Reality Therapy

Reality Therapy was founded by William Glasser in 1965 in response to his findings that many of his clients were unhappy, despite having their basic needs met. Glasser hypothesized that there were more human needs than were currently being recognized by his professional community. Reality therapy is a type of therapy that attempts to help people with unmet needs determine how to set goals and priorities to meet those needs while also creating more meaningful connections with the people in their lives. It theorizes that everything in life is determined by an individual's personal choices. (Ackerman, 2017) 

Glasser developed five categories of basic human needs including survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun. Survival includes food, water, shelter, and sexual fulfillment. Love and belonging includes healthy family, friend and community relationships. Power includes accomplishment, self-esteem, and self-worth. Freedom includes independence, autonomy, and personal space. And fun includes satisfaction, pleasure, and enjoyment.

One of the major issues with reality therapy is its claim that only the present affects a person's reality, and that nothing from the past should have an impact on how a person feels or behaves. The theory reasons that everything is controllable in a person's life by way of their choices, discounting upbringing, traumatic experiences, societal issues or diagnoses. (Ackerman, 2017) Reality theory does not recognize mental health issues as being beyond an individual's ability to control. Reality therapy says symptoms could be alleviated if only the affected person would make different choices.

Reality therapy does not bear with unconditional acceptance, meaning that, while the counselor does need to require a safe, accepting counseling environment, the counselor does not have to withhold judgment about what he or she thinks about the client or patient’s decisions or thought patterns. (Ackerman, 2017) Reality therapy also steers clear of the past. Therapists encourage clients or patients to remain focused on the present and not use the past as an excuse for current thoughts and behaviors. Therapists also work with clients or patients to determine realistic, attainable goals and avoid setting themselves up for failure with unrealistic expectations. (Ackerman, 2017) 

Reality therapy has connections with choice theory, which says all human behavior is a result of individual choices and nothing more. (Wubbolding, 2015) Two different techniques used within reality therapy are listed below. 

1. How to Change 101:

How to Change 101 uses the following steps to help clients or patients make a plan: 1.) Acknowledge 2.) Find and agree on a direction, mission, or vision 3.) Acknowledge barriers and identify resources to overcome them 4.) Make an action plan 5.) Act 6.) Acknowledge and celebrate progress and success. 

2. Expectations vs Reality:

 The Expectations vs Reality techniques uses the following four steps to help clients or patients determine reasonable, doable actions to improve outcomes in their lives: 1.) Define your current reality 2.) Changing your reality 3.) Define your expectations 4.) Modifying your expectations. (Ackerman, 2017) Both of these techniques, while not stand-alone counseling theories that work in all scenarios with all patients, are very useful tools in a variety of counseling settings for a variety of clients, patients, or students.

Even though most of modern psychology does not agree that the only thing affecting people's lives is their choices, it is universally accepted that people's choices do play a very large part in outcomes. That belief means that the techniques often used in reality therapy have the potential to be useful to counseling clients or patients, even without adhering to the underlying theories on which the therapy is based. Glasser was correct to define the expansion of basic human needs in the modern world from only food, water, and shelter to include some more psychological needs that humans have to meet to live happy and satisfied lives. The modern counseling community nearly universally agrees on the flaws of reality therapy as the sole source of knowledge and understanding. (Glasser, 2016) However; used as a supplement, it could be beneficial to certain clients.

References:

Ackerman, C. E. (2017, August 31). Reality therapy: Techniques, choice theory & WDEP model. Positive Psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/reality-therapy/

Glasser, C. (2016). International Journal of Choice Theory and Reality Therapy. William Glasser Institute. https://www.wglasserinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/IJCTRT_XXXVIII_no1_250.pdf

Reality Therapy Overview. (2008). YouTube. Retrieved April 25, 2023, from https://youtu.be/mZWGzWPqja0.

Woo, E. (2013, August 29). William Glasser, innovative psychiatrist, dies at 88. The Washington Post. Retrieved April 25, 2023, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/william-glasser-innovative-psychiatrist-dies-at-88/2013/08/29/20f8aee2-10d3-11e3-b4cb-fd7ce041d814_story.html 

Wubbolding, R. E. (2015). The voice of William Glasser: Accessing the continuing evolution of reality therapy. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 37(3), 189–205. https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.37.3.01