Introduction to Choice Theory

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

2. 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

3. External control psychology • 1st level – the phone rings… • CT – you choose to answer the phone (or not to) • 2nd 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 • 3rd 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

4. 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

5. Quality world The pictures in our head that we want to experience in our life. Three clusters • People that are important to us • Experiences – places, activities, things that we want • 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.

6. 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

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

8. 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,

9. 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?

10. 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?

11. 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?

12. 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

13. 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?

14. 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