About the Author William Glasser
A psychiatrist, Dr. Glasser is internationally known as the founder of reality therapy. His therapeutic approach is unique in that he does not believe in the concept of mental illness unless there is something proven to be pathologically wrong with the brain. Dr. Glasser believes that the cause of psychological problems is the inability to maintain satisfying personal relationships with those individuals most important to us. Through the William Glasser Institute located in California, Dr. Glasser and his team train counselors, educators, and others in the use of choice theory.
Other Books by William Glasser
WARNING: PSYCHIATRY CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
FOR PARENTS AND TEENAGERS: Dissolving the Barrier Between You and Your Teen
THE LANGUAGE OF CHOICE THEORY
CHOICE THEORY IN THE CLASSROOM
REALITY THERAPY: A New Approach to Psychiatry
COUNSELING WITH CHOICE THEORY: The New Realty Therapy
REALITY THERAPY IN ACTION
CONTROL THEORY IN THE PRACTICE OF REALITY THERAPY
THE CONTROL THEORY MANAGER
THE QUALITY SCHOOL: Managing Students Without Coercion
THE QUALITY SCHOOL TEACHER: A Companion Volume to The Quality School
SCHOOLS WITHOUT FAILURE
POSITIVE ADDICTION
GETTING TOGETHER AND STAYING TOGETHER
Concepts Presented in Choice Theory
In Choice Theory, Glasser presents his view that, while we continue to advance technologically, there has been little "human progress," that is we do not get along any better with others than we did 10, 50 or 1000 years ago. He attributes this to our almost exclusive use of external control psychology, in which we believe that (1) when we do simple things such as answering a ringing telephone we are responding to a simple external stimulus, (2) we can control others and their actions and others can similarly control us, and (3) it is our moral obligation to force people to behave in ways that we think are appropriate.
He advocates that, rather than being externally motivated, everything we choose to do is internally motivated. Human beings have basic needs for power, love and belonging, freedom, and fun in varying degrees; it is in attempting to fulfill our needs through external control that human beings destroy the relationships which are crucial to our happiness. Glasser suggests that all we do should be based on whether or not the action will enhance our relationships with individuals in our quality world.
Personal Observations
I believe that most of us know, if only intellectually, that we cannot control anyone else's behavior. Yet we are trapped in a cycle of using external control psychology to try to gain what we want in life. Glasser presents an enticing alternative in choice theory. The difficulty though is in retraining ourselves and others who are in our quality worlds to approach relationships differently. I am attempting to be more mindful of how often I attempt to use the external control psychology and replace it with choice theory. My son is experiencing difficulty with his teenage daughter, and I plan to share with him the concepts of choice theory.
It is interesting that the EVOC assignment on assertive discipline seems to be in opposition with Glasser's choice theory.