UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT

FACULTY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY/GUIDANCE AND
COUNSELLING

GROUP ASSIGNMENT/PRESENTATION ON:

REALITY/CHOICE THEORY

PRESENTED BY
GROUP 11

INTRODUCTION
1. MEANING/DEFINITION OF REALITY THEORY
2. HISTORY OF REALITY THEORY
3. THE PROFOUNDER
4. ROLE PLAYED BY THE THERAPIST
5. APLLICATION AND LIMITATION

CHINYERE FAVOUR
IBEM JOY
JEREMIAH JOSEPH
LUCKY ADAMGBO
STEPHEN FAVOUR
HERRIETA UBAH
BLESSING GBOJELE
AGOROM EYINDAH KENNEDY
SUNDAY ESTHER ESSIEN
JACOB SIFON BENJAMIN

COURSE TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING

COURSE CODE: EDP 100.1
COURSE LECTURER: DR. M.N. IZUCHI
FEBRUARY, 2022
INTRODUCTION

REALITY THERAPY

Reality therapy views all behaviours as choice, which means that it doesn’t
consider mental conditions. It is based on a concept called choice theory, which
says that humans only have five basic needs, all of which are genetically driven
and can’t be changed. Because of this, reality therapy is a bit controversial in
the therapy world because it rejects the diagnosis of mental health conditions.

BRIEF HISTORY OF REALITY THERAPY

William Glasser first developed the ideas behind reality therapy in the 1950s
and 1960 when he formulated the basis of choice theory, which concerns the
way human beings choose their own behavior and how these choices can either
satisfy or not satisfy basic drives and goals.

THE PROPOUNDER

The profounder of the reality theory is Dr. William GLasser. He was born on
11th may 1925 at Cleveland, United State. He developed the reality theory in the
1960’s. By the 1970’s the concept of the reality theory was extended into what
is called the control theory. He uses this term in several of his books.

In 1995 at the conference of IRTI in waterfold Ireland, he adopted another name

for the reality theory call choice theory.

Dr. William Glasser was 88 years when he died in Los Angeles on 4 th

September, 2013. He died in his home in company of his wife, Carleen and
others due to respiratory failure caused by pneumonia.

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PROCESS OF REALITY THERAPY

In reality therapy, the therapist might begin the therapeutic process by guiding a
person’s attention away from past behavior in order to focus on those that occur
in the present.

The reality therapy states that present behavior and actions are not influenced by
the past instead, it claims that the current behavior is determined by the present
unmet needs.

ROLES OF THE THERAPIST

Because reality therapy seeks to treat individuals who experience difficulty in

their relationships with others forming a connection with the therapist is an
important beginning in reality therapy. This connection is considered by reality
therapists to be the most imponant dynamic in facilitating healing. Once this
relationship is stable; if can be used as a model to form fulfilling connections
outside of the therapeutic environment.

APPLICATION OF REALITY THERAPY

Reality therapy is considered an effective therapeutic strategy for addressing

many issues, but it can be especially valuable in treating difficulties faced by
children and young adults at school and in their communities.

Research has shown improvements in overall classroom functioning,

cooperation, and a decrease in challenging behaviours when teachers and
schools counselors are adequately trained in reality therapy is useful when
applied to certain issues with behavioral components, including teen pregnancy.
Reality therapy works from the perspective that people must assume
responsibility for their behavior if they wish to change it.

Reality therapy has also been effective in the broader community, such as when
integrated into athletic coaching and in work with juvenile offenders, to

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facilitate behavioral change. This form of therapy can help bridge the gap
between

APPLICATION AND LIMITATIONS OF REALITY THERAPY.

1. It help school psychologically to improve student with emotional and

behavioral disturbance
2. According to Klug, reality therapy in coaching helps build relationship, a
healthy teaching environment and brings a definitive purpose to goal
setting.
3. Reality therapy can also be used to prevent or control childhood obesity.
It is suggested that applied reality therapy methods may help children
evaluate their eating behaviours, set realistic goals and integrate effective
self-evaluation.
4. Reality therapy has been shown to be effective in improving under
achieving junior high school student’s internal perception of control. It is
primarily exclusively deal with the current and the present problems of
the individuals. Not looking to unlock trauma or recurring dreams reality
therapy one workable arena is the
An opposing view to this is that many other schools of the therapy
(especially cognitive approaches) focus on the present rather than the
past, and that the concept of disconnection/or failure to correctly perceive
how motive and inner need (intent are linked).

CHOICE THEORY

Choice theory says that people can take control of their views by taking more
responsibility for their actions.

It believes that most unhappiness results from poor relationship-either, because

those relationships are non-existent or generally unsatisfying and people’s
negative actions and choice result from dealing with the void left by these poor
relationships.
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It also says that people choose to have negative emotions, which leads to people
making negative decision.

REALITY THERAPY PROCESS AND CHARACTERISTICS

1. Focus on the present, not the past.

2. Avoid discussing symptoms
3. Focus their energy on changing their thought and behavior.
4. Avoid criticizing, blaming and/or comparing themselves to others
5. Avoid relying on excuses for their behavior, whether they are legitimate
or not.

EIGHT (8) STEPS OF REALITY THEORY

1. Build a good relationship

2. Examine the current behavior
3. Evaluate behavior helpful or not
4. Brainstorm alternative
5. Commit to new plan
6. Evaluate results – no punish/excuses
7. Accept logical and natural consequences
8. Don’t get discouraged

MAIN FOCUS OF THE THERAPY

The goal is to change current behavior in order to address mental health

conditions and improve relationship.

Choice theory is based on the simple premise that every individual only has the
power to control themselves and has limited power to control others. Applying
choice theory allows one to take responsibility for one’s own life and at the
same time, withdraw from attempting to direct other people’s decision and
lives.

MOTIVATION
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Choice theory allow us to take responsibility for our own life and at the same
time, stop attempting to direct other decisions and lives.

THE TEN (10) AXIOMS OF CHOICE THERAPY

1. INTERNAL – The only person whose behavior we can control is our own
2. INFORMATION – All we can give or get from other people is
information
3. PRESENT – The problem relationship is always part of our present lives.
4. PAST – What happened in the past that was painful has to great deal to
do with what we are today, but revisiting this painful past can contribute
little or nothing to what we need to do now; improve an important,
present relationship.
5. NEEDS – We are driven by five genetic needs survival, love and
belonging, power, freedom, and fun.
6. QUALITY WORLD – We can satisfy these needs only by satisfying a
picture or pictures in our quality worlds.
7. TOTAL BEHAVIORS – All we do from birth to death is behave. All
behaviors is total behavior and is made up of four inseparable
components; acting, thinking, feeling and psychology.
8. CHOICE – All total behavior is designated by verbs usually infinitives
and gerunds and named by the components that is most recognizable.
9. CHANGE – All total behavior is chosen, but we have direct control over
only the acting and thinking components.

An axiomatic concept is the identification of a primary fact or reality, which

cannot be analyzed, i.e. reduced to other facts or broken into components. It is

implied in all facts and in all knowledge.