Reality Therapy Lecture Notes PDF

Preview

Summary

Reality Therapy (Proponent: William Glasser) Lecture NotesNature of Human Beings Human beings have a single psychological need that is present throughout life: the need for identity. This includes a need to feel a sense of uniqueness, separateness and distinctiveness. This need accounts for the dyn...

Description

Reality Therapy (Proponent: William Glasser) Lecture Notes Nature of Human Beings  Human beings have a single psychological need that is present throughout life: the need for identity. This includes a need to feel a sense of uniqueness, separateness and distinctiveness. This need accounts for the dynamics of behavior.  People have a health or growth force. Basically, they want to be content and enjoy a success identity, to show responsible behavior, and to have meaningful interpersonal relationships. The needs are usually classified into two: a) the need to love and be loved and b) the need to feel worthwhile Sources of Difficulty  People have difficulties when they have not been successful in meeting their needs.  They develop failure identity. In their attempt to meet their needs, they tend to select ineffective behavior that virtually assure their failure.  Hence, all patients have a tendency to deny the reality of the world around them and to act irresponsibly. Goals of Counseling  The client must be helped to fulfill the basic psychological needs to love and be loved and to feel worthwhile to himself/herself and to others.  The/she must be helped to achieve autonomy- the state of maturity that accounts for the ability to substitute internal support for environmental support and take responsibility for who he/she is and what he/she wants to become, and to develop responsible and realistic plans to fulfill his/her goals. Ultimately, he/she must develop success identity.

Role of the Counselor 1. To get client involved with the counselor and with the therapeutic process 2. To guide client to realistically appraise his/her own behavior 3. To confront client in ways that help him/her face reality and fulfill basic needs without harm to himself/herself or others 4. To help client clarify his/her goals and recognize how he/she frustrates progress towards self-defined goals 5. To assist client in identifying alternatives for goodattainment 6. To help client achieve success identity 7. To teach the client the aim of therapy is not to secure happiness-but to accept responsibility which is the key to happiness 8. To set limits within the therapeutic situation and those that life places on the individual 9. To serve as a continuing model of personality responsibility even outside the counseling session. Major Focus The here and now behavior of the client is the major target while conscious, planned behavior is the major focus. Rightness, reality and responsibility are emphasized in making choices and decisions. What are important are the present and the future. Counselor Skills and Characteristics 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Trust/Interpersonal openness Warmth Caring/positive regard Empathic understanding Gaminess/ Authenticity Emotional stability Resoluteness/courage

The above traits may be manifested in the following situations whenever necessary: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Openly sharing his/her own struggles Fulfilling his/her own needs in reality Allowing his/her own values to be challenged by the client Relentlessly confronting the client regardless of the opposition when he/she is not living realistically and 5. Refusing to accept client excuses for evasion of responsible action

Leads and Responses 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Acceptance Restatement Clarification Summarization General Leads Humor Sarcasm Confrontation

Counseling Techniques Glasser generally spoke of his steps in counseling as the techniques themselves. However some other techniques are evident in the practice of Reality Therapy such as: 1. Direct and forceful confrontation of thought patterns 2. Active teaching of alternative perceptions of reality 3. “verbal shock therapy” or appropriate sarcasm to confront the client with his/her unrealistic behavior 4. Emphasis on internal cognitive states 5. Teaching exercise of control (constant attention to client owning thoughts and behaviors including feelings and illness) 6. Role playing

7. Systematic planning Counseling Steps 1. Involvement- establishing a positive relationship client and counselor by relating with the client even outside and prior to the counseling sessions and talking about matters not related to the client’s concerns. 2. Dealing with current behavior-asking the client what his/her current behavior is: “What are you doing?” 3. Evaluating current behavior-asking the client to evaluate his/her own behavior: “Is what you are doing helping you get what you want?” 4. Planning responsible behavior-working out a plan for responsible behavior: “What can help you get what you want?” 5. Commitment- obtaining the client’s commitment to the planned behavior: “Will you do it?” 6. No excuses- refusing to accept any excuse presented by the client for evasion of responsible behavior. Instead this question could be asked” “When will you do it?” 7. No punishment- inhibiting penalty for client’s repeated evasion of responsible behavior. Another question would be: “Will you still do it?” 8. Never give up- persistence in pursuing the client in order to ensure that responsible, realistic, and right behavior are performed. This can involve a review of the process and revision of the plans. History Taking The here-and now situation of the client is what is important. Since, the past may be used as an excuse for current irresponsible behavior, it is not taken up in counseling. So great is the focus on responsible behavior that even feelings are ignored to ensure the prevention of the client’s finding an excuse for his/her irresponsible behavior.

Psychological Testing Since the focus is the client’s current behavior as he/she sees and evaluates it, testing is not considered necessary for the implementation of this approach. Reality Therapy in the Philippines Popularity  Reality Therapy was introduced in the Philippines in the mid ‘70s. It became a popular approach.  It didn’t meet with so much resistance as did Rational Emotive Therapy but not much has been said about it in the ‘90s.  Only a few counselors know or utilize Reality Therapy in their practice. Reactions to Theory and Practice  It became popular in the Philippines at one time because of its simplicity and straightforward implementation.  It seemed to free people of the encumbrances that they felt were brought about by focus on feelings and focus on the past.  It provided closure and clarity for clients on what to do.  It might lead to transference and counter transference. Counselors should be emotionally stable and able to handle such possibilities objectively and professionally.  Filipinos have a hard time accepting mental illness as irresponsible behavior.

Misperceptions and Discrepant Usage  Many Filipino counselors found it difficult to use because they have many responsibilities. It requires practitioners to go where the client generally congregate and initiate the involvement process.  Practitioners fail to recognize that many of their clients are already to talk directly about their concerns. The technique sometimes derails the client.  Too much focus on feelings pertinent to the problems. They are afraid that If they go directly to the problem the client may find them too cold and impersonal.  Filipino counselors take it upon themselves to evaluate the behavior as either right or wrong. Glasser insisted that the client should evaluate his/her behavior.  Counselors focus on advice giving rather than use the client’s resources in making a plan of action.  The handling of Reality therapy is similar with the handling of directive counseling where the counselors assume the responsibility for coming up with a course of action. Compatibility with Filipino Traits and Culture  One tenant from Reality Therapy that must be blended well with Filipino culture is success identity, as opposed to failure identity. o The highest Filipino values are: “kumikita at responsable; ginagalang at respectable; at malakas at importanteng tao”.  The view of human beings as needing to love and be loved and to feel worthwhile was easily acceptable to Filipino counselors.  The involvement phase can be harmonized with: o Pagpapahalaga sa kanyang pagkatao o Filipino characteristic of personalism

o Deep awareness of his human dignity (pagkatao) and his worth as a person (amor propio)  The focus on responsible and realistic behavior is aligned with the Filipino desire to be responsible and respectable.  Filipino counselors find it difficult to accept the no excuses/no punishment tandem. If clients get away with impunity, they may never perform tasks required for positive changes to take place.  Confrontation and sarcasm are generally not acceptable to Filipinos who are sensitive and maramdamin. Prospects  Its necessity may be underscored by the kind of values and characteristics often cited by experts to describe Filipinos.  There is a need to rekindle the interest in and use of this approach....