Reality Therapy KNR 253

Reality Therapy William Glasser 1965 A response to psychotherapy : individual has no control over the past - therefore the past is irrelevant and the focus is on the here and now. Based on Choice Theory The William Glasser Institute

Reality Therapy ► Robert Wubbolding, 1988  The Centre for Reality Therapy ► Added to Reality Therapy ► Practice to help people take better control of their lives  People are responsible for their behaviors  People can change  Only person whose behavior we can control/change is our own  All we can do is give another person information

Choice Theory ► All we do is behave ► Almost all behavior is choice ► Behavior is driven to satisfy 5 basic needs

Choice Theory ► 5 basic needs: 1.Power (achievement, feeling worthwhile, recognition) 2.Love & belonging (friendship, family, partner) 3.Freedom (independence, autonomy, choices) 4.Fun ( pleasure, enjoyment) 5.Survival (shelter, food, etc.) ► All people have the same needs ► All the time we are trying to meet these needs ► All have varying ability to fulfill needs

Reality Therapy Theoretical Foundation People have 2 basic needs that primarily drive behavior: 1) the need to love and be loved 2) the need to feel that we are worthwhile to ourselves and others We must be involved with other people, at the minimum at least 1 person who cares about us and who we care about We must be involved with other people, at the minimum at least 1 person who cares about us and who we care about

Reality Therapy Reality Therapy Goals : ► To help client act responsibly. ► To help client face reality. ► To help clients fulfill their needs and learn to live effectively. ► To help clients fulfill their needs and learn to live effectively.

Reality Therapy Process: An educational process to learn more successful ways of meeting needs. Using as a guide the 3 R's: 1) responsibility 2) reality 3) right and wrong

1.RESPONSIBILITY ► Glasser believes that individuals are responsible for everything they do  Responsible for own life, behaviors, & consequences of behaviors ► No such thing as mental illness, rather people choose to behave irresponsibly.

► Responsibility = the ability to meet my needs without interfering with the desires of others to fulfill their needs. ► "Response" "Ability" = ability to respond - to see own actions as a situation which I created. ► Happiness (positive feelings) stems from acting responsibly.  Client is happy or unhappy because of own decisions…choose to be happy or unhappy

► No one can control the past; therefore, it is not useful to focus or dwell on it. ► People can learn to behave more responsibly -- we will not change until we have some choices - choose to behave responsibly.  Is learned and can be learned later in life

► If we accept clients’ excuses or allow them to blame others, we allow them to evade responsibility

Relationship of RESPONSIBILITY to Leisure Education ► responsible for own leisure behavior/lifestyle ► responsible for quality of the experience ► responsible for resulting feelings ► people choose not to meet their leisure needs ► people choose not to meet their leisure needs What does leisure responsibility involve? Knowledge of leisure: alternatives, resources Decision-making skills Clients must learn that they are completely responsible for their own behavior.

2. REALITY 2. REALITY ► There is a real world within which one must work to fulfill needs. ► Looking at the actual experiences a person has based on consequences of behavior. Examples: ► paper is late resulting in lost points ► inappropriate social behavior leading to rejection ► poor hand-eye coordination resulting in difficulty with racquet sports

Reality ► Is the capacity to choose wisely between behaviors ► Is the capacity to appraise the consequences of actions

When we are uncomfortable, we tend to distort reality. Therapist helps client to recognize reality. Therapist helps client to recognize reality. Leisure: Leisure outcomes are the result of client behavior. Clients must discover that their behaviors effect their leisure and decide whether or not they are willing to accept the consequences of these behaviors on their leisure.

3.RIGHT AND WRONG ► Glasser says there is a standard or norm against which behavior can be compared. Illegal or wrong behavior indicates the client wants something else to happen. ► The therapist helps client to evaluate their behavior. ► Right behavior is doing what enables the client to give or receive love. And…

► Identify if behavior is helping or hurting the client or others. How do we do this (intervention)? ► Identify if behavior is helping or hurting the client or others. How do we do this (intervention)?  confrontation  plan  contract

Specifics in Dialogue ► Don’t ask why ► Don’t allow blaming ► Don’t allow statements like “I can’t” ► Don’t talk about the past ► Talk about strengths ► Talk about abilities and capabilities ► Talk about alternatives ► No excuses ► Avoid questions about feelings ► Be tough---point out the facts

3 Procedures ► Involvement with therapist  Warm, use attending behaviors ► Therapist must reject behavior that is unrealistic but still accept client  Insist face reality of behavior  No longer to evade recognizing own behavior or responsibility for behavior  Needs to change behavior vs. attitude  Remain calm & unintimidated, enforce rules without apology, don’t accept excuses, allow consequences, avoid why question, assist client to make value judgments about own behavior ► Therapist needs to teach the client better ways to fulfill needs

3 Basic Questions ► What do you want?  Do you want to change?  If you changed, how would your life be better? ► What are you doing?  Describe the last time you had a good laugh. What were you doing?  Describe the last time you had fun with someone else. What did you do? ► Is your behavior helping or hurting you? (Is it working?)  Did you enjoy having fun? Describe it.  How would more variety and fund help you?

So… ► The past has contributed to what person is now. We cannot change the past, only the present. ► When the client admits that behavior is irresponsible, relearning can begin.

Planning and Commitment ► Tied to needs ► Simple and easy to understand ► Realistic and attainable ► Something to do; not to stop doing ► Something client can do independently ► Specific ► Evaluated

How can Reality Therapy be used in TR? How can Reality Therapy be used in TR? ► major form of intervention in a given program (e.g. Leisure Ed. or FI Program) ► in combination with other techniques such as group discussion, reflective listening, guided imagery ► day to day conversations - any communication (with clients, staff, friends, family, etc.)

How can Reality Therapy be used in TR? ► Increased involvement in groups/recreation may increase connection with others ► May need to teach social skills to increase relatedness ► May need to teach activity skills so get good at activity and feel good about self ► May need to help client make a plan to alter behavior ► May need to help client make a commitment to plan (sign contract)

Lab Purpose ► Conduct activities that enable group members to practice principles and techniques of reality therapy.