What is Reality Therapy? (Choice Theory)

Summary

Reality therapy, developed by William Glasser, is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that emphasizes personal responsibility, behavior, thinking, and relationships. Based on choice theory, it focuses on five key needs: survival, freedom, fun, love and belonging, and power. Glasser prioritizes love and belonging, viewing unsatisfying relationships as the root of mental health issues. Reality therapy encourages reducing harmful behaviors like criticism and focusing on positive habits. Though controversial for its rejection of past traumas and psychiatric medications, it provides practical, relationship-centered approaches to improve mental well-being.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Reality therapy was developed by William Glasser and is closely tied to his choice theory, emphasizing control over one's behavior and thinking.
• 🏠 The primary focus of reality therapy is on satisfying five basic needs: survival, freedom, fun, love and belonging, and power. Love and belonging are considered the most important.
• 👥 Disconnected or unsatisfying relationships are seen as the root cause of most long-term mental health symptoms in reality therapy.
• 🔄 In reality therapy, behavior is viewed as chosen, and all behavior can be directly controlled. Problems arise when people attempt to exert negative control, particularly through power.
• 🔧 Reality therapy emphasizes taking responsibility for one's actions and relationships, and involves developing specific, actionable plans to improve relationships and mental health.
• ⚠️ The seven deadly habits in relationships, according to reality therapy, include criticizing, blaming, complaining, nagging, threatening, punishing, and bribing. The seven caring habits are supporting, encouraging, listening, accepting, trusting, respecting, and negotiating differences.
• 💭 Reality therapy focuses on 'doing' and 'thinking' as the most controllable aspects of total behavior, rather than 'feeling' and 'physiology'. This theory assumes that changes in behavior and thinking lead to changes in emotions and physiological responses.
• 🗣 Reality therapy is controversial for its rejection of diagnosing mental health disorders and its strong anti-psychopharmacology stance, which criticizes the use of medication for treatment.
• 🔍 Unlike many other therapeutic modalities, reality therapy places little to no emphasis on exploring the past, focusing instead on the present and improving current relationships.
• 📋 Reality therapy promotes achievable, realistic treatment plans, making it more concrete and practical in its approach, particularly in relationships and family therapy contexts.

Q & A

What is Reality Therapy?

Reality Therapy is a therapeutic modality developed by William Glasser. It is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that emphasizes needs, behavior, thinking, taking responsibility, and relationships.

What is the relationship between Reality Therapy and Choice Theory?

Reality Therapy is based on Choice Theory, another concept developed by William Glasser. While discussing Reality Therapy, many of its elements come from the philosophy of Choice Theory.

What are the basic needs emphasized in Reality Therapy?

Reality Therapy focuses on five key needs: survival, freedom, fun, love and belonging, and power. Among these, love and belonging are considered the most important, while power often carries a negative connotation.

What does Reality Therapy say about the cause of mental health symptoms?

Reality Therapy suggests that disconnected or unsatisfying relationships are the root cause of long-lasting mental health symptoms. It also emphasizes that mental health problems arise when people use external control to meet the need for power negatively.

What are the 'Seven Deadly Habits' and 'Seven Caring Habits' in Reality Therapy?

The 'Seven Deadly Habits' are criticizing, blaming, complaining, nagging, threatening, punishing, and bribing to control. The 'Seven Caring Habits' are supporting, encouraging, listening, accepting, trusting, respecting, and negotiating differences.

How does Reality Therapy approach behavior and thinking?

Reality Therapy views behavior and thinking as the only aspects within our direct control. It emphasizes doing and thinking as the starting point of change, which then influences feelings and physiology.

What is 'Total Behavior' in Reality Therapy?

'Total Behavior' in Reality Therapy comprises four components: doing, thinking, feeling, and physiology. Reality Therapy focuses on changing doing and thinking, as these are easier to control, which in turn can indirectly influence feelings and physiology.

What are some criticisms of Reality Therapy?

Critics of Reality Therapy argue that its focus on relationships as the cause of symptoms is too simplistic, that it avoids looking into the past for insight, and that it is dismissive of psychiatric medication and psychopharmacology.

What are the strengths of Reality Therapy?

Reality Therapy’s strengths include its focus on improving relationships by encouraging positive habits like supporting and encouraging, its emphasis on responsibility and action, and its positive, supportive view of human behavior. It also promotes creating specific, achievable treatment plans.

How does Reality Therapy view the past in relation to therapy?

Reality Therapy does not focus on the past, considering it full of pain and hurt. Instead, it emphasizes the present and future, particularly the individual's current relationships, while other therapies often consider past experiences as important for understanding mental health issues.