Reality Therapy
Reality therapy suggests that we are internal, not externally motivated. While other theories suggest that outside events “cause” us to behave in certain predictable ways, Reality therapy teaches that outside events never “make” us do anything.
The basic needs for all motivation are:
- to be loving and connected to others,
- to achieve a sense of competence and personal power,
- to act with a degree of freedom and autonomy, to experience joy and fun and to survive
Another major concept in Reality therapy is the notion that we always have some choice about what we do. This does not mean that we have an unlimited choice or that outside information is irrelevant, as we choose what we do. It means that we have more control than some people might believe and that we are responsible for the choices we make.
Reality therapy states that all our behavior is targeted toward getting our basic needs met. With that said, sometimes we are unaware of what needs we are actually trying to have met. Even when we are aware of our needs, the way we try meeting those needs may cause us more difficulties.
Using Reality therapy, New Day Recovery’s counselors and therapists assist clients in understanding the connection between their individual needs and the decisions they are making. While this may seem rather simple on the surface, all of our basic needs are intertwined and interrelated.
Because of this, it is sometimes difficult to see the connections between needs and behavior.
Through a strong relationship with clients, our therapist assists in identifying which needs are most important, which needs aren’t being met; so we develop healthy ways of having needs met so that destructive or counterproductive behavior decreases.