What are some specific strategies/techniques of REality THerapy??

-- Elena Villegas (villegaselena@hotmail.com), September 23, 2002

Answers

Elena, keep in mind the RT questions--WHAT DO I WANT?, WHAT AM I CURRENTLY DOING?, IS IT WORKING?, and WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? Recently, I circulated a bulletin blurb to our staff, regarding interventions with our students, specifically 3rd through 5th grades.

After observing inappropriate behavior, the intervention begins with "What you are doing is unsafe, it may harm you, yourself, or damage property. What else can you do?" APPROPRIATE RESPONSE BY STUDENT "That will work. See you later."

OR after observing inappropriate behavior, the intervention begins with "What will happen, if you continue doing what you are doing?" STUDENT RESPONDS WITH UNWANTED CONSEQUENCE OR HARM TO SELF OR OTHERS "You're right. What else can you do to allow better consequences?" APPROPRIATE RESPONSE BY STUDENT "That should do it."

In both interventions, responsibility and the power of decision was implied to be the students. Therefore, he/she assumes the success and failure of appropriate behavior and inappropriate behavior beyond the intervention. TD

-- Ted Donato (tdonato@toppenish.wednet.edu), September 24, 2002.

Elena, I had some down time and some time to reflect on your question. Choice Theory explains and encourages us to be in control. Control of our want's, our behaviors, our consequences, and our feelings. It is to the Total Behavior component of Feeling state I would like to speak.

Occasionally, I am uncomfortable with the behavior of others and I am at the point of angering. I am often able to catch myself and ask my self, "Is this the way I want to feel?" If I answer "No," I choose an action contrary to anger. For example, one evening my wife and I were not seeing "eye to eye." She was running late and I choose punctual behavior almost to a fault. I was nearing the point of angering. She was driving and we needed gas. I chose to remain in the passenger seat while she filled the tank and checked the oil. I began to frustrate because I also feel strongly about courtesy. I reflected upon my current feeling state and the one I wanted. They were not consistent-- I wanted to feel happy, as we were going to travel about 60 miles to our daughter's volleyball game, and I was beginning to anger. I chose to jump out and offer put in the oil and wash the windshield. Our trip was enjoyable, as I chose considerate and caring behaviors. Consider the trip, if I would have chosen to be otherwise. We choose to assume responsibility as soon as we consider the questions--What Do I want? (or Want to feel?) What am I currently doing? Is it working? What else can I do? TD

-- Ted Donato (tdonato@toppenish.wednet.edu), October 31, 2002.