds without keeping others from meetingtheir needs

Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 11 (1)



Responsibility

To fulfill one’s needs, in such a way as tonot deprive another of their ability to fulfill

their own needs. Focus on total behavior: acting, thinking,

feeling, physiology.



Major philosophies and nature

of humans Basic premise of theory is that the brain operates to gain

the perception of what is wanted from the environment.

People control what they perceive, not what actually

exists. A fundamental philosophical tenet of control theory is

that people are ultimately self-determining.

Internal and external psychosocial pressures may relatedirectly to present emotional functioning but in the long

run clients are autonomous, selective, responsible peoplewho can control their own behaviors, thinking anddestinies. (Gilliland & James, p. 271)



Major personality constructs

Everything clients do is to satisfy theirbasic needs .

The brain is a control system with inborngenetic instructions that drive both physiological and psychological needs.

Physiological needs are those that ensurethe survival of the individual and thespecies.



Five Basic Needs

the need to survive (physiologic),

the need for love and belonging,

the need for power,

the need for freedom,

the need for fun.



Basic Needs

All internally motivated behavior is gearedtoward meeting one or more of our basic

human needs – Belonging

– Power

– Freedom – Fun

– Survival (Physiological needs)

Our brain functions as a control system toet us what we wantTheory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 11 (2)



Basic Tenets

Nothing that drives our thinking, feelingand behaving is moral or immoral.

(Gilliland & James, p. 272) Control theory states that we choose

behaviors and in choosing, we discoverconsequences that are desirable orundesirable. (Gilliland & James, p. 273)



Glasser identified two general

types of personality: People who view themselves from their

own internal frames of reference

Those who perceive of themselves asothers see them.



Identity

Success Identity — where one comes to possess a willingness and set of skills for

attaining our basic needs in positive andconstructive ways

Failure Identity —failure to attain one’sneeds in responsible ways



Development of Identity

In each of the above identities, three stages of development exist: Success Identity

– Needs are fulfilled in positive ways

– We cope with life through positive and constructive symptoms (i.e.,

altruistic activities, effective thinking, positive affect, effective behaviors)

– We become positively addicted to life-enhancing choices.

Failure Identity – Giving up: We perceive that we cannot attain our needs.

– Choosing negative symptoms (i.e., negative thinking, debilitativefeelings, and negative physiological conditions)

– We become negatively addicted to activities which we perceive to giveus instant belonging, power, etc. (i.e., alcohol, drugs, gambling, food,work) (Gilliland & James, pp. 274-275)



Love and Worth

A person’s success identity is based onexperiencing both love and worth in

balance. Love but no worth can lead a person to become dependant on others forvalidation, worth without love can lead toalienation because there is never a feeling

of being cared for by significant others.(Gilliland & James, p. 275)



Nature of “maladaptivity”

Maladaptivity is equated with the failure identity. This ischaracterized by a person’s tending to be lonely, self -critical, and irrational. A maladaptive person’s behaviorsare likely to be rigid and ineffective, often exhibiting

weakness, irresponsibility and lack of confidence. Maladaptivity generally begins during the very early

years of life, when the individual does not or cannotfulfill the need to experience love or self-worth. The

person who does not feel worthwhile cannot give andreceive love in appropriate ways.

Since all behavior is an attempt to control perceptions,Glasser says that people choose their misery to gaincontrol over others and to excuse their unwillingness todo something more effective. Glasser describes a personrather than being in a state of depression as engaging in―depressing.‖ (Gilliland & James, p. 276)



Depression described as ACHE:

A=AngerC=Control

H=HelpE=Excuse



Major goals of counseling

The major goal of counseling isresponsible behavior on the part of the

client. The overall objective is to help theclient feel better. This is accomplishedwhen the client is able to meet needs bytaking effective control of his or her life.

(Gilliland & James, p. 277)



Major techniques/strategies

The major techniques and strategies employed byreality therapy are: confrontation (the counselorallows ―no excuses‖ for inappropriate behavior),

plans and contracts (similar to other behaviortheories), being specific and ―pinning down‖ theclient (the counselor will probe the client’s planuntil it is completely specific and detailed) andresolving conflicts. (Gilliland & James, pp. 282-285)

Cognitive-behavioral approach to counseling process. Explore problems, evaluate behaviors,create a plan and goals.



Procedures That Lead toChange:

The “WDEP” System W Wants - What do you want to be and do?

Your ―picture album‖

D Doing and Direction - What are you doing?Where do you want to go?

E Evaluation - Does your present behavior have areasonable

chance of getting you what you want?

P Planning – “SAMIC”




Planning For ChangeS Simple - Easy to understand, specific and concrete

A Attainable - Within the capacities and motivationof the client

M Measurable - Are the changes observable and helpful?I Immediate and Involved - What can be done today?

What can you do?

C Controlled - Can you do this by yourself or will

you be dependent on others?




Major roles of counselor and

client The major role of the counselor in reality therapy is to

talk about, focus on and reinforce positive andconstructive planning and behaving on the part of theclient. (Gilliland & James, p. 282)

Believe client needs to be responsible.

The client’s role is to be the sole judge of his or her own behavior, to identify what they are doing to cause thedifficulty or failure and decide what they must do to

begin to behave in more responsible ways. (Gilliland &James, p. 280)

Counseling environment is one of authenticity, warmth,rapport and trust. Client must be heard. Focus on hereand now.




Total BehaviorOur Best Attempt to Satisfy Our Needs

DOING – active behaviors

THINKING – thoughts, self-statements

FEELINGS – anger, joy, pain, anxiety

PHYSIOLOGY – bodily reactions

Documents

Reality Therapy3