Nature of People Psychological problems are the result from an inability to fulfill one’s basic needs Correlations exists between lack of success in meeting needs and the degree of distress and unhappiness Denial of reality refers to tendency to try to avoid the natural and logical consequences of behavior Irresponsible behavior, attempts to satisfy needs in ways that infringe on the rights of others, leads to trouble Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Psychological problems are result of trying to get people to do things they don’t want to do. Counselors should foster a healthy relationship by attending to the child’s needs, reality and responsibility. Client needs to feel secure. Counselors are verbally active and focus on the what person is doing and plans to do. Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Glasser’s Beliefs Teach people to love and be loved Help people feel valued by themselves and others Those will leads to success identity Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Failure and success identities Alienated Involved (state of anomie) (belong to a group) Delinquent Love (Some people care Behavior about me and I care about them) Failure Identity Success Withdrawn Self-worth (I feel good behavior because I am doing something useful) Socially irresponsible Socially responsible Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Choice Theory Only behavior we can control is our own We are responsible only for what we choose to do with our behavior All long-lasting psychological problems are relationship problems resulting from attempts to get people to do things they do not want to do Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Five Basic Needs Survival Freedom Power Fun Love and Belonging Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Quality World People we want to be with Things we want to possess or experience Beliefs that guide our behavior Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Three R’s Reality Responsibility Right and Wrong Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Choice Theory Reality therapists practice Choice Theory Prevent problems before they happen Examine client’s belief system Help people handle the pain from not getting what they want Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Choice Theory Behavior = acting, thinking, feeling, and physiology People are responsible for own choices, decisions, goals, and happiness We control our mental images We choose psychosomatic illness, we can choose something more satisfying The closer reality is to quality world = happier we will be Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Theory of Counseling Discard mental illness in favor of responsibility Focus on moral issue of right/wrong Ignore past, focus on present/future Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Theory of Counseling Relate on a person-to-person basis Ignore the unconscious Counseling with children = teaching and learning experience Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Four Choices An example for someone who is depressed: 1. Continue to depress yourself 2. Change what you are doing to get what you want 3. Change what you want 4. Both #2 & #3 Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Eight Steps Step 1. Build a relationship with the child. Step 2. Child describes present behavior. “Tell me the story” Step 3. Child evaluates what is going on in his life and how he is helping himself. “Do you want to change what is going on?” Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Help questions for Step 3 How does this behavior help you? How does this behavior hurt you? How does this behavior help you learn math? How does this behavior improve your math? Is your behavior getting you what you want? Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Eight Steps (Cont.) Step 4: Counselor and child look at possible alternatives Step 5: Child selects alternatives for reaching goals and commits to trying the choices. Step 6: Counselor and child examine the results. If not successful, list reasons why. Adjust contract is necessary. Step 7: Logical and natural consequences are not removed Step 8: The counselor does not give up on the child. Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Reality Therapy Process (1) What are you doing? (2) Is what you are doing helping you get what you want? (3) If not, what might be some other things you could try? (4) Which idea would you like to try first? (5) When? Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

For younger children (1) What did you do? (2) What is our rule about this? (3) Was what you did against our rule? (4) What were you supposed to do? (5) What are you going to do next time? (6) Do you want to write your plan for next time or do you want me to write it? (7) Let’s check tomorrow to see if your new plan is working. Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

For older children and adolescents (1) Let’s begin by talking about what you have been doing to solve the problem. (2) It would be helpful if you could give me an idea of how what you have been doing has been helping you. We may want to consider some questions: Is your behavior in touch with reality? Is your behavior the responsible thing to do? Is your behavior the right thing to do? Is your behavior cost-effective? Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

For older children and adolescents (Cont.) (3) If your behavior is not getting you what you want, what would you like to do differently? (4) What plan would you like to develop? (5) When can we follow up on your plan? Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Ten-step Consultation Model Step 1. List what you have already tried that does not help. Step 2. (if needed) Make a list of change-of-pace interventions to disrupt the expected. Step 3. (if needed) Make a list of things you could and would do to help the child have a better day tomorrow Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Ten-step Consultation Model (Cont.) Step 4. Try one-line counseling approaches. Step 5. Use reality therapy questions that emphasize the rules on which agreement was reached in a previous negotiation. Step 6. Use standard reality therapy questions that end with a written contract or a handshake. Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Ten-step Consultation Model (Cont.) Step 7. In-class time-out is recommended. Step 8. Some children may require a time-out outside the classroom. Step 9 and 10 are designed for special more severe cases. It might include suspension, going to see what juvenile court is like, etc. Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning

Practice A child has been brought to your office because he/she wasn’t doing work in class and is distracting the other children. Talk with the child and using the Reality based approach, help the child assess whether his/her behavior is getting them what they want. Copyright 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning