Choice theory and Reality therapy Flashcards
What is the difference between choice theory and reality therapy?
- Choice theory is a cognitive-behavioural framework explaining the way to achieve personal freedom is by internal motivation and making responsible choices
- Reality therapy is a counselling approach based on choice theory
What do choice theorists say about our brain?
- our brain functions as a control system
- it monitors our feelings to determine how well we are doing in our lifelong efforts to satisfy our needs
What is external control? What are examples?
External control assumes people, things and behaviour outside of us cause our behaviour
Examples:
1. Blame: “I hit him because he made me mad”
2. Criticise: “You failed your exams because you’re lazy”
3. Threaten: “You better do your homework or don’t play com games again”
4. Complain: “You forced me to do it, now I’m in this mess”
What are the important axioms of choice theory?
- The only person whose behaviour we can control is our own
- All we can give or get from others is information. How we deal with that information is their choice
- All long-lasting psychological problems are relationship problems
- We are driven by five basic needs: love/belonging, power, freedom, fun, survival
What are the 5 main components of choice theory?
- our 5 basic human needs
- Perceived world
- Quality world
- Comparing place
- Total behaviour
What is the view of human nature? What do we need to understand about basic needs?
- Belief that we are not born blank slates waiting for external forces to motivate us
- All human beings are internally driven by basic needs
- Human beings choose many of their behaviours in order to satisfy innate human needs
- the need to love and belonging is the primary need because we need other people to satisfy our other needs
What is the Quality World?
- since birth, we keep track of anything we do that satisfies our needs and increase the quality of our lives
- we store this information in our minds and build a file of wants, forming the Quality World which is a core part of our lives
What is the Perceived World?
How we perceive the Real World. Since we all come to every situation with different knowledge, experience and values, our perceptions of the real world are different
What happens in the Comparing Place?
If our haves and wants are balanced, we gain effective control
If our haves and wants are out of balance, it leads to frustration
the 4-wheeled car
What are the four components in the total behaviour/behavioural system?
- Acting
- Thinking
- Feeling
- Physiology
We only have direct control over the Acting and Thinking components (the front wheels of the car)
What do we need to understand about the behavioural system?
- All behaviour is purposeful
- All behaviours are present and total
- All behaviour is our best attempt at the time, given the resources at our disposal to meet our needs
- All behaviour is an attempt to make our perceived world pictures to conform to the Quality World pictures
What are the characteristics of reality therapy?
- Emphasise choice and responsibility
- Reject transference: therapist to be completely themselves so they can teach clients how to relate to others
- Keep therapy in the present: whatever mistakes made in the past are unimportant
- Avoid focusing on the symptoms: therapists rather deal with a present unhappy relationship or unmet needs that are surfacing the symptoms
- Challenge traditional views of mental illness
What are the therapeutic goals of reality therapy?
- learn better ways of fulfilling their needs
- assist them in making responsible and effective choices related to their needs and wants
- increase self-confidence
- regain freedom and independence
- foster better human relationships
therapist’s function and role
What is the role of CTRT therapists? What questions do CTRT therapists ask?
Role: to challenge clients to examine what they are doing
1. what do you want in your life that you’re not getting?
2. what have you been doing to get it?
3. has what you’ve been doing been working?
4. what do you have to do now to make the changes happen?
What is the therapeutic relationship like in CTRT?
understanding and supportive relationship
