Reality Therapy was introduced by William Glasser and Robert E. Wubbolding

• RT therapists believe the problem lies within the fact of the client being in a current unsatisfying relationship or the lack of a relationship all together.

Key Concepts

Choice Theory

• We are all born with five encoded needs:

1. Survival
2. Love and belonging
3. Power
4. Freedom
5. Fun

• Quality world- We store up wants in our minds.
• Picture album- Developing images of our wants and ways to satisfy them

Total behavior

• Behavior is made up of four components that accompany our actions, thoughts, and feelings.

1. Acting
2. Thinking
3. Feeling
4. Physiology

Characteristics of Reality Therapy

• Emphasizing choice and responsibility
• Therapists reject transference and be who they truly are
• Focus on the present
• Avoid focusing on symptoms
• Only rely on DSM-IV-TR for diagnosis

Goals of Reality Therapy

• Help clients get connected with the people they desire a relationship with
• Learning sufficient ways for a client to fulfill their needs
• Setting short and long term goals
• Therapists assist clients in making responsible choices
• Help clients become accepting of help
• Develop a therapist/client connection

Techniques

• Creating the counseling environment
• Incorporating procedures that lead to change in behavior

The "WDEP" System

• WANTS- Discovering the client's desires
• DIRECTION AND DOING- Focusing on the present
• SELF-EVALUATION- Examining goals, actions, wants, etc.
• PLANNING AND ACTION- Fulfilling the client's wants and needs





My View: I think the name for this approach is very well fitting, in that as humans we do have needs and wants that we want to be satisfied and met. However, sometimes the choices we make in order to meet our needs are not healthy, creating maladaptive habits. Therefore, I think Reality Therapy is a very healthy approach to consider as far as making better choices and developing a sufficient strategy towards fulfilling one's needs and desires.