Introduction
Reality therapy is a type of psychotherapy that ignores mental health issues since it sees all acts as choices.
Its foundation is choice theory, which holds that there are only five fundamental human needs that are determined by heredity and cannot be altered. Reality therapy is highly controversial in the therapeutic field since it contests the validity of the identification of mental health disorders.
In 1962, William Glasser created reality therapy; nevertheless, it wasn't until 1996, thirty-four years later, that he explained choice theory. Because he thought the moniker "control theory" sounded more positive, he framed it as an upgrade on an existing notion.
According to choice theory, individuals can gain more control over their lives by accepting greater accountability for their choices. It holds that the majority of misery is caused by unhappy relationships, either because they don't exist or are generally unsatisfying, and that people's bad decisions and behaviors are a result of coping with the void these unhappy relationships leave behind. Additionally, it asserts that people make bad judgments because they prefer to feel bad.
According to Glasser, there is a rather straightforward way to live a happier life: making better decisions will improve relationships and one's general level of happiness. According to choice theory, people's fundamental goals are to satisfy five needs.
Choice Theory's Five Essential Needs
Survival: The basic needs of food and shelter are covered under this category, as are psychological needs, including a sense of security and safety.
The concept of love and belonging pertains to the connections that one has with all people, including friends, family, coworkers, teachers, and even pets.
Power: This indicates that people desire to make a difference that enables them to leave a legacy, not that they all aspire to be in a position of dominating presence.
Freedom: According to this need, individuals must have a sense of independence in both their day-to-day and creative lives.
Fun: This suggests that people need to experience pleasure, laughter, relaxation, and learning that they find engaging and fulfilling, going beyond simply having a good time.
Techniques of Reality Therapy
Therapists frequently work with patients to comprehend these four ideas presented by choice theory during reality therapy.
Relationship Habits
This is especially crucial for couples considering reality therapy. It suggests using the seven connecting or seven disconnecting relationship behaviors in every conversation. Disconnecting relationship habits include blaming, complaining, and criticizing, whereas connecting relationship habits include listening, encouraging, and supporting.
Quality vs. perceived world
Everybody, in Glasser's opinion, has an idealized mental universe in which they store their life's ambitions and dreams. Something simply needs to satisfy one fundamental need in order for your mind to classify it as existing in a quality world.
In contrast, the perceived world is far more individualized. In essence, Glasser says that your perception of the world is shaped by everything you have gone through in life as well as your upbringing. From then on, every encounter you have is stored in relation to past events that have happened to you.
Comparing Place
The process of mentally contrasting what you have (your perceived world) with what you desire (your quality world) is known as "comparing places." According to Glasser, one feels better the closer the two are.
External vs. Internal Control Psychology
According to Glasser, every decision is deliberate, and people try their hardest using the knowledge at their disposal. Having said that, Glasser advocates for objective observation of these decisions in reality therapy to help clients assess whether they are truly moving them closer to their objectives.
What Reality Therapy Can Help With
Because reality therapy is predicated on the principles of choice theory, the practice methods primarily center on the five fundamental wants that people strive to satisfy in their lives. Although Glasser thinks that humans are predisposed to meet all five needs, he notes that certain individuals may require more of one than the other.
Although a lot of therapists incorporate ideas from reality therapy into their work, some of the principles have worked best in educational environments.
Benefits
Reality therapy has been shown to be especially beneficial for people with addiction because it places a strong emphasis on accountability. It has been demonstrated that it not only makes individuals more aware of the detrimental effects that it has previously had on their lives, but it also makes them feel more hopeful.
JaromÃr MK, Mosallanejad L. Reality Therapy's Effects on Addicts' Metacognition, Stress, and Hope. This is because it gives them a greater sense of control.
Effectiveness of Reality Therapy
Since reality therapy places a strong emphasis on accountability, it has proven to be incredibly effective in groups. Teaching this idea to students who are also engaged makes it easier for them to understand. Having said that, it also teaches people to be accountable to themselves.
However, it's important to note that there has been a lot less research done on it in actual individual treatment sessions. That being stated, it has been shown to be advantageous for teachers as well as for pupils who perform better.
Things to consider
Even if many of these ideas are well-recognized, there are certain drawbacks to take into account if you're seeking a private counselor that specializes only in reality therapy. Of course, the most significant is that mental health concerns are not taken into consideration.
Understanding oneself and achieving inner calm are essential in the fast-paced society we live in. This piece explores the change in detail. Overview In the fast-paced world we live in, self-awareness and inner peace are crucial. This article explains reality therapy's basic principles and techniques while examining its advantages.
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