Transcript Reality (Choice) Therapy

Reality (Choice) Therapy
Themes
• People are born with 5 innate needs that drive us all our lives:
– Survival
– Love and belonging
– Power (achievement, competence, recognition, self esteem)
– Freedom or independence (autonomy)
– Fun or enjoyment
• When we feel bad, one or more of these needs is unsatisfied
• Often times these needs are also associated with relationships
Themes
• Behavior has a purpose because it is designed to close the gap between
what we want and what we perceive we are getting
• All human behaviors are composed of doing (acting), thinking, feeling, and
physiology and is generated from within
• We are responsible for our behavior: therefore, we are capable of change
by choosing more effective behaviors (we have most control over doing,
thinking is second most)
Process
• The focus of reality therapy is on changing total behavior by discussing the
clients:
– current actions
– evaluation of their actions effectiveness in fulfilling needs and current
wants
– evaluation of the realistic attainability of these needs and wants,
– current perceptions or viewpoints along with the helpfulness (or
hurtfulness) of those viewpoints
Process
• Emphasizes choice and responsibility (dealing with what one can control
not what one cannot [including the past])
• Reject transference
• Keep the therapy in the present
• Avoid focusing on symptoms
• If talking about feelings, need to strongly relate them to what people are
doing and thinking
Process
WDEP (Wants, Doing, Evaluate, Plan)
• Wants (Explore all areas of their wants and needs):
– If you were the person that you wish you were, what kind of person
would you be?
– What would your family be like if your wants and their wants
matched?
– What would you be doing if you were living as you wanted to?
– Do you really want to change your life?
– What is it you want that you don’t seem to be getting from life?
– What do you think stops you from making the changes you would like?
Process
WDEP (Wants, Doing, Evaluate, Plan)
• Direction and Doing (Explore current behaviors and whether they are
moving the individual toward meeting their wants and needs):
– What are you doing now?
– What did you actually do this past week?
– What did you want to do differently this past week?
– What stopped you from doing what you wanted to do?
– What will you do tomorrow?
Process
WDEP (Wants, Doing, Evaluate, Plan)
•
Evaluation (Does your present behavior have a reasonable chance of getting you
what you want now, and will it take you in the direction that you want to go?)
– Is what you are doing helping or hurting you?
– Is what you are doing now what you want to be doing?
– Is your behavior working for you?
– Is there a healthy congruence between what you are doing and what you
believe?
– Is what you are doing against the rules?
– Is what you want realistic or attainable?
– Does it help you to look at it that way?
– How committed are you to the therapeutic process and to changing you life?
– After carefully examining what you want, does it appear to be in your best
interests and in the best interests of others?
Process
WDEP (Wants, Doing, Evaluate, Plan)
• Planning and Action
– Simple
– Attainable
– Measurable
– Immediate
– Controlled by planner
– Committed to
– Continuously done
Process
• Therapist’s role
– Educator and mentor
– Good attending skills
– Willing to be realistic about own behaviors and willing to talk about
own struggles
– Firm and confrontational
– Provide idea that no matter how bad things get there is hope