How are you using Choice Theory in Your Life?
6 yr old boy who was afraid of the wind...
Singapore Media Corp TV has recently been airing a 2008 production that they aired which I did with them in Mandarin on a 6 yr old boy who was afraid of the wind- on the bus in TV mobile and a lunch time slot. I get calls from the public that they like it.What I did was only on CT- The boy who had an early childhood trauma on thunder and wind. I worked on showing that he has the choice to enjoy the wind- I showed me how ( gestures, feeling and visualizing the wind on how I enjoyed the wind) or to run back to his apartment and insisted that all windows be shut. I explained: He has the choice to do what he wants but need to allow others to enjoy the wind like me.One long session of 1.5 hours. After this session, he was monitored by the TV crew at home where he asked his mum to hang the wind chimes ( which he had forbidden previously) and enjoying the wind in the play ground, using the same gestures that I did.I just did this week two young boys who are anxious and stressed with school. I used cards on the Dead end and Open Roads from Ivan Honey’s toolbox ( Get Happier program). Feedback from their parents is- it is transformational for these boys who now see that they can be in control – they need not put themselves down with dead end road habits but support themselves with open roads.ClareOng Kwee Hiong, Clare (PhD)Consultant Psychologist
My life is less stressful, happier and more productive as a result of knowing this...
Since the early 1980s, as an educator I have applied the principles of non coercion and student self evaluation in creating a joyful classroom for my students. As a deputy principal I worked with staff to have a school where these principles became important. As a lecturer in teacher education for fourteen years I taught a final year subject that engaged teacher education students in the ideas and application of Dr. Glasser’s work.
As president of William Glasser Institute-New Zealand and a Basic Intensive Instructor, I work mainly with teachers in New Zealand.
While a member of the William Glasser International Board I co created the Take Charge of Your Life workshop and continue to promote and facilitate it in New Zealand. We are gathering international research to show that even after six hours people leave with a different way of thinking about their lives and a plan to do things differently. As a mentor and manager of the workshop I see those result repeated across the globe.
In all this work and in my private life I constantly thank Dr. Glasser for his work. My life is less stressful, happier and more productive as a result of knowing this. I believe that many who come in contact with these ideas and translate them into practice have the same results.
— Bette Blance
I often notice positive changes in my clients' attitudes, opinions and behavior.
I use Glasser’s ideas daily, both at home and at work. (I have two children, a girl and a boy, and my boy has special needs, he has Asperger’s syndrome. I apply CT/RT to my motherhood, and it works.)
About my work: I work as a learning councellor in a project called Prisoner’s learning path. I do both individual and group councelling
(social rehabilitation)with offenders / prisoners and ex-prisoners, and sometimes with their families, too. I studied RTC in 2009 – 2010, and I have used CT/RT for seven years, so far. In this project I plan and carry out rehabilitative groups for prisoners, in open and closed prisons in Southern and Western Finland, some groups for female prisoners and others for male prisoners. These groups are based on CT/RT, and I teach CT to all my clients. I see that CT works, I often notice positive changes in my clients’ attitudes,
opinions and behavior.
Best wishes,
Erja Toivo (former last name Pietila), Master of Social Sciences, RTC
The book and the class integrated Choice Theory and Scripture ...
On April 30 I conducted a three hour workshop entitled BECOMING A BETTER GOOD SAMARITAN, using my latest book by the same name. There were eight members of the Plattewood United Methodist Church who were enrolled in the class to learn how to become a Better Good Samaritan. They were asked to read the book prior to class. The book and the class integrated Choice Theory and Scripture in a format that followed choice theory and reality therapy training. I had the eight students buddy up and practice the experiential exercises on the basic needs, quality world, total behavior and the use of value judgment questions in role play. At the end of the sessions each participant was presented a certification of successfully completing the workshop and becoming A Better Good Samaritan. Four of the participants have chosen to continue on in training to be come Better Good Samaritan Instructors. I am busy creating the agenda for that class that will include a practicum and sessions on instructing the material.
— David Jackson
Choice Theory can help everyone to live better and happier.
Choice Theory can help everyone to live better and happier. that is very proved in my life and clients in Iran which I am living, studying, and working in. I have learned CT since 24th of November, 2012, when I studied the choice theory book and attended your courses which was taught by Dr. Ali Sahebi. Moreover, I received advanced practicum in 2015. By the way, I have been using CT and RT for 5 years in my personal and 2.5 years in my professional life. Furthermore, I graduated in master of clinical psychology and my dissertation was about the comparing the basic needs and quality words between homosexual and heterosexual individuals based on choice theory. In addition, I worked CT and RT with straight couples, family.
To summarized,I think that choice theory can be effective and help people to
1) knowing more about her/him self and others
2) having beneficial and positive relationship and communication with each other due to knowing solution cycle
3) knowing about individual differences and various needs. As result, respect to the people’s needs
4) concentrate the solution instead of the problems which method can help people to give up the frustrated system lobe…
But, for having a appropriate and beneficial CT, it needs to be based on the culture of a country which the CT are teaching in. For example, in developing country people are saturated with external control and resistance. So, it leads to more session of therapy.PS, Glasser’s Birthday is a good day for all CT’s followers. I hope his method will be known all around the world.Best regards,Shadi Ostadmirzaei
The most important use of Choice Theory for me has occurred in my personal life...
I learned Choice Theory psychology in 1987 and have been using it in my personal and professional life ever since. It began as a way to work with children placed in specialized foster care services and their biological and foster families. Later, I built my business around Choice Theory so that everything I teach has a Choice Theory basis – relationships, parenting, stress management, goal attainment, anger management, diversity, etc. I, with Sylvester Baugh, wrote a book about diversity with a Choice Theory foundation called, Leveraging Diversity at Work. I created a coaching program at Academy of Choice using Choice Theory as its foundation. I wrote a book, Secrets of Happy Couples, using Choice Theory to help people focus on the one thing they control – themselves. I use Choice Theory in the work I do with Veterans at Yellow Ribbon events and have consulted with the National Safety Council on writing Choice Theory psychology into their defensive driving programs.
But perhaps the most important use of Choice Theory for me has occurred in my personal life. When my husband got sick and eventually died, Choice Theory helped me mange that situation and gave me a healthy model of grief. It was Choice Theory and Nancy Buck, author of Peaceful Parenting, that helped me raise my two teenage boys after my husband died. I was a permissive parent and he was a strict parent so I had lost my parenting balance when he died. Becoming a Choice Theory parent, helped me be more effective and raise two responsible boys. And when my youngest son decided to join the Army and go fight in Iraq, Choice Theory helped me to support his decision while taking measures to help me stay focused while he was there.
Most recently, it was Choice Theory that assisted me when I broke both my ankles in a hot air balloon accident. From almost the moment we landed, I was able to focus on the benefits of the accident instead of the challenges. I am forever grateful to Dr. Glasser for creating these ideas that are as relevant and as effective today as they were the day I learned them.
Kim Olver
Chicago, IL
Countless families and communities have grown stronger and have found new ways of living,..
Thanks Dr. William Glasser
“Eighteen years ago, I heard for the very first time about CHOICE THEORY. What is it? What is it good for? How is it used? This were among the many questions I had in order make the choice and start the path that allowed me, above all, to enjoy both physical and mental health by learning new concepts, evaluating beliefs and practicing new techniques to solve personal and professional conflicts in an efficient way.
That is how I managed to certify myself as Basic Instructor in Choice Theory – Reality Therapy and Lead Management. As a counselor in a public school, I was able to put the ideas behind Choice Theory into practice with primary, middle and high school students, along with teachers and parents of a low income background, by making workshops with subjects such as how to make choices responsibly, solution of individual conflicts, how to plan and work for a desired future (aimed at vulnerable communities), sexual abuse victims, domestic violence, drug addiction and teenage pregnancy.
For ten consecutive years, I used workgroup as the main method for workshops, discussion meetings, interviews with parents, students and teachers, managing to decrease by 75% domestic violence, teenage pregnancy and drug consumption reports, helping to create new images for their quality world that eased them achieve satisfaction with their basic needs, inner control language, self-evaluation and self-improve planning. The work done with the Nestor Forero Alcala, P.S. resulted in an empowered and highly recognized community in the district due to its sense of belonging and healthy coexistence, committed to each other both at the school and within their families.
Using the same methodology, I have been working, two years in a row now, teaching Choice Theory to displaced communities and violence victims in locations such as Altos de la Florida in Soacha.
Personally, understanding and working hard to adapt inner control psychology to my life, allowed me to strengthen family bonds, improve physical and mental health (to me and my family) and belong to the ELEGIR family (Fundación Elegir in Colombia) and William Glasser International.
Countless families and communities have grown stronger and have found new ways of living, new hopes and dreams, with more effective behaviors for a healthy and happier coexistence by learning Choice Theory.
Currently I ‘m retired from public school and work as basic instructor and basic practicum supervisor with groups of teachers , administrators and parents of Rochester School in Bogotá, Colombia.
Thank you Dr.Glasser”
Marlén González Rodríguez
Basic Instructor
Colombia – South América
mgonzalez@elegir.org.co
magonro9@gmail.com
"Here comes Rose. What now ? Over the mountain more mountains." ...
Whenever Dr. Glasser sees me, he said “Here comes Rose. What now ? Over the mountainmore mountains.” That’s the way he greeted me. He meant he was happy to see me and hearabout RT movement in Korea. When we had IMF in Korea, he asked me if we had to sell ourhouse because of financial difficulties. He always asked about my husband’s conditions etc.I remember him as a warm caring friendly teacher#RELATIONSHIPS.1) RT counseling cases: 1) Two families found out their 12 year old boys were switched byhospital’s mistakes. At first I did not know what to do but I helped two families to build theirgood relationships. Helped them to think 4 adults are raising 5 children: Thinking the positivebenefits. They spent weekends together and visit each others’ homes eating dinners talkingand sharing daily life happenings etc. After 6 months they shifted back their boys to their birthparents, so I only heard. They did not even come back to me. I only forcused on to keep theirgood RELATIONSHIPS.#Reality Therapy2) RT with RWDEP SystemA Man and Wife came and complaying that they could not get along. After I help them to findwhat they want, what they have done, and after evaluation, wife planed to say “thank you” 3times after she comes back home starting from that day. Other days of the week she may ormay not by her choice. I called her husband after a week, he could not believe how happy theybecame since then. Neither I, RT or CT are magic sticks !Love and Prayers, Rose-Inza Kim