Introduction to Choice Theory Presenter Jim Pollock AAPCE

Introduction to Choice Theory Presenter: Jim Pollock AAPCE Seminar, March 2012

Choice Theory CT is the life’s work of Dr William Glasser It is a form of internal control psychology, as opposed to external control psychology CT is a complete psychological theory, represented in Glasser’s chart, which has been developed over the last 50 years

External control psychology 1 st level – the phone rings… CT – you choose to answer the phone (or not to) 2 nd level – I can make you do what I want, and you can make me do what you want CT – the only behaviour you can control is your own 3 rd level – I know what is good for you and it is my duty to make you do it. CT – all I can do is give you information

Basic needs CT states there are 5 basic needs Survival – physical needs, food, water, security Love and belonging – connecting with other people that are important to you Power – success, acknowledgement from others, achievement Freedom – to have choices and control in your life…freedom from…. And freedom to… Fun – laughter, the genetic reward for learning

Quality world The pictures in our head that we want to experience in our life. Three clusters 1. People that are important to us 2. Experiences – places, activities, things that we want 3. Beliefs and values – what we believe in If something is not in our quality world it is not and will not be important to us.

Comparing place All day long we are constantly comparing what we have (our perceived world) with what we want (our quality world). If there is a close match we feel happier and in effective control of our life. If there is a mismatch we feel unhappy and losing effective control. Our behaviour is what we do to close the gap or keep the match

Total behaviour CT states that behaviour has 4 dimensions Acting – talking, doing Thinking – self talk, ideas, Feeling – emotions Physiology – ‘body talk’, headaching, sweating,

Car analogy Wheels – front wheels (acting, thinking – more control), back wheels (feeling, physiology - less direct control) Steering wheel – quality world Engine – needs (drive behaviour) Rear view mirror, fuel, passengers,

Counseling with CT There are 4 main questions or parts of this process Wants – what do you want? Doing – what are you doing? Evaluation – how is this working for you? Plan – what can we come up with together for you to do to make things work better for you?

Quality world (want) questions What did you want to get out of what you did? Who do you want to be like? What would that give you if you could …. . What is it about this that you like the most?

Doing questions (total behaviour) What did you do when she called you a bitch? What were you thinking when you were doing that? How did you feel when you saw the teacher call out to you? What was going on in your body when you started to feel angry?

Evaluation questions Did you get what you wanted? How did that work for you? How do you feel now that you are here with me? Is this the sort of person you want to be? Is this how you want to be known? This is the heart of the CT counseling process – without some discomfort here there will be no change in ‘organised’ behaviour

Planning questions Can you think of anything else you could have done? What would you be doing (or thinking, feeling) if you were being the sort of person you want to be? What else could you say to yourself when you feel like that? Would you like some help with coming up with different ways to do that?

Further training If you are interested in further training opportunities Let Stephen Larkin know. If there is a demand we can run another longer workshop for chaplains Glasser Institute training (4 days Basic Intensive Training) is organised every March. Leave your email address with Jim Pollock Contact Jim Pollock on James. Pollock@det. wa. edu. au