Table of Contents
What are the key characteristics of reality therapy?
Reality therapy sees behavior as choices, and it teaches us that while we cannot control how we feel, we can control how we think and behave. We choose to behave in certain ways and these choices can help or hamper the ability to satisfy essential needs and reach individual goals. Reality therapy is usually a short-term, solution-focused approach sometimes used to help people change a behavior or lifestyle. The Therapist’s Role in Reality Therapy In reality therapy, the therapist’s primary role is to guide an individual’s self-evaluation by asking questions about the effectiveness of their present behavior for meeting their needs. Reality therapy, developed by Dr. William Glasser in 1965, is founded on the principles of choice theory and has developed into a widely recognized form of therapy. By making better choices, they can have healthier relationships, effectively solve problems and achieve life goals. In addition, reality therapy for teens provides a sense of empowerment, improves self-confidence and self-esteem, and increases self-awareness. The ego operates based on the reality principle, which strives to satisfy the id’s desires in realistic and socially appropriate ways.
Who is the founder of reality therapy?
William Glasser first developed the ideas behind reality therapy in the 1950s and 1960s when he formulated the basis of choice theory, which concerns the way human beings choose their own behavior and how these choices can either satisfy or not satisfy basic drives and goals. Reality therapy sees behavior as choices, and it teaches us that while we cannot control how we feel, we can control how we think and behave. We choose to behave in certain ways and these choices can help or hamper the ability to satisfy essential needs and reach individual goals. One of the axioms of Choice Theory/Reality Therapy is that all behavior is a total behavior and is composed of four parts: thinking, doing, emotions and physiology (physically what’s going on inside of us). All of these four parts are always going on at the same time. Reality therapy may be considered the “controversial cousin” of CBT. Unlike more conventional forms of therapy, reality therapy specifically focuses on an individual’s current state and places less importance on past experiences or the presence of mental health conditions. Benefits of Reality Therapy for Mental Health This approach can be used to treat addictions, eating disorders, substance abuse, phobias, anxiety, and other behavioral and emotional issues. It can also prove useful in treating highly sensitive problems such as racial issues, sexual identity issues, and cultural clashes.