Glasser's Choice Theory / Reality Therapy

Choice Theory Reality Therapy

Choice Theory states; that all we do is behave, that almost all behavior is chosen and that we are driven by our genes to satisfy one or more of the five basic needs.

Glasser' Chart

The Chart

Basic Needs

Glasser's Chart fully explains his Choice Theory however, for my own purpose and to better understand the chart, I have deconstructed and reconstructed it in a way that I perceive meaningful to me or that better fitting into my quality world.

Glasser says that we have five basic needs consist of : Love and Belonging, Power, Fun, Freedom, and Survival

Presented by: Roxanne Ward

Based on the work of William Glasser

My Wheel

To explain why I decided to reconstruct the CHART into a wheel formation is two folds one, my wheel chart is a play on the Medicine Wheel because Glasser Theory and the Medicine Wheels Philosophy are both holistic concepts and both have similarities. Two because of Glasser' use of the car analogy and its wheels to explain the total behavior concept.

The Medicine wheel has seven sacred teachings, Glasser the speaks of the seven caring habits and the deadly habits. Both schools of thought speaks to the important of maintaining a healthy balance in ones life, hence the scale on Glasser' chart verses the circular motion of the Medicine Wheel in constant motion allowing one to maintain balance from each quadrant of the Medicine Wheel.

Quality World

Choice Theory and Reality Therapy is the brainchild of William Glasser. Choice Theory is the the tracks that guide Reality Therapy and Reality Therapy is the train that runs on the Choice Theory track.

Choice Theory suggests that our perception provides us with our inner reality - how we see the world. We continuously seek perceptions to determine if what we want (QW pictures)is what we are getting from the outside world (RW). The brain tells us what specific inner want(QW picture) needs to be satisfied. Consequently, we choose a behavior to get a desired perception to satisfy our inner wants (QW).

Perceived World

During our life time we have thousands of perceptions which are stored in our brain which provides us with our inner world, they are how we see the world. We choose our behavior (interact with the environment)to get a desired perception (PW) or input to satisfy the specific inner want (QW pictures).

Total Behavior

Acting ,Thinking Feeling, and Physiology

Total Knowledge Filter/Value Filter

Reality Therapy

R/T is a method of counseling which teaches people how to direct their own lives, make more effective choices and how to develop the strength to manage stress and problems of life.

All our desired perceptions and experiences are inputted into our sensory systems eyes ears nose mouth. It flows through our perception system where it is processed by the knowledge filter. There it is either perceived as a positive or a negative (neutral)by the value filter.

The Ten Axioms of Choice Theory

1. The only person whose behavior we can control is our own.

2. All we can give another person is information.

3. All long-lasting psychological problems are relationship problems.

4. The problem relationship is always part of our present life.

5. What happened in the past has everything to do with what we are today, but we can only satisfy our basic needs right now and plan to continue satisfying them in the future.

6. We can only satisfy our needs by satisfying the pictures in our Quality World.

7. All we do is behave.

8. All behavior is Total Behavior and is made up of four components: acting, thinking, feeling and physiology.

9. All Total Behavior is chosen, but we only have direct control over the acting and thinking components. We can only control our feeling and physiology indirectly through how we choose to act and think.

10. All Total Behavior is designated by verbs and named by the part that is the most recognizable.

To encourage change through Reality Therapy, the counselor has specific procedures to follow-not necessarily in the order presented here, but rather entwined in a holistic manner appropriate to the person and the circumstance.

WDEP

Example of Total Behavior

W - What do you want?

D - What are you doing?

E - Evaluation, is what you are doing working for you?

P - Plan What are your option?

I need to lose weight, so I enroll in Weight Watchers. A month later, my scales indicates a loss. Behavior analyzed as following: thinking self talk - I want to lose weight; doing enrolled in weight watchers; physiology dieting; feeling personal satisfaction and comfort about losing weight. Therefore, the positive perception (PW) of what I have (less weight) matches what I want (QW picture) to be slimmer.