Choice Theory and Reality Therapy

Choice Theory and Reality Therapy were not discussed much in my MFT Masters program. It wasn't until my second semester in practicum that I had a part time professor discuss Dr. William Glasser and his theory. I fell in love with it immediately and have found it to be useful with the at-risk youth I work with. I like Choice Theory because it focuses on what can be changed in the here and now, rather than placing blame for what's happened in the past. It also stresses the importance in understanding that all behavior is a choice, even if it doesn't feel like it at times. It's hard to think that someone would choose to be depressed or angry, but the truth is, we do. I highly recommend Dr. Glasser's books for further reading. Here is a brief overview of Choice Theory and Reality Therapy...


The Ten Axioms of Choice Theory

1. The only person whose behavior we can control is our own.
2. All we can give another person is information.
3. All long-lasting psychological problems are relationship problems.
4. The problem relationship is always part of our present life.
5. What happened in the past has everything to do with what we are today, but we can only satisfy our basic needs right now and plan to continue satisfying them in the future.
6. We can only satisfy our needs by satisfying the pictures in our Quality World.
7. All we do is behave.
8. All behavior is Total Behavior and is made up of four components: acting, thinking, feeling and physiology.
9. All Total Behavior is chosen, but we only have direct control over the acting and thinking components. We can only control our feeling and physiology indirectly through how we choose to act and think.
10. All Total Behavior is designated by verbs and named by the part that is the most recognizable.
    

Click here to read more on Choice Theory



Reality Therapy... based on Choice Theory

In my own words, these four steps are how I can best describe how to use Reality Therapy...

1. Help the client identify what they want right now... not what they want to change about the past, because we all know that no one can change the past.
2. Determine whether or not the current behaviors are rational and effective in getting the client closer to what they want.
3. Most often the behaviors are not rational or effective. Help the client identify behaviors that would be more effective and develop a plan on how to implement those behaviors.
4. The client must commit to trying the new behavior. Written contracts can be helpful here.
   

You can read more about Reality Therapy at the following links:

William Glasser Institute
Choice Theory Website