Reality Therapy

7 Pages 1873 Words

Reality Therapy

Abstract:
Reality Therapy is the method of counseling that Dr. Glasser has been teaching since 1962. He published a book named Reality Therapy the same year. Reality Therapy, though catchy, is easily misunderstood to do with giving people “a dose of reality.” In fact, the approach is far more people- friendly and people- centered than that. Reality therapy is a very powerful tool for personal growth, accomplishing goals, and measuring progress. Almost all approaches to psychology assume that people have certain basic needs and, indeed, there is broad agreement on what these needs are. In Reality therapy, they are classified under five headings: Power, Love & Belonging, Freedom, Fun, and Survival. The goal of Reality Therapy is to help people reconnect. To create the relationship vital to Reality Therapy, the counselor will focus on the present and avoid discussing the past because all human problems are caused by unsatifasfying present relationships. Avoid criticizing, blaming and complaining and help counselees to do the same. By doing this, they will learn to avoid the extremely harmful external control behaviors that destroy relationships. If the choice of behaviors is not getting people closer, then the counselor works to help them to find new behaviors that lead to a better connection. Focus on specifics. Help them make specific, workable plans to reconnect with people they need, and then follow through on what was planned by helping them evaluate their progress. Help them to understand, through teaching them choice theory and encouraging them to read the book, Choice Theory: a New Psychology of Personal Freedom, that whatever their complaint, reconnecting is the best possible solution to their problem.
Reality therapy employs some key questions that help us with self-examination. The first question in reality therapy centers on the main goal, target, or objective. Doing is placed at the hear...