For the next two weeks, PsychConsult, Inc. will be running two basic training weeks for Choice Theory and Reality Therapy (CT-RT). From my knowledge, this will be the first time that this certified training from the William Glasser Institute (USA) will be held in Philippine soil. Despite the fact that CT-RT began over 40 years ago in California and has been applied in counseling and psychotherapy, schools, and organizations (private sector), few in the Philippines actually know much about CT-RT.
In my previous post, I talked about Glasser’s Basic Needs and Quality World. In this entry, I wanted to highlight the basic axioms of Choice Theory and explain how this is used in psychotherapy and counseling.
Here are the 10 Axioms of Choice Theory according to Dr. Glasser:
1. I can only control my own behavior.
2. The only thing I can give or get from another person is information. How I/others deal with that information is my/their choice.
3. All long-lasting psychological problems are ultimately relationship problems.
4. The problem relationship is always part of my present life.
5. What happened in the past has everything to do with what I am today, but re-visiting the painful past can contribute little or nothing to improve the present relationship.
6. I am driven by five basic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom & fun.
7. I can satisfy my needs only by fulfilling my “Quality World.”
8. All I can do is to act towards my “Quality World.”
9. My experiences are made up of four components: acting, thinking, feeling and physiology. I can recognize these from the verbs that I often use.
10. I can choose to have direct control over my life through the way I act and think. I can only control my feelings and my physiology indirectly through how I choose to act and think.
From the 10 axioms, we can see that Choice Theory aims to empower the individual to do something about one’s situation. After all, we only have control over our own behaviors and thoughts, and through them, indirectly control our bodies and emotions. It is with this understanding that we can make a choice for ourselves. Only then can we behave towards what we understand to be our “quality world.”
Reality Therapy is the method of conducting counseling and psychotherapy from the basic tenets and axioms of Choice Theory. This is the application that counselors and psychotherapists employ in giving life to Choice Theory. Although each individual can develop their own styles in doing this, there are usual steps that are followed. In this process, the counselor or psychologist helps the individual realize the power of his/her own choices.
A typical Reality Therapy session begins by exploring the “quality world” of the person, helping him/her to articulate what they really want and strive for in life. Remember that an individual’s “quality world” is often known to an individual, but is not frequently articulated. This is then linked to the basic needs that are tapped by one’s yearnings. Armed with this clarity, the person is led to think about the necessary choices and steps that can be done in order to get closer to this idea of one’s deeper aspirations. These steps are then translated to actions that a person is willing to commit to doing, which often leads him/her to cope better with his/her situation.
In the morning of April 9, 2011 (Saturday), Sr. Liz Tham, a certified Senior Faculty member of the William Glasser Institute (USA) will be elucidating the concepts of Choice Theory and achieving one’s “Quality World” in a seminar-workshop entitled “Quality Relationships: The Key to Success and Satisfaction.” The speaker will address the challenges faced by parents, teachers and just about anybody when dealing with others. If you or anyone you know are interested to participate, please call PsychConsult, Inc. at (02)4212469, (02)3576427, or (0917)8080193 for details and reservations. You can also email psychconsult@gmail.com. Do call as there are limited seats for this event.
No comments:
Post a Comment