Glossary / Lexicon

William Glasser refers to the founder of Reality therapy and spoke to the importance of the relationship in counseling.

William Glasser was an American psychiatrist and psychotherapist, known for his development of Reality Therapy and Choice Theory. He was born on May 11, 1925, and passed away on August 23, 2013. Throughout his career, Glasser focused on the idea that individuals have control over their own lives and that behavior is a choice that they make.

Glasser believed that individuals have an innate drive to meet their basic needs for love and belonging, power, freedom, fun, and survival. He believed that mental health problems arise when these needs are not being met or when individuals are not making positive choices to meet these needs. He also believed that traditional psychotherapeutic techniques, such as analysis, are not effective in treating mental health problems because they do not address the underlying causes of the problem.

Glasser developed Reality Therapy, a form of therapy that focuses on the present moment and what individuals can do to make positive choices for their lives. Reality Therapy is a brief, practical, and solution-focused approach to therapy that emphasizes the individual's responsibility for their own behavior and choices. It is based on the idea that individuals have control over their own lives and can make choices to meet their basic needs.

In addition to Reality Therapy, Glasser developed Choice Theory, which is based on the idea that individuals have control over their own behavior and can make choices that lead to happiness and satisfaction. Choice Theory is also focused on the idea that individuals have basic needs that need to be met in order to achieve happiness and satisfaction in their lives. Glasser believed that individuals have the power to choose their own behavior and that it is their responsibility to make positive choices.

Glasser also wrote several books on his theories and approach to psychotherapy, including "Reality Therapy: A New Approach to Psychiatry," "Choice Theory: A New Psychology of Personal Freedom," and "Positive Addiction." He was also the founder of the William Glasser Institute, an organization that promotes his approach to psychotherapy and provides training for therapists.

Similar approaches to Glasser's ideas include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). CBT focuses on the individual's thoughts and beliefs and how they can influence behavior. SFBT is also a brief, practical, and solution-focused approach to therapy that emphasizes the individual's responsibility for their own behavior and choices.

In conclusion, William Glasser was a prominent figure in the field of psychotherapy, known for his development of Reality Therapy and Choice Theory. His ideas emphasized the individual's responsibility for their own behavior and choices, as well as the importance of meeting basic needs for happiness and satisfaction. His approach to therapy was brief, practical, and solution-focused. Other similar approaches include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.