In the early 1950s, Dr. William Glasser came up with an approach to counselling known as reality therapy. Many individuals have often imagined that reality therapy is related to giving clients a dose of reality. However, the real technique involved in the reality therapy is more welcoming than people assume. On the other hand, the choice theory can be termed as a sister to reality therapy as it explains how the latter works. When Glasser (1980) developed this type of counselling approach, he talked about the three Rs that included realism, responsibility, and the right and wrong rather than perceiving the symptoms as those of mental illness. The basic factor about this therapy is that people are perceived to be suffering from socially universal conditions rather than mental disorders. When individuals fail to achieve the basic needs they are pursuing, their normal behavior shifts away from the norm. According to Maslow (1954), fulfilling basic needs is a critical factor in human life, especially in the present. Hence, therapists adopting this technique during the sessions should know that success would be achieved only when they deal with the current life and not dwell on the past. Also, reality therapy does not deal with the unconscious cognitive processes making it unique from other types of therapy models.
What differences exist between reality therapy and choice theory? Do they matter?
Reality therapy is a counselling system that is categorized under the cognitive behavioral approaches of the psychotherapeutic schools. Even though the empirical evidence for the efficiency of reality therapy is inefficient, the existing research studies indicate that it is a dependable and an effective approach for many individuals. Glasser (1986) explains that reality therapy revolves around the principle of choice theory, which originated from the perpetual control theory (PCT). In essence, no difference exists between the two models because they work simultaneously to produce goal-oriented results.
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Review of the Factor
The most basic factor of reality therapy is doing. The reality therapy method of counselling concentrates more on the here and now issues of the client and the ability to choose and make rational choices in future. On a logical basis, reality therapy attempts to help clients discover their goals and what steps they can take to achieve them. Glasser’s work was motivated by the goal to dismiss the idea of labelling human beings as having mental illness (2010). His goal for formulating reality therapy was to enable people to understand the client instead of their behavior. For instance, assuming a person is experiencing the stress of grief due to the loss of a loved one, they should be not labelled as sick. Instead, this state just makes them out of touch with their psychological wants. By 1970, Glasser introduced the concept of choice theory. Choice theory explains that individuals are self-driven because they are at liberty to choose their behaviour and are responsible for their actions, cognitions, and psychological needs. The choice theory attempts to evaluate the control people have over their world and the people around them (Lovett, 2006).
Approach to the Models
Glasser (1980) believed that human beings have four basic psychological needs that come after the need to survive. These included love and belonging, power, fun, and freedom. Everyone wants to be loved, and experience a feeling of belonging. Secondly, the need for power increases people’s motivation to become competent and learn new activities and ideas. The need to seek fun and pleasure represents good psychological help in individuals. Finally, the freedom factor involves the quest for autonomy while still prioritizing personal responsibilities.
One fundamental principle of these approaches is that human beings always strive to meet these needs whether consciously or unconsciously. To, achieve optimum functionality; these requirements must be in a state of equilibrium meaning that they all must balance. However, this is not usually the case with the human race because they do not act sufficiently to meet these goals. Having a vibrant social circle is one way to achieve the need to belong and feel loved, but choosing the right way to communicate and interact with the circle will determine the course of their psychological health.
Moreover, one major factor of reality therapy is that people have control of their lives and are capable of making decisions that might improve or ruin their psychological health. Simply, it is through the choices that the individuals make that decides on their happiness or pain.
In the current society, the survival need has been largely met. However, it is how people meet the remaining four needs that are crucial. Reality therapy believes that the discovering what an individual wants and making rational choices towards achieving them. Substantially, reality therapy is an assistance of choice and change, based on the belief that the past mistakes of an individual should not hold them, hostage, as long as they live.
Basic Principles of the Theory
To, realize success when using the therapy and its major factors, particular techniques can be included to enhance the achievements. First, the therapist should concentrate on the present problems the clients are facing because a higher percentage of the problems experienced by individuals originate from present relationships. Secondly, symptoms and complaints should be given limited attention because they serve as scapegoats for clients to avoid confronting the real issues at hand. Thirdly, it is important for the professional to give more attention on the strengths and the mental cognitions of the client. Less time should be spent on the physiological reactions and feelings and more spent on the actions and thinking. Fourthly, the therapist must possess a non-judgemental attitude towards the clients’ issues and should be non-coercive into directing clients to take up different choices. If the choices people are making are not helping them achieve their dreams, it is recommended for them to find or adopt new behaviors. Treatment plans and goals should be workable to help people reconnect with their specific needs. Thereafter, the plans should be evaluated to detect any successes or failures. During the therapy session, it is recommended for the therapist and the client to come up with a flexible plan that can be open to change or revision. The therapist should be patient with their clients as well as supporting them and helping them concentrate on making right choices for their problems. Problems experienced by clients normally cause disconnectedness, and if they occur for a long time, they will have a difficult time reconnecting with the world.
Action: Uses of Factors within the Theory
Reality therapy affirms that people experience pain because they lack other people to connect. The desire to love and belong is a primary need because, in order to attain all the remaining four needs, we need the others to survive. Therefore, when therapists are building the therapeutic relationship, they should consider establishing a therapeutic environment that makes the client feel comfortable and connected to a ‘good’ person, in this case, the therapist. The theory maintains that the major cause of psychological distress for clients is that they lack equilibrium in their needs forcing them to act irresponsibly. When the therapist and the client have identified the presenting and the underlying issue, the therapist works on the issue and the client takes actions of their behaviors. By reality therapy, professionals and clients can learn that depending on people that are more responsible instils in us a sense of responsibility too. Responsibilities can be learned in the therapy for clients who feel they are weak. Giving people a reality check in an appropriate way motivates people to think and act responsibly. This factor in reality therapy is a good foundation for helping therapists to concentrate on realistic goals as they assist clients to face the discomforting issue they face in their daily life.
The four aspects that are highly linked to the factors of the model include cognitions, acting, emotions, and physiology. It is easier to choose our thoughts and actions, but it is quite difficult to choose our emotions and physiological reactions like sweating, headaches, and pulse rates. The initial action stage that is usually crucial for a therapist is exploring the emotions of a client. When a client assesses and evaluates their emotions, it instils in them a sense of self-realizations and insights. These steps act as plans to assist the clients in making better choices enhancing the successes realized in reality therapy. The therapist must create a workable and achievable plan to attain the outlined goals. The counsellor should realize that the session is client-centered and all benefits should be aimed at them. After all, the clients are in charge of their lives and are capable of making the final decisions. The work of the therapists during these sessions is to offer supports and guide the clients onto taking the decisions that are fruitful to them. Reality therapy empowers the clients to exercise and realize their power need. Therefore, ‘doing’ is usually the center and focus of reality therapy.
Use of the Factor in Understanding Behavior
Human behavior is a universal indicator of the feelings or emotions people are experiencing. Even though it is challenging to change our emotions directly, our thinking can be changed, which will ultimately have an influence on the decisions we make. The therapists should take the clients on the basis of ‘what we do’ as a pathway to changing the maladaptive emotions that the clients experience. A closer analysis of this therapy shows that is highly related to other counselling theories such as person-centered approach because the latter and reality therapy acts as a way of releasing heavy and negative emotions.
Use of the Factor in Understanding Control
The sense of control is an important concept in reality therapy because it drives human needs to achieve their needs. Whenever control lacks in society, the society becomes a chaotic place. Usually, control manifests itself in two ways. Let us take an example of a client who wants to control other people or adopt reckless behaviors such as the use of drugs to achieve a sense of control. At the center of choice theory, there is the saying that the only person a client can control is himself or herself. If at all they are motivated by controlling others, they need to stop and given insights on the advantages and disadvantages of power. The client will usually be frustrated if they think they can control others and become unsuccessful. From the viewpoint of reality therapy, misusing power to control other is naive and utterly wrong. The client who is exercising control will end up frustrated thereby it is the work of the therapist to guide them into making wise decisions. Hence, it is recommended for clients to stick to having control over them and help to meet the needs of others.
Focus on the Present
Unlike other conventional types of therapies that concentrated on exploring the client’s past, reality therapy and choice theory dwells on finding a solution to the present situations and the future in some instances (Wubbolding, 2013). It is important to note that therapists are not entirely limited to explore the past of the client. They can do this to gain insight over the underlying issues but not dwell on the past. In this model, the past is considered the source of the client’s behaviors but not their cause. The quality world of people greatly varies; hence, therapists should assess the clients’ perception of the real world.
Application of reality therapy
In most occasions, the choice theory has been known to be used by several educational systems especially in the classroom management and discipline plan (Bourbon, 1999). The concepts of choice theory that are mainly associated with discipline management include basic needs, quality world, reality and perception, comparing place and total behavior. The internal or external perception of control is significant to students. Therapists or school psychologists can help to enhance the students’ behaviors and emotional issues. Positive therapeutic relationships will be achieved when reality therapy is integrated into the schools.
Research also shows that the choice theory has helped to improve the self-concept of students in schools. Furthermore, the therapy has assisted in other areas like games coaching, childhood/adult obesity, and Post-Traumatic-Stress –Disorders (PTSD). Many academic and life coaches have adopted reality therapy to deal with several issues affecting their clients. As stated by Klug, reality therapy in coaching assists in building healthy relationships, learning environments, and promotes the achievements of goals. Also, obese children or adults can be empowered using reality therapies by helping them to change their eating behaviors. If realistic goals are set, and evaluation of the progress happens along the way, successful results will be realized.
In conclusion, reality therapy and choice theory are closely dependent on each other because they contain almost the same concepts. The therapist should consider the five major concepts of reality therapy that motivate the clients to satisfy their needs. Moreover, realistic goals should be set, and their attainability assessed as clients experience the changes due to the choices they have made.
References
Bourbon, W. T. (1999). Perceptual control theory, reality therapy, and the Responsible Thinking Process EE Ford Discipline for home and school book two: Practical standards for schools , 147-197.
Glasser, W. (2010). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom Harper Collins.
Glasser, W. (1986). Control theory in the classroom Perennial Library/Harper & Row Publishers.
Glasser, W. (1980) Reality therapy New York: HarperCollins
Lovett, F. (2006). Rational choice theory and explanation: Rationality and Society , 18 (2), 237-272.
Maslow, A. H. (1954). Motivation and personality New York: Harper & Row.
Wubbolding, R. E. (2013). Reality therapy for the 21st century: Routledge.
