Reality TherapyChoice Therapy

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Reality Therapy/Choice Therapy
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Background

• Developed by William Glasser
• Psychiatrist
• Invented Reality Therapy
• Then invented Choice Therapy
• Studied and rejected Freud
• Worked with juvenile offenders

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Reality Therapy

• Basic Ideas
• Freud was incorrect
• Social relationships most important
• Students act out in response to bad
  relationships
• Example Tim mocks me in his lecture. This hurts
  me. In response, I write Tim is old. Tim is old.
  Tim is old.

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Reality Therapy

• Main Concept
• Teacher helps students
• 1. Identify behavior that doesnt meet social
  norms
• 2. Realize the actions are irresponsible
• 3. Replace the bad behavior with a socially
  desirable behavior

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Reality Therapy

• Identify Inappropriate Behavior
• Dont ask why
• Focus on what they did wrong
• Let them identify the problem, not you

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Reality Therapy

• Identifying consequences
• Talk about outcomes
• Leading questions
• What do principals do when students fight?

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Reality Therapy

• Make Value Judgments
• Ask students if they want behavior to continue
• Ask students if the behavior is appropriate

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Reality Therapy

• Create a Plan
• Students must devise plan
• Teacher repeats what they said to force them into
  making a plan
• Be mild in your reactions

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Reality Therapy

• If this fails, repeat the process, adding in
  punishment

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Choice Therapy

• Extension of Reality Therapy
• Also developed by Glasser
• Based on human needs, as defined by Glasser

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Choice Therapy

• Human Needs (the short list)
• Love
• Control
• Freedom
• Fun
• Students act out because they are trying to meet
  these needs.

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Choice Therapy

• Teachers job is to balance those needs
• Provide students with what they lack
• Alter students mental picture
• Refocus control from other people to themselves