Customer Reviews

Counseling with Choice Theory

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There is a certain fascination about reading case studies but these are special. The creator of Reality Therapy, William Glasser, opens his mind to the reader explaining the processes that guide his interventions with the clients. This gives a rare insight into the mind of a great therapist and theorist. The book contains 12 case studies some of which are documented over several sessions. They provide a range of typical counselling scenarios and Glasser explains how he applies Choice Theory through Reality Therapy. Several of the cases bring very modern issues into focus.

The book also offers the reader many ideas for dealing with the range of problems represented in its pages. Moreover, it shows clearly just how important a solid guiding theory is in the practice of therapy.

One comforting feature for the professional therapist is Glasser's admission of doubts and even mistakes in his process as he sometimes backtracks to change the focus of his counselling. There is a lot to be learned from his exploratory methods.

I write as an Instructor in Reality Therapy with an obvious personal interest in having a resource such as this available to my own trainees. However I believe that the practice and theory presented in <<Reality Therapy in Action>> will interest all students of counselling and therapy. Its firm approval by people such as Albert Ellis, Gerald Corey and Peter Breggin is a fair indication that this book will have an appeal beyond the confines of Reality Therapy and Choice Theory.

For the lay reader there is the Choice Theory message of personal responsibility, that in all human predicaments we have a choice. This is a message of hope and optimism well suited to a book that greets a new millennium.

This is in my opinion one of the best works by William Glasser, one that clearly illuminates both Dr. Glasser's thought processes as well as the ethical grid from which he makes his peoplehelping decisions. His focus on choice as the central feature of all human difficulties as well as helping efforts clearly puts him inside of a most noble tradition that includes Thomas Szasz, Harold Greenwald and John Narciso. Regardless of whether you come to this book as a professional or as a layperson, I would recommend that you closely read, study and apply what you can from the sterling case studies Dr. Glasser lays out before you in this book.

I am a believer in many of Glasser's ideas and use his theory within my work. I was so excited to find a new discussion of cases because I had grown so much from <<Reality Therapy In Action>>. I received this book and upon reading the first page realized I was reading something I had read before. This book is the paperback edition of <<Reality Therapy In Action>>. I recommend the book to anyone who desires to be empowered and wants to see where you have more choices than you think. However, if you've read (or like me own) <<Reality Therapy In Action>>, check out something else by Glasser.

The next best thing to watching videos of his work! Glasser explains his techniques and concurrent thinking in a clear and concise manner. Great read and highly recommended.

If you (choose to) like reality therapy and choice theory, you'll probably (choose to) love this book. It's filled with clinical vignettes that reveal how to work with clients in a range of interpersonal issues from a reality therapy perspective.

If I were any of the clients in this book, I would (choose to) throw something at this guy. One woman came in about not being able to get over an affair that her husband will not admit to having. Glasser's "solution"? "Get over it." She says, "but what do I do with all my painful feelings?" Glasser: "Put them in the bottle with the past." She says, "you mean just stop what I'm feeling and doing?" Glasser: "Yeah, just stop doing what you're doing." I think I've summarized most of the book. He works with every client this way. He says at the end of this chapter that he worked with this lady for six more weeks and that he just kept saying the same thing he said in the first session over and over -- "Is this how you want to live?....so stop doing what you're doing."

I can't help but think of the famous Bob Newhart skit on MadTV called "Stop it!" (just search "Bob Newhart Stop It" on Youtube to see it). These vignettes were just as comical.

Seriously, I've heard Wubbolding and Glasser speak and it's the same stuff over and over again and I honestly don't know why you would need an entire book, or an entire institute for that matter, to explain it.

Don't like what you're doing? Then do something else. You're choosing to be upset, so just stop, bottle up your feelings and throw them away. Haven't heard enough? Come back for 6 more weeks and I'll be happy to say this to you again and again. Good grief.

There is a great need for therapists to sometimes to just be simple and straightforward, and for some I'm sure they just want a good kick in the pants and for someone to say to them "stop it!" But if this is psychotherapy, then shut down all the schools, stop all the research, turn of all the MRI scanners, quit writing in all the journals, because you could teach this to a 3rd grader.

This has become one of my most valued counseling companions. For those of you who are familiar with Glasser's Choice Theory, this is a great look into his actual practice techniques as he relates real case studies he has lead and how he has applied CT in real-life situations.
Great read as well as a super resource.

This is one of my favorite theories! I can't wait to read it! I got it 4 days ahead of the initial expected shipping date, which was a really pleasant surprise. Gotta go....the book is calling!

I read this book many years ago and have used his counseling ideas over and over. This time I just wanted the book again in my hands to make sure I was doing it correctly.

I picked up this book up to help deal with personal issues following my first deployment. It helped me come to terms with reality and how to deal with it. It presented a new perspective on the way I saw reality. You discover that you cannot control reality, but you can control how to react to reality. This is a tough pill to swallow for a lot of people and I bet some may totally reject the ideas presented in this book.

This book is unique in which it doesn't just go on and on about things you need to do to make your life better. It is presented though a series of actual documented counseling sessions the author had with individuals he counseled. Ultimately the decision to accept or reject the effectiveness of using reality theory is left up to the reader. Sometimes I found myself on the side of individual being counseled and thought that the reality theory approach wasn't an appropriate solution to the issue/problem at hand. However by the end of the counseling session, I (as well as the subject counseled) became more aware of the options we have in choosing how we see and react to our own reality.

I would recommend this book to anyone that feels like their world is crumbling around them. Pick it up and read it with an open mind.

This book has been a great help. Using case studies the author gives great understanding and insight into how we relate to each other, and how we can take ownership of our own choices in life. It's easy to read but very insightful. I recomend this book to anyone working in counceling, spiritual direction, or just wanting to understand themsleves and the people they love a little better.