List and define the steps that describe the practice of reality therapy?

-- Tara Paras (tparas@yuba.cc.ca.us), October 30, 2001

Answers

INVOLVEMENT is the central tenet of reality therapy the idea being that no change can occur unless the client is involved with the counsellor. WHAT DO YOU WANT? Discovering what is in the clients quality world, what it is the client really wants, is the second essential step WHAT ARE YOU DOING . Having discovered what the client wants you then try to ascertain what behaviours the client is using to get it. EVALUATION Are the behaviours you are using working? PLAN If not, and usually it IS not, do you want to make a plan to generate better behaviours to get you what you want The idea of what are your present relationships also runs through the entire process as does the concept that nobody can MAKE anybody else do anything.

-- Ken Lyons (kenlyon@gofree.indigio.ie), November 04, 2001.

Ken's answer is very accurate. I just wanted to add that the whole process centres on Glasser's central idea of Choice Theory, that we are all internally controlled and so nobody can control another human being. Hence in counselling we help the client evaluate his/her internal world, reach an evaluation of what is working or not and then, if the client decides something needs changing, we help in the planning of that change. The whole process is cyclical rather than a series of linear steps. Because of the central concept of internal control, the RT practitioner is very sensitive to the client-centred dimension of therapy. Hoping these ideas help.

-- B Lennon (blennon@indigo.ie), November 05, 2001.