Choice Theory
William Glasser’s Choice Theory
Jennifer Kingsley
HHS310: H & HS Culture: The Helping Relationship
Prof. Kari Merrill
November 12, 2012
William Glasser’s Choice Theory
The foundation of this theory is the simple belief that we alone are responsible for everything we do. This includes having the control over how we feel. If we are miserable, we have chosen to be miserable. If we are happy, a conscious decision was made to be happy. Considered to be the ultimate goal in this theory is the belief that our ultimate goal should be to strive for and accept personal responsibility or accountability for our lives. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs may very well have been the basis for Glasser’s Choice Theory due in part to the central theme of basic human needs and the pursuit of these needs. Survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun are the five basic needs shared by all humans as described in the Choice Theory. All day, everyday humans are striving to fulfill these basic needs. “Everything that one does in this life is designed to fulfill one or more of the Basic Needs”. (Mottern, 2007) Interestingly enough the one need that separates humans from other higher order animals is the need for power. It is this very need for power that can be the source of discontent when one person attempts to assert their power upon another person.
Dr. Glasser is controversial for his belief that unless there is documented proof of an organic brain disease mental illness does not exist. In essence, he does not subscribe to the notion that one’s mental stability is affected by factors such as chemical imbalances or some other biological reason as the causation of mental illness. He did not believe that people should be labeled as mentally ill without a confirmed diagnosis of a true disorder of the brain such as Alzheimer’s, epilepsy or traumatic brain injury. A far cry from promoting the advantages of conventional psychotherapy over
Jennifer Kingsley
HHS310: H & HS Culture: The Helping Relationship
Prof. Kari Merrill
November 12, 2012
William Glasser’s Choice Theory
The foundation of this theory is the simple belief that we alone are responsible for everything we do. This includes having the control over how we feel. If we are miserable, we have chosen to be miserable. If we are happy, a conscious decision was made to be happy. Considered to be the ultimate goal in this theory is the belief that our ultimate goal should be to strive for and accept personal responsibility or accountability for our lives. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs may very well have been the basis for Glasser’s Choice Theory due in part to the central theme of basic human needs and the pursuit of these needs. Survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun are the five basic needs shared by all humans as described in the Choice Theory. All day, everyday humans are striving to fulfill these basic needs. “Everything that one does in this life is designed to fulfill one or more of the Basic Needs”. (Mottern, 2007) Interestingly enough the one need that separates humans from other higher order animals is the need for power. It is this very need for power that can be the source of discontent when one person attempts to assert their power upon another person.
Dr. Glasser is controversial for his belief that unless there is documented proof of an organic brain disease mental illness does not exist. In essence, he does not subscribe to the notion that one’s mental stability is affected by factors such as chemical imbalances or some other biological reason as the causation of mental illness. He did not believe that people should be labeled as mentally ill without a confirmed diagnosis of a true disorder of the brain such as Alzheimer’s, epilepsy or traumatic brain injury. A far cry from promoting the advantages of conventional psychotherapy over
References: Glasser, William (1999). Choice Theory: A New Psychology of Personal Freedom. Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition. Howatt, W. A. (2001). The evolution of reality therapy to choice theory. International Journal Of Reality Therapy, 21(1), 7-12. Malone, Y. (2002). Social Cognitive Theory and Choice Theory: A Compatibility Analysis. In ternational Journal Of Reality Therapy, 22(1), 10. Mottern, R. (2009). Understanding Suicide: A Brief Psychological Autopsy of Robert E. Howard. International Journal Of Reality Therapy, 29(1), 54-59. Mottern, R. (2007). Working with Forensic Clients in Quality Education: Tools of the Trade. In ternational Journal Of Reality Therapy, 26(2), 33-35.