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Reality Therapy/Choice Theory is a therapy approach helping clients learn about why they have made the choices in their lives, understand what motivates their behaviour, and learn how to take back control of their lives. Learning how to make more effective decisions and choices in our lives helps to free us from feeling controlled by others, or in situations where we feel helpless. This therapy is a framework for life providing tools for individuals, couples, children, and teachers, helping anyone having trouble with a relationship in their life, be it work, personal, family or a neighbour.This psychological approach sits under the umbrella of CBT and it focuses on the here and now in a client's life.  Focussing on demonstrating how the client's thoughts and actions are in control of what we feel emotionally and physiologically.  Therapy works on the steps taken for the client to achieve what it is that they want in their life, evaluate if their current behaviour and actions are working for the client to achieve their wants, and to create a new effective plan if not. Therapy looks at our different perceptions and how we evaluate situations through our own perception to naturally meet our needs. Therapy demonstrates to take responsibility for our own happiness and choices in life, even in our darkest times to learn we always have choices.  Emphasis is taken on teaching the client what they can and cannot control in their life, freeing them of the burden of control and controlling behaviours.

Reality Therapy/Choice Theory

What do I want?

What am I doing to get what I want?

Is it working?  

Is it bringing me closer or further away from what I want?

Is there a different way I could get what I want?

What new effective plan can I make to get what I want?

Key Concepts

To fully function it is vital to meet our basic needs:

Power need to feel valued and respected

Love & Belonging need to feel connected to others

Fun need to have laughter in our life

Freedom need to make our own decisions and choices

Survival need to have food, shelter and clothing

Controlling Habits and Negative Self-talk

Criticise

Blame

Complain

Nag

Threaten

Punish

Coerce

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