William Glasser
William Glasser: Choice Theory
William Glasser: Choice Theory William Glasser was born on May 11 1925, in Ohio. He attended Case Western Reserve University, from where he earned both his BA and MA. He continued his education in California and received his MD from UCLA. Glasser worked as a psychiatrist for the VA in the beginning of his professional career. It was during this time he met his mentor, Dr. G.L. Harrington. Glasser spent much of his lifetime focusing on the development of his theories, specifically his Choice Theory. He studied the effects of control and how it related to psychology and observed this dynamic in his own clients over decades of private practice. He examined how the choices each individual made affected the other, and focused on the fact that each had the power to make their own, unique, personal choices, independent of the other. In 1967, Glasser opened the Institute for Reality Therapy (Sharf 2004). Three decades later, the institute was renamed for its founder and continues to offer education, training, and advances in Glasser’s theories and therapies through its many branches throughout the world. Glasser began to develop his theories after several years in clinical practice. He realized that many people were extremely unhappy with their lives, and in particular, with their relationships with others. Glasser understood that humans have an innate need to control their situations, and the people in their lives, to gain power. This driving need causes individuals to exhibit forceful behaviors in order to satisfy that craving. The need to control, to have power over others, can be tempered if we choose to respect others. Relationships can be healed, and needs can be met, with respect, love, and mutual satisfaction. Control does not have to destroy lives. It was based on these theories that Glasser developed Choice Theory (Sharf, 2004) Choice theory provides an explanation of motivation which is markedly different from what many of
William Glasser: Choice Theory William Glasser was born on May 11 1925, in Ohio. He attended Case Western Reserve University, from where he earned both his BA and MA. He continued his education in California and received his MD from UCLA. Glasser worked as a psychiatrist for the VA in the beginning of his professional career. It was during this time he met his mentor, Dr. G.L. Harrington. Glasser spent much of his lifetime focusing on the development of his theories, specifically his Choice Theory. He studied the effects of control and how it related to psychology and observed this dynamic in his own clients over decades of private practice. He examined how the choices each individual made affected the other, and focused on the fact that each had the power to make their own, unique, personal choices, independent of the other. In 1967, Glasser opened the Institute for Reality Therapy (Sharf 2004). Three decades later, the institute was renamed for its founder and continues to offer education, training, and advances in Glasser’s theories and therapies through its many branches throughout the world. Glasser began to develop his theories after several years in clinical practice. He realized that many people were extremely unhappy with their lives, and in particular, with their relationships with others. Glasser understood that humans have an innate need to control their situations, and the people in their lives, to gain power. This driving need causes individuals to exhibit forceful behaviors in order to satisfy that craving. The need to control, to have power over others, can be tempered if we choose to respect others. Relationships can be healed, and needs can be met, with respect, love, and mutual satisfaction. Control does not have to destroy lives. It was based on these theories that Glasser developed Choice Theory (Sharf, 2004) Choice theory provides an explanation of motivation which is markedly different from what many of