The therapist in this role play challenged the client on whether or not her behaviors of power would be fair at the expense of others. I like how he kept the client in the here and now as it relates to her job. He appropriately closed out the session by setting realistic goals and action steps by asking the client whether or not she would truly be willing to follow through. I appreciated how he started with a small goal and told her they would start with that and then come back and see how far she got with it by next session.
I've identified several successful Reality Therapy techniques in this session. The counselor used questions to collect information and understand the client. The utilization of WDEP- Wants, Direction and doing, Evaluation, and Planning seemed to flow within the conversation. The client had choices and was confronted about a goal that would harm others.
I like how Dr. Grande got right to the point and discussed the clients need for power almost immediately as the session started. Dr. Grande explained the tenets of reality therapy and talked about how one of them focus on doing things that will cause no harm to others. He helped the client recognize that her pointing out issues with other co-workers work ethic would do more harm than good.
Reality therapy is exactly what is says it is, bringing goals and objectives to life. A lot of times, clients are coming in with problems of things they cannot control. I like how the counselor broke that down in the beginning of the session. I also appreciate how the counselor brought the client's goals to life and how to begin achieving those goals to start as soon as she left the session.
He just jumped right into this therapy. It was nice that he started off with the needs of the client. This was very important because it allowed the client to outline the things that were bothering her along with what she needs to happen. I also like how he took the time to remind the client that the therapy was best used when focusing on things that can be changed. Coupled with that he allows her to go through her life to figure out things that can help gain her power. He goes on to discuss that her solution shouldn’t be harmful to others and this allows her to think of solutions that will actually be more beneficial to her.
This presentation of Reality Therapy is to the point. The counselor immediately begins with identifying the need for power. I like the counselor lead of explaining the belief in RT (usefulness in focusing on controllable behavior) as well as encouragement to behave in a way to gain the want or "quality world." Early in the session Control Theory is evident in the focus is on action. The counselor is clearly warm and allows the client to maintain power by having the client brainstorm ideas. The counselor uses the word "harmless" to guide the client away from blame and negative means of seeking power and toward positive choices, such as taking responsibility to improve her skills. I also like the use of "appeal" when checking-in for agreement. The goal and first objective is clearly stated. Paradoxical technique is evident in getting a time commitment for action toward one objective before the session ends and inferring the next session will include discussion of other objectives toward reaching her goal.
Dr.Grande clearly and explicitly walked the client through potential options to gain power in the work place. I especially liked the way that he had the client examine what was in her control and what was not, and had her focus on what was in her control. In addition, Dr. Grande had the client unpack where an action would be considered ultimately "positive" and aligned with reality therapy principles. The approach is solution-based and puts the client in control of potential outcomes.
Dr. Grande- I like the way you challenged the client with using reality therapy. You were able to engage the information to the client about what it would look like if she had power and how she should look at it as a positive aspect that she can control. I thought that it was appropriate that you allowed her to come to ideas that were not about provoking the negativity of the other workers. The client was able to come to understanding that she could take classes in her field that could help her get a promotion, she rationalized that throwing others under the bus would be quicker but the client stated she would gain more opportunities by gaining more education allows her to focus on herself to advance positively. You were able to help the client gain positive goals without being negative.
One of the hardest things to do is to let go of things you can't control. I like how reality therapy helps you to focus on the behaviors you can directly control. Dr. Grande did a good job pointing out to his client that her behavior toward her co-workers was actually harmless and not positively oriented but having her explain what she was doing out loud and had her come to that realization through discussing it.
This role play does a great job of explaining to the client what reality therapy is; Focusing on the things we can actually control. It gives the client an opportunity to see not just views that are unrealistic; however, a view that may be more appropriate for their circumstances.
Dr. Grande, Thank you for sharing this role play. When reflecting on this role play, I want to say how much empowerment is being done here for the client. The client is being empowered to become autonomous and become independent from her issues. With your help, she was able to attune herself to the reality of her feelings. The client was able to focus on the present and objectively analyze herself and what she wants and how to get it. All this was also supported by your use of BSL, which are a must for all therapeutic approaches.
Something I find to be really cool about this session is how the counselor compares the two choices the client creates based on her situation at work. He allows the client to process and look over her ways of thinking and behaving and trying to help her see that better options lead to better outlooks. There is even a moment within the session where they specifically discuss this and it gives the client the option to choose!
I liked how Dr. Grande kept the focus on the here and now in the session. When the client tries to explain how she feels when her coworkers behave a certain way, Dr. Grande reminds her that "it's most useful to focus on behaviors you can directly control". I thought this was a great way to bring the focus back onto the client and what she, specifically, could do to increase her sense of power. The client eventually focuses on the idea of taking classes to advance herself, feel more accomplishment/power, and defines a clear goal with the therapist to sign up for a class. She is taking control of her behavior to satisfy her need for power.
I also like that the focus of discussion was on the present for the problems that the client mentioned. I think it would not have been helpful to focus on the past in this session. I liked that the counselor and client set a goal that would benefit her because it was a way that she can focus on controlling her own actions in a positive way.
Thank you for the role-play. I like how reality therapy focuses on a positive solution and I liked the demonstration on setting a goal that is realistic and time-focused. The idea of focusing in on a behavior that is in one's ability to control seems to get directly to the point and a strategy that can illicit immediate effect.
This video was a great example of reality therapy and how its used in a counseling session. The counselor focused on the needs of the client, especially her need for power. He explains that she doesn't have to throw her coworkers under the bus/present them in a negative way to reach her goal of a promotion. The counselor and client worked together to develop some positive strategies to help her reach her end goal.
This presentation was very direct with Reality therapy. The therapist allowed the client to work with the belief of having power. In this session the therapist came acrossed with much empathy. The part of having control was the focus of the therapy.
I like how the therapist discussed how the client does not have control over others. I also liked the question he asked, "What could you do to meet the need of power?" This was a powerful open-ended question that assisted the client identifying what she does have control over. I liked the questions he asked to help empower the client regarding how she can be seen as more marketable and seen as she is striving at work and wants the promotion. This session was well done and I could see the client connecting the dots.
Kristie, I thought asking that question was a great way to bring the client into the reality of what she actually has control over and what her reality truly looks like. Being able to focus her energy on things within her control would offer power within itself.
I like how Dr. G would pose questions to the client helping her to see that her views on how to resolve the problem that she is having may not be the best way to view them. He tries to get her to understand that she cannot control others and needs to keep the focus on her. Her frustration at work and his guidance to help her focus on herself by improving her skills through education can enhance herself and this will help change her focus and something that she can have control over. Then taking her through the steps of how to achieve her goal will offer insight and help towards her goal. I can imagine that this client will feel much better about her situation after the session. It was very helpful.
Dr. Grande explains to the client that Reality Therapy emphasizes the need to focus on behaviors you can directly control rather than those of others. The client had the idea to expose the faults of her co-workers to gain power and recognition, however, Dr. Grande warned against what is called a harmful behavior. I appreciated his ability to gently point out how her idea was harmful and help her to think of others way to gain power at work. The setting of clear and specific goals allowed the client to work toward gaining her power in a positive way. Also providing a time frame for her objectives keeps the client on track for progress and makes her feel like she is accomplishing her goal in a timely manner.
I like that the counselor had her think of ways she could improve her chances of getting a promotion by not doing something negative towards others. She saw a way to improve herself and her work ethic, rather than getting a promotion based on the wrong doing of others. Not only would taking the classes help her chances of getting the promotion, but she will also increase her knowledge and benefit even if the promotion is not given to her. Not only did he talk to her about what her goals are but also specifically how to reach those goals.
This role-play demonstrated reality therapy well. It provided me with a much clearer understanding of how it would actually look within a session versus simply reading about the concepts. I particularly liked how Dr. Grande focused on the positive behavioral changes she could make to improve herself rather than allowing her to drag down others in her pursuit of a promotion. I also like the very clear and specific goals being defined at the end of the session with the plan to follow up the next time they meet. I like the structure of the therapy.
I liked how Dr. Grande confronted the client on the fact that her thought of telling her boss about other coworkers taking long lunches was not a harmless behavior. It was helpful to see how he was able to keep the client focused not only her goals but on the goals of reality therapy. The client was then able to find a harmless behavior that would help her earn recognition.
As a whole, I really enjoy Reality Therapy as it is very structured and direct but still allows a little flexibility regarding client control. This is something that I can see myself often using when in the field. This therapy is vital to helping clients recognize what is within their power to be controlled or changed versus those aspects that are unable to be manipulated. The way Dr. Grande was able to ask appropriate questions and paraphrase his client's words allowed her to focus on solving her challenges and likewise recognizing behaviors that can be adjusted to make her work-life better. Overall, this is so important to remember, not just while in therapy, but in life when something doesn’t go the way that we were hoping or anticipating and recognizing our behaviors to direct them toward something more constructive.
I enjoyed this role-play. The counselor and client are talking about her need for power at work. I like that the counselor points out that this may not be healthy. He says it most useful to focus on behaviors you can control. We cannot control how other view it and us is not healthy to try. The counselor recommends further education to further the client’s career. The unhealthy path seems quicker and easier but furthering the client’s education will pay off in the long run.
i found this video very useful in demonstrating the use of empowerment when using reality therapy. seeing how empowering the client helps them is inspiring. i feel that this can be very useful in trying to help the client gain their own autonomy and to be able to make decisions and be self-sufficient. this was all demonstrated while still remaining attentive to the client and being able to reflect emotion back to them and showing that you are understanding them.
Dr. Grande gives a clear explanation of what reality therapy is. With reality therapy the client learns that it is best to focus on the behaviors that we can control ourselves. This client needed people to recognize her abilities at work, but she was spending time focused on the wrong thing since monitoring them would not be beneficial to her and could be harmful to them. The counselor collaborated with her to set some goals that are beneficial to herself that she can control.
I like that the client was able to recognize that she could to something positive in order to increase her chances of being promoted. In the beginning she seemed a bit stuck and thought that she was doing what she could to get the promotion, but then realized taking a class was something else that could be done. I also like how Dr. Grande was able to help her see that throwing people under the bus, as she said, might not work in her favor. I also like that he wanted to make sure that taking the class was something that she really wanted to do and asked her to only look at one objective so as not to overwhelm her. I like that goals are clear and specific in reality therapy.
I totally agree Monica, in the beginning her only idea for advancing on the job was to make others look bad, and it seemed she was just comparing herself to the other employees. However, he helped her to find more positive ways to get ahead in a manner that does not harm anyone.
I also like the fact the goal are clear and specific in reality therapy. I believe that the skills Dr. Grande used to guide the client to realizing her behavior was very helpful. She was able to realize other ways to get what she wanted only after realizing what she really wanted. I am a fan of this theory.
I like reality therapy for this level of issue, I feel like it's a shorter form of therapy that assists the client in reaching a goal and helping them meet that unmet need. In this role play Dr. Grande did an excellent job of illustrating how the client had different options and how likely she was to go with those options considering her circumstances or willingness to do so.
I like how Dr. Grande navigated a somewhat sensitive topic that the client presented. I think he did a good job of asking some probing questions and used good listening skills to help the client feel heard.
I really liked how Dr. Grande emphasized the therapeutic relationship by including the client in session and the overall belief system of reality therapy. With the direct and specific approach of the theory, I can see how this approach assists the client in identifying what they're doing, feeling and wanting. As always, despite a different theoretical approach, Dr. Grande makes sure to attend to the client by paraphrasing and reflecting back what the client is saying to make sure she feels heard. As I read the text and watched this role play, I could really identify with this theory and see myself implementing this with clients due to my more "blunt" and direct personality.
I agree, I like the fact that this approach creates more accountability for the clients. By being confronted with their thought pattern and the motivation for their actions, it could help them identify s themes that they may not have been aware of. Catching yourself on auto-pilot and becoming mindful about what you're doing can create serious change if a person is ready to face the truth. I also love that reality therapy is self-focused since we can not control the actions of anyone else.
Olivia-I agree that this therapy would work well with clients who respond well to a more directive approach. And I also agree that Dr. Grande continued to use the BLS and advanced listening skills throughout which in turn helps build the therapeutic relationship and helps his client feel safe to reflect and explore.
I like the way Dr. Grande used reality therapy to help the client see that her desire to "throw her co-workers under the bus," was not the best approach to allow her to be noticed at work and to help her advance in her position with the available promotion. In scenarios like this, it is important to help the client realize there are better ways to go about your issues.
In this session, Dr. Grande pointed out the client's need for power within her workplace. I think this was a good way to interpret that back to the client because it made it apparent to the client her feelings toward her co-workers and her wanting to advance in the company. It was pointed out that the client doesn't have control over how her other co-workers perform and that only the client can control how she embraces being able to make herself better for promotion. This portrayal of reality therapy allowed the client to become aware of ways she can make her chances better for promotion with the objective of signing up for classes. Small objectives are being taken to help the client reach the goal of meeting the need for power which has become realistic.
I found this video to be very realistic. Not only was the acting spot on, it was well written. It was obvious that in previous sessions the idea that the "only thing we can control is our behavior and choices." The client's initial solution seems very natural. The second solution, taking classes, was brilliant. I wonder if the client had not come up with that so readily, how the session would have progressed. Setting a concrete goal with the client at the end of the session showed a great example of reality therapy.
I like how Dr. Grande got the client to focus on her choices and how to think differently about gaining the power of her promotion. Even though the easier path would have been to point out the flaws of others, a more positive approach is to take trainings about the new position she wants or behave in a positive way that is more reflective of what she is trying to accomplish.
One of the things I struggle with the most is always wanting to be in control of the things that happen in my life. I take pride in planning ahead and having interventions put into place for me. Like every normal human being however we come in contact with many different people in a day, who we cannot control, it can be disappointing but when you are able to accept it....it can be one of the greatest growths within yourself.
I liked the way Dr. G was able to refocus the client and was able to subtly point out that the behavior she wanted to engage in in order to get the promotion she feels she earned, may have negative consequences. The client was then able to come up with alternative ways to get the results she wanted, without having to hurt or "throw others under bus". I think this technique could work in many different instances.
I agree with you Melissa. I think focusing in herself and what she can do, instead of focusing in other's people behavior that she doesn't have any control, help the client to look for realistic and useful actions to advance in her job
The thing I found most appealing about reality therapy is that the client was able to explore her own needs and motivating factors in achieving those needs. Dr. Grande was able to create an environment in which the client made the decision between "throwing her coworkers under the bus" or taking classes to benefit herself. By explaining that the need for power was evident the client was able to recognize that the education option was better fit for her. I also liked the action plan they developed together by determining where the client would start when beginning the education courses.
I agree that it was helpful for the client to understand her desire for power and then think of constructive ways she could achieve this power in a way that does not harm other people.
I think Dr Grande was present with the client but also direct with the client. I like how Dr Grande explained what reality therapy was before probing the client to think deeper than how she observed the situation. Dr Grande seemed to helped the client in this area of concern.
I like how in this role-play Dr. Grande explains to the client what reality therapy is, and helps the client to understand that she can't get people to behave or act the way she wants. He asks the client what she could do to meet the need for power, and if she has any ideas. This question helps the client to explore her situation and see if she can come up with answers.
I agree, I liked how Dr. Grande explained reality therapy in a way that the client was able to understand. I also thought the way he encouraged her to make the decision that would best benefit her seemed to be helpful.
I appreciated how Dr. Grande worked with the client to realize her need for power, while developing useful strategies that would allow her to accomplish such need. Throughout the process, I liked how Dr. Grande explained reality therapy in a very simple way that was easily understood, while assisting the client in choosing the more appropriate alternative to the problem. It was interesting to observe how to properly direct a client away from a potentially harmful solution while making them aware of how such behavior could potentially be damaging to others. Similarly, I liked how Dr. Grande focused on controlling the client’s behavior, and reacting to the behaviors of others in a more sensible manner. In doing so, Dr. Grande did well to work with the client to allow her to come to her own conclusion that the better solution to the problem and reaching the need of power would be to take part in courses, showing her determination and work ethic, rather than shaming others to achieve a goal. Overall, I appreciated how Dr. Grande was able to work with the client to set goals in order to keep the client on track and hold her accountable for achieving such goals in a timely fashion.
I am tempted to think that people who are really power hungry can go at every length to possess it, even if it requires eliminating opposition that will be detrimental to a peaceful working relationship with other. This technique was very useful in pointing out to the client that there are alternative options to getting power which might not involve downgrading others to get it.
Thank you for this roleplay Dr. Grande. In this session, the client creates two paths to meet her goal. Dr. Grande allows the client to come up with goals that will work for her. He used the pronoun "you" quite a few times. If I was in the client's position, I would feel heard and empowered by the fact that I am collaboratively working with my counselor to achieve a goal at my own pace.
This was effective in helping the client see clearly that there are some things that are clearly out of the control of the client and helps the client to begin to consider other ways to help put herself in a marketable way of gaining the power that she is looking for In her job to be more qualified. Looking at realistic goals and setting time frames to have the client pursue her goals and hold some accountabilities.
What I like about reality therapy is that it helps the client look at there situations from different perspectives. I think reality therapy really help the client realize the best outcome even when they are feeling strongly about the way they wish to react.
I thought that the role play did an excellent job at exploring and understanding how the clients need for power is being met, identifying positive and negative behaviors that the client was describing. Dr. Grande emphasized focusing on the clients perception of reality and put the responsibility back on the client using confrontation skills.
While watching the video, I noticed how the tenets of Reality Therapy were clearly demonstrated. Dr. Grande discussed the need for power with the client, and while initially her idea of highlighting her coworkers shortcomings seemed a logical way for her to gain the power she wanted, he was able assist with her perspective shifting towards something more positive. He also transitioned easily to the clear and concise goal setting for the following week.
I like how this technique causes the client to look at negative thought process and turn it into a more positive way of viewing her situation and keeping the focus on self. It also allows her to feel empowered in her change process and encourages growth.
+Pearl Butler I agree with you, Pearl. looking at the positives in situations and worrying about how you can make them better for yourself rather than worrying about what other people are doing is very helpful and also very empowering.
+Pearl Butler I agree. BY showing her that tearing down other people to achieve the promotion was not really an empowering choice. She needed to find the power within herself to achieve the goal she wanted.
We often think of people wanting power as a negative thing, because it often negatively affects others. This video pointed out that wanting power is okay, and having it can help you reach goals. It also showed the difference between options that impacted others' and the more healthy option that simply helped the client gain power by helping herself grow.
+Alexandra Jones I appreciate your perspective and agree that usually power has a negative connotation attached to it but having empowerment is necessary and essential to living and being able to take control of your life as Barbara had mentioned.
Though I did not like framing the client's wanting for recognition and affirmation necessarily as a "need for power" it was obvious that the client identified with this term, or it was otherwise deemed as an area for improvement in previous sessions. However, I felt as though Dr. Grande adeptly directed the client from trying to devalue her peers and "competition" for the promotion, into a more clear and positive objective for the client to seek training classes. I liked that Dr. Grande allowed the client to create solutions on her own, and asked about her willingness and attitude toward implementing the strategy.
Reality therapy=moral therapy?? I"ll take it though. Life lessons were offered in this therapy. Pointing out the fault and shortcomings of others does not advance you in your life. Focus on your abilities and behaviors you can control. This client came in with a problem to with not being recognized to possibly going back to school! Thank you Dr.Grande for the video.
Dr. G usage of the reality theory kept the client's focus on the here and now. While he listened to her concerns over her co workers which she had no control over he continuously redirected her focus back to her choices and how she could make better choices to attain the power on her job that she wanted.
Don, I share your opinion in this regard. One's success does not have to be determined by the amount of damage you cause others to acquire it, but on the choices you make to reach it.
I think is a good approach to focus on what the client can control instead of what she cannot control, which eventually would lead the client to frustration. By focusing in what she can control, the client eventually could focus on steps to take to improve her situation at work without the need of worrying slandering her co-workers
Reality therapy seems to have many similarities to behavioral therapy. It is slightly less structured than traditional behavioral therapy, but it is still very concrete and directive. It is focused on identifying human needs and what behaviors are most helpful in meeting those needs. However, I also like how reality therapy's goal is to select the behavior that is best suited to you. For example, Dr. Grande had his client explore several different actions she could take in order to satisfy her need for power, and then he prompted her to select the one that was most congruent to her value system (i.e. doing something proactive, instead of throwing her colleagues under the bus).
This session and the therapist focuses on problem-solving and making better choices in order to achieve specific goals that the client has concerning her work place. Although directive, the counselor is warm and empathic, it is clear that he is engaged with the client in the session to actively look at issues and brainstorm solutions.
I thought that Dr. Grande did a good job with pointing out how the client's perception of gaining power may not be a positive way to get what she wants, being realistic. That technique altered the clients perception to describe a more positive way to gain power or noticeability. Based on the more positive route that the client and counselor agreed on, they then developed objectives and a goal for what the client can work on in between their sessions.
Reality therapy is a lot like the portion of the Serenity prayer that is often said at 12 step meetings. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Dr. Grande did a good job at helping his client explore potential options that she has control over and explore those options. He also assisted his client in seeing the benefits of each option including one of the options as not hurting others. Reality therapy seems to be effective in a lot of situations, especially with the worried well, but I do not feel it would be appropriate for people with serious pathology.
This reality therapy role-play was a very effective and beneficial brief therapy. This somewhat directive approach allowed the client to discover positive ways to understand and meet her need for power in her workplace. The techniques of wants, doing, thinking, evaluation initiated the clients change in perspective from blaming her co-workers to finding options for improving herself in order to gain recognizable power. This strategy was also effective in helping the client focusing on creating new and different long-term goals.
She said, "she didn't want to throw them under the bus" this was clearing not realistic thinking. If she followed through it would have probably backfired. I feel like she wants to be moved up so bad that she is not seeing the end road. I liked that he eased her into realizing what she was contemplating. I believe that her end result with the counseling will lead her to a better position and personal space. Now if she get recognized for a promotion she will deserve it and not feel like crap because of downplaying others.
This role-play showed me that the need for power does not have to be to the extreme of dominating others directly, but it can be applied to minor areas of a client's life. In this video, the need for power was to advance to a higher position at the client's job. I liked how the counselor helped the client outline the pros and cons of potential choices to satisfy her need for power. I think this helped her see the short-term vs. long-term consequences of each choice, along with deciding which choice the client could benefit most from. Although assertiveness is not a technique for this type of therapy, maybe the counselor and client could have discussed how a lack of assertiveness might be hindering her ability to be recognized in a following session. I think it was helpful that Dr. Grande asked the client if she honestly wanted to follow through with the choice she decided before ending the session.
The dialogue showed how the criticism would not be beneficial to the client nor to her coworkers. The client realized how power, in a positive way, for both her and her co-workers (not "throwing under the bus") actually would be to enhance her own skills. This role play supports choice theory in working relationships. Once the shift from the criticism and blaming occurred to ownership and responsibility, a healthier alternative was identified respecting the client and her co-workers. The client had the choice to stay focused on reporting the coworkers with the uncertainty that they might not change or she may not even get promoted. Now, whether or not they change, she will have improved skills without the dependency of her co-workers behavior. I'm curious, if the client's frustration with her coworkers' continued behaviors would subside as she takes classes. She was able to accept that she could do something but it wasn't clear if she was aware of accepting that behavior in the workplace.
During this session, the client expressed the need to have her skills recognized and get promoted to a higher position at her work. Her desire to advance to a higher position within the company is one of Glasser's five psychological needs, which is the need for power. Dr.Grande uses her need to gain power and focuses on one of the purposes of Reality therapy, which is helping others control their behavior. In this case, the counselor asked the client to think of things that she can do to get promoted to a higher position in her company. This was an excellent resource for the client and it allowed her to come up with one solution to achieve this goal. It is evident that the client feels much better after discussing the ways that education can help her obtain what she wants.
I thought this was a good video. At the beginning the client admitted to belonging at her job yet she felt the need for power because she wanted a promotion. Dr. Grande gave her space to come up with an idea to get a promotion. The client thought about telling of her co-workers' wrongdoing but Dr. Grande challenged that idea because that could cause harm. The client developed a clear and specific goal of selecting a class then signing up for school that would be completed by the next session.
The therapist in this role play challenged the client on whether or not her behaviors of power would be fair at the expense of others. I like how he kept the client in the here and now as it relates to her job. He appropriately closed out the session by setting realistic goals and action steps by asking the client whether or not she would truly be willing to follow through. I appreciated how he started with a small goal and told her they would start with that and then come back and see how far she got with it by next session.
I've identified several successful Reality Therapy techniques in this session. The counselor used questions to collect information and understand the client. The utilization of WDEP- Wants, Direction and doing, Evaluation, and Planning seemed to flow within the conversation. The client had choices and was confronted about a goal that would harm others.
I like how Dr. Grande got right to the point and discussed the clients need for power almost immediately as the session started. Dr. Grande explained the tenets of reality therapy and talked about how one of them focus on doing things that will cause no harm to others. He helped the client recognize that her pointing out issues with other co-workers work ethic would do more harm than good.
Reality therapy is exactly what is says it is, bringing goals and objectives to life. A lot of times, clients are coming in with problems of things they cannot control. I like how the counselor broke that down in the beginning of the session. I also appreciate how the counselor brought the client's goals to life and how to begin achieving those goals to start as soon as she left the session.
He just jumped right into this therapy. It was nice that he started off with the needs of the client. This was very important because it allowed the client to outline the things that were bothering her along with what she needs to happen. I also like how he took the time to remind the client that the therapy was best used when focusing on things that can be changed. Coupled with that he allows her to go through her life to figure out things that can help gain her power. He goes on to discuss that her solution shouldn’t be harmful to others and this allows her to think of solutions that will actually be more beneficial to her.
This presentation of Reality Therapy is to the point. The counselor immediately begins with identifying the need for power. I like the counselor lead of explaining the belief in RT (usefulness in focusing on controllable behavior) as well as encouragement to behave in a way to gain the want or "quality world." Early in the session Control Theory is evident in the focus is on action. The counselor is clearly warm and allows the client to maintain power by having the client brainstorm ideas. The counselor uses the word "harmless" to guide the client away from blame and negative means of seeking power and toward positive choices, such as taking responsibility to improve her skills. I also like the use of "appeal" when checking-in for agreement. The goal and first objective is clearly stated. Paradoxical technique is evident in getting a time commitment for action toward one objective before the session ends and inferring the next session will include discussion of other objectives toward reaching her goal.
Dr.Grande clearly and explicitly walked the client through potential options to gain power in the work place. I especially liked the way that he had the client examine what was in her control and what was not, and had her focus on what was in her control. In addition, Dr. Grande had the client unpack where an action would be considered ultimately "positive" and aligned with reality therapy principles. The approach is solution-based and puts the client in control of potential outcomes.
Dr. Grande- I like the way you challenged the client with using reality therapy. You were able to engage the information to the client about what it would look like if she had power and how she should look at it as a positive aspect that she can control. I thought that it was appropriate that you allowed her to come to ideas that were not about provoking the negativity of the other workers. The client was able to come to understanding that she could take classes in her field that could help her get a promotion, she rationalized that throwing others under the bus would be quicker but the client stated she would gain more opportunities by gaining more education allows her to focus on herself to advance positively. You were able to help the client gain positive goals without being negative.
One of the hardest things to do is to let go of things you can't control. I like how reality therapy helps you to focus on the behaviors you can directly control. Dr. Grande did a good job pointing out to his client that her behavior toward her co-workers was actually harmless and not positively oriented but having her explain what she was doing out loud and had her come to that realization through discussing it.
This role play does a great job of explaining to the client what reality therapy is; Focusing on the things we can actually control. It gives the client an opportunity to see not just views that are unrealistic; however, a view that may be more appropriate for their circumstances.
Dr. Grande, Thank you for sharing this role play. When reflecting on this role play, I want to say
how much empowerment is being done here for the client. The client is being
empowered to become autonomous and become independent from her issues. With your
help, she was able to attune herself to the reality of her feelings. The client
was able to focus on the present and objectively analyze herself and what she
wants and how to get it. All this was also supported by your use of BSL, which
are a must for all therapeutic approaches.
Something I find to be really cool about this session is how the counselor compares the two choices the client creates based on her situation at work. He allows the client to process and look over her ways of thinking and behaving and trying to help her see that better options lead to better outlooks. There is even a moment within the session where they specifically discuss this and it gives the client the option to choose!
From your video on Dr. Phil I become curious of Reality Therapy.
Thanks
for your past content and current.
I liked how Dr. Grande kept the focus on the here and now in the session. When the client tries to explain how she feels when her coworkers behave a certain way, Dr. Grande reminds her that "it's most useful to focus on behaviors you can directly control". I thought this was a great way to bring the focus back onto the client and what she, specifically, could do to increase her sense of power. The client eventually focuses on the idea of taking classes to advance herself, feel more accomplishment/power, and defines a clear goal with the therapist to sign up for a class. She is taking control of her behavior to satisfy her need for power.
I also like that the focus of discussion was on the present for the problems that the client mentioned. I think it would not have been helpful to focus on the past in this session. I liked that the counselor and client set a goal that would benefit her because it was a way that she can focus on controlling her own actions in a positive way.
Thank you for the role-play. I like how reality therapy focuses on a positive solution and I liked the demonstration on setting a goal that is realistic and time-focused. The idea of focusing in on a behavior that is in one's ability to control seems to get directly to the point and a strategy that can illicit immediate effect.
This video was a great example of reality therapy and how its used in a counseling session. The counselor focused on the needs of the client, especially her need for power. He explains that she doesn't have to throw her coworkers under the bus/present them in a negative way to reach her goal of a promotion. The counselor and client worked together to develop some positive strategies to help her reach her end goal.
This presentation was very direct with Reality therapy. The therapist allowed the client to work with the belief of having power. In this session the therapist came acrossed with much empathy. The part of having control was the focus of the therapy.
I like how the therapist discussed how the client does not have control over others. I also liked the question he asked, "What could you do to meet the need of power?" This was a powerful open-ended question that assisted the client identifying what she does have control over. I liked the questions he asked to help empower the client regarding how she can be seen as more marketable and seen as she is striving at work and wants the promotion. This session was well done and I could see the client connecting the dots.
Kristie, I thought asking that question was a great way to bring the client into the reality of what she actually has control over and what her reality truly looks like. Being able to focus her energy on things within her control would offer power within itself.
I like how Dr. G would pose questions to the client helping her to see that her views on how to resolve the problem that she is having may not be the best way to view them. He tries to get her to understand that she cannot control others and needs to keep the focus on her. Her frustration at work and his guidance to help her focus on herself by improving her skills through education can enhance herself and this will help change her focus and something that she can have control over. Then taking her through the steps of how to achieve her goal will offer insight and help towards her goal. I can imagine that this client will feel much better about her situation after the session. It was very helpful.
Dr. Grande explains to the client that Reality Therapy emphasizes the need to focus on behaviors you can directly control rather than those of others. The client had the idea to expose the faults of her co-workers to gain power and recognition, however, Dr. Grande warned against what is called a harmful behavior. I appreciated his ability to gently point out how her idea was harmful and help her to think of others way to gain power at work. The setting of clear and specific goals allowed the client to work toward gaining her power in a positive way. Also providing a time frame for her objectives keeps the client on track for progress and makes her feel like she is accomplishing her goal in a timely manner.
I like that the counselor had her think of ways she could improve her chances of getting a promotion by not doing something negative towards others. She saw a way to improve herself and her work ethic, rather than getting a promotion based on the wrong doing of others. Not only would taking the classes help her chances of getting the promotion, but she will also increase her knowledge and benefit even if the promotion is not given to her. Not only did he talk to her about what her goals are but also specifically how to reach those goals.
This role-play demonstrated reality therapy well. It provided me with a much clearer understanding of how it would actually look within a session versus simply reading about the concepts. I particularly liked how Dr. Grande focused on the positive behavioral changes she could make to improve herself rather than allowing her to drag down others in her pursuit of a promotion. I also like the very clear and specific goals being defined at the end of the session with the plan to follow up the next time they meet. I like the structure of the therapy.
I liked how Dr. Grande confronted the client on the fact that her thought of telling her boss about other coworkers taking long lunches was not a harmless behavior. It was helpful to see how he was able to keep the client focused not only her goals but on the goals of reality therapy. The client was then able to find a harmless behavior that would help her earn recognition.
As a whole, I really enjoy Reality Therapy as it is very structured and direct but still allows a little flexibility regarding client control. This is something that I can see myself often using when in the field. This therapy is vital to helping clients recognize what is within their power to be controlled or changed versus those aspects that are unable to be manipulated. The way Dr. Grande was able to ask appropriate questions and paraphrase his client's words allowed her to focus on solving her challenges and likewise recognizing behaviors that can be adjusted to make her work-life better. Overall, this is so important to remember, not just while in therapy, but in life when something doesn’t go the way that we were hoping or anticipating and recognizing our behaviors to direct them toward something more constructive.
I enjoyed this role-play. The counselor and client are talking about her need for power at work. I like that the counselor points out that this may not be healthy. He says it most useful to focus on behaviors you can control. We cannot control how other view it and us is not healthy to try. The counselor recommends further education to further the client’s career. The unhealthy path seems quicker and easier but furthering the client’s education will pay off in the long run.
Thank you for doing this--it really demonstrated the concept very well!!
i found this video very useful in demonstrating the use of empowerment when using reality therapy. seeing how empowering the client helps them is inspiring. i feel that this can be very useful in trying to help the client gain their own autonomy and to be able to make decisions and be self-sufficient. this was all demonstrated while still remaining attentive to the client and being able to reflect emotion back to them and showing that you are understanding them.
Dr. Grande gives a clear explanation of what reality therapy is. With reality therapy the client learns that it is best to focus on the behaviors that we can control ourselves. This client needed people to recognize her abilities at work, but she was spending time focused on the wrong thing since monitoring them would not be beneficial to her and could be harmful to them. The counselor collaborated with her to set some goals that are beneficial to herself that she can control.
I like that the client was able to recognize that she could to something positive in order to increase her chances of being promoted. In the beginning she seemed a bit stuck and thought that she was doing what she could to get the promotion, but then realized taking a class was something else that could be done. I also like how Dr. Grande was able to help her see that throwing people under the bus, as she said, might not work in her favor. I also like that he wanted to make sure that taking the class was something that she really wanted to do and asked her to only look at one objective so as not to overwhelm her. I like that goals are clear and specific in reality therapy.
I totally agree Monica, in the beginning her only idea for advancing on the job was to make others look bad, and it seemed she was just comparing herself to the other employees. However, he helped her to find more positive ways to get ahead in a manner that does not harm anyone.
I also like the fact the goal are clear and specific in reality therapy. I believe that the skills Dr. Grande used to guide the client to realizing her behavior was very helpful. She was able to realize other ways to get what she wanted only after realizing what she really wanted. I am a fan of this theory.
I like reality therapy for this level of issue, I feel like it's a shorter form of therapy that assists the client in reaching a goal and helping them meet that unmet need. In this role play Dr. Grande did an excellent job of illustrating how the client had different options and how likely she was to go with those options considering her circumstances or willingness to do so.
I like how Dr. Grande navigated a somewhat sensitive topic that the client presented. I think he did a good job of asking some probing questions and used good listening skills to help the client feel heard.
I really liked how Dr. Grande emphasized the therapeutic relationship by including the client in session and the overall belief system of reality therapy. With the direct and specific approach of the theory, I can see how this approach assists the client in identifying what they're doing, feeling and wanting. As always, despite a different theoretical approach, Dr. Grande makes sure to attend to the client by paraphrasing and reflecting back what the client is saying to make sure she feels heard. As I read the text and watched this role play, I could really identify with this theory and see myself implementing this with clients due to my more "blunt" and direct personality.
I agree, I like the fact that this approach creates more accountability for the clients. By being confronted with their thought pattern and the motivation for their actions, it could help them identify s themes that they may not have been aware of. Catching yourself on auto-pilot and becoming mindful about what you're doing can create serious change if a person is ready to face the truth. I also love that reality therapy is self-focused since we can not control the actions of anyone else.
Olivia-I agree that this therapy would work well with clients who respond well to a more directive approach. And I also agree that Dr. Grande continued to use the BLS and advanced listening skills throughout which in turn helps build the therapeutic relationship and helps his client feel safe to reflect and explore.
I like the way Dr. Grande used reality therapy to help the client see that her desire to "throw her co-workers under the bus," was not the best approach to allow her to be noticed at work and to help her advance in her position with the available promotion. In scenarios like this, it is important to help the client realize there are better ways to go about your issues.
In this session, Dr. Grande pointed out the client's need for power within her workplace. I think this was a good way to interpret that back to the client because it made it apparent to the client her feelings toward her co-workers and her wanting to advance in the company. It was pointed out that the client doesn't have control over how her other co-workers perform and that only the client can control how she embraces being able to make herself better for promotion. This portrayal of reality therapy allowed the client to become aware of ways she can make her chances better for promotion with the objective of signing up for classes. Small objectives are being taken to help the client reach the goal of meeting the need for power which has become realistic.
I found this video to be very realistic. Not only was the acting spot on, it was well written. It was obvious that in previous sessions the idea that the "only thing we can control is our behavior and choices." The client's initial solution seems very natural. The second solution, taking classes, was brilliant. I wonder if the client had not come up with that so readily, how the session would have progressed. Setting a concrete goal with the client at the end of the session showed a great example of reality therapy.
I like how Dr. Grande got the client to focus on her choices and how to think differently about gaining the power of her promotion. Even though the easier path would have been to point out the flaws of others, a more positive approach is to take trainings about the new position she wants or behave in a positive way that is more reflective of what she is trying to accomplish.
One of the things I struggle with the most is always wanting to be in control of the things that happen in my life. I take pride in planning ahead and having interventions put into place for me. Like every normal human being however we come in contact with many different people in a day, who we cannot control, it can be disappointing but when you are able to accept it....it can be one of the greatest growths within yourself.
I liked the way Dr. G was able to refocus the client and was able to subtly point out that the behavior she wanted to engage in in order to get the promotion she feels she earned, may have negative consequences. The client was then able to come up with alternative ways to get the results she wanted, without having to hurt or "throw others under bus". I think this technique could work in many different instances.
I agree with you Melissa. I think focusing in herself and what she can do, instead of focusing in other's people behavior that she doesn't have any control, help the client to look for realistic and useful actions to advance in her job
The thing I found most appealing about reality therapy is that the client was able to explore her own needs and motivating factors in achieving those needs. Dr. Grande was able to create an environment in which the client made the decision between "throwing her coworkers under the bus" or taking classes to benefit herself. By explaining that the need for power was evident the client was able to recognize that the education option was better fit for her. I also liked the action plan they developed together by determining where the client would start when beginning the education courses.
I agree that it was helpful for the client to understand her desire for power and then think of constructive ways she could achieve this power in a way that does not harm other people.
I think Dr Grande was present with the client but also direct with the client. I like how Dr Grande explained what reality therapy was before probing the client to think deeper than how she observed the situation. Dr Grande seemed to helped the client in this area of concern.
I like how in this role-play Dr. Grande explains to the client what reality therapy is, and helps the client to understand that she can't get people to behave or act the way she wants. He asks the client what she could do to meet the need for power, and if she has any ideas. This question helps the client to explore her situation and see if she can come up with answers.
I agree, I liked how Dr. Grande explained reality therapy in a way that the client was able to understand. I also thought the way he encouraged her to make the decision that would best benefit her seemed to be helpful.
I appreciated how Dr. Grande worked with the client to realize her need for power, while developing useful strategies that would allow her to accomplish such need. Throughout the process, I liked how Dr. Grande explained reality therapy in a very simple way that was easily understood, while assisting the client in choosing the more appropriate alternative to the problem. It was interesting to observe how to properly direct a client away from a potentially harmful solution while making them aware of how such behavior could potentially be damaging to others. Similarly, I liked how Dr. Grande focused on controlling the client’s behavior, and reacting to the behaviors of others in a more sensible manner. In doing so, Dr. Grande did well to work with the client to allow her to come to her own conclusion that the better solution to the problem and reaching the need of power would be to take part in courses, showing her determination and work ethic, rather than shaming others to achieve a goal. Overall, I appreciated how Dr. Grande was able to work with the client to set goals in order to keep the client on track and hold her accountable for achieving such goals in a timely fashion.
I agree with you. I do like how Dr. G directed the client away from a more harmful solution and finding ways for better solutions. Pretty cool!
I am tempted to think that people who are really power hungry can go at every length to possess it, even if it requires eliminating opposition that will be detrimental to a peaceful working relationship with other. This technique was very useful in pointing out to the client that there are alternative options to getting power which might not involve downgrading others to get it.
Thank you for this roleplay Dr. Grande. In this session, the client creates two paths to meet her goal. Dr. Grande allows the client to come up with goals that will work for her. He used the pronoun "you" quite a few times. If I was in the client's position, I would feel heard and empowered by the fact that I am collaboratively working with my counselor to achieve a goal at my own pace.
This was effective in helping the client see clearly that there are some things that are clearly out of the control of the client and helps the client to begin to consider other ways to help put herself in a marketable way of gaining the power that she is looking for In her job to be more qualified. Looking at realistic goals and setting time frames to have the client pursue her goals and hold some accountabilities.
What I like about reality therapy is that it helps the client look at there situations from different perspectives. I think reality therapy really help the client realize the best outcome even when they are feeling strongly about the way they wish to react.
I thought that the role play did an excellent job at exploring and understanding how the clients need for power is being met, identifying positive and negative behaviors that the client was describing. Dr. Grande emphasized focusing on the clients perception of reality and put the responsibility back on the client using confrontation skills.
While watching the video, I noticed how the tenets of Reality Therapy were clearly demonstrated. Dr. Grande discussed the need for power with the client, and while initially her idea of highlighting her coworkers shortcomings seemed a logical way for her to gain the power she wanted, he was able assist with her perspective shifting towards something more positive. He also transitioned easily to the clear and concise goal setting for the following week.
Great video !
I like how this technique causes the client to look at negative thought process and turn it into a more positive way of viewing her situation and keeping the focus on self. It also allows her to feel empowered in her change process and encourages growth.
+Pearl Butler I agree with you, Pearl. looking at the positives in situations and worrying about how you can make them better for yourself rather than worrying about what other people are doing is very helpful and also very empowering.
+Pearl Butler I agree. BY showing her that tearing down other people to achieve the promotion was not really an empowering choice. She needed to find the power within herself to achieve the goal she wanted.
We often think of people wanting power as a negative thing, because it often negatively affects others. This video pointed out that wanting power is okay, and having it can help you reach goals. It also showed the difference between options that impacted others' and the more healthy option that simply helped the client gain power by helping herself grow.
+Alexandra Jones I look at this need for power as becoming more powerful within yourself and/or becoming more in control of your own life.
+Alexandra Jones I appreciate your perspective and agree that usually power has a negative connotation attached to it but having empowerment is necessary and essential to living and being able to take control of your life as Barbara had mentioned.
Though I did not like framing the client's wanting for recognition and affirmation necessarily as a "need for power" it was obvious that the client identified with this term, or it was otherwise deemed as an area for improvement in previous sessions. However, I felt as though Dr. Grande adeptly directed the client from trying to devalue her peers and "competition" for the promotion, into a more clear and positive objective for the client to seek training classes. I liked that Dr. Grande allowed the client to create solutions on her own, and asked about her willingness and attitude toward implementing the strategy.
Reality therapy=moral therapy?? I"ll take it though. Life lessons were offered in this therapy. Pointing out the fault and shortcomings of others does not advance you in your life. Focus on your abilities and behaviors you can control. This client came in with a problem to with not being recognized to possibly going back to school! Thank you Dr.Grande for the video.
Dr. G usage of the reality theory kept the client's focus on the here and now. While he listened to her concerns over her co workers which she had no control over he continuously redirected her focus back to her choices and how she could make better choices to attain the power on her job that she wanted.
Don, I share your opinion in this regard. One's success does not have to be determined by the amount of damage you cause others to acquire it, but on the choices you make to reach it.
I think is a good approach to focus on what the client can control instead of what she cannot control, which eventually would lead the client to frustration. By focusing in what she can control, the client eventually could focus on steps to take to improve her situation at work without the need of worrying slandering her co-workers
I agree, although I really think this approach is more appropriate and acceptable when working with children. It becomes more visible.
Reality therapy seems to have many similarities to behavioral therapy. It is slightly less structured than traditional behavioral therapy, but it is still very concrete and directive. It is focused on identifying human needs and what behaviors are most helpful in meeting those needs. However, I also like how reality therapy's goal is to select the behavior that is best suited to you. For example, Dr. Grande had his client explore several different actions she could take in order to satisfy her need for power, and then he prompted her to select the one that was most congruent to her value system (i.e. doing something proactive, instead of throwing her colleagues under the bus).
This session and the therapist focuses on problem-solving and making better choices in order to achieve specific goals that the client has concerning her work place. Although directive, the counselor is warm and empathic, it is clear that he is engaged with the client in the session to actively look at issues and brainstorm solutions.
I thought that Dr. Grande did a good job with pointing out how the client's perception of gaining power may not be a positive way to get what she wants, being realistic. That technique altered the clients perception to describe a more positive way to gain power or noticeability. Based on the more positive route that the client and counselor agreed on, they then developed objectives and a goal for what the client can work on in between their sessions.
Reality therapy is a lot like the portion of the Serenity prayer that is often said at 12 step meetings. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Dr. Grande did a good job at helping his client explore potential options that she has control over and explore those options. He also assisted his client in seeing the benefits of each option including one of the options as not hurting others. Reality therapy seems to be effective in a lot of situations, especially with the worried well, but I do not feel it would be appropriate for people with serious pathology.
This reality therapy role-play was a very effective and beneficial brief therapy. This somewhat directive approach allowed the client to discover positive ways to understand and meet her need for power in her workplace. The techniques of wants, doing, thinking, evaluation initiated the clients change in perspective from blaming her co-workers to finding options for improving herself in order to gain recognizable power. This strategy was also effective in helping the client focusing on creating new and different long-term goals.
She said, "she didn't want to throw them under the bus" this was clearing not realistic thinking. If she followed through it would have probably backfired. I feel like she wants to be moved up so bad that she is not seeing the end road. I liked that he eased her into realizing what she was contemplating. I believe that her end result with the counseling will lead her to a better position and personal space. Now if she get recognized for a promotion she will deserve it and not feel like crap because of downplaying others.
Reality therapy is new to many..I'd believe but powerful. Poindexter got the personality of an ink pen..not even a click pen . That woman needs a gofs
This role-play showed me that the need for power does not have to be to the extreme of dominating others directly, but it can be applied to minor areas of a client's life. In this video, the need for power was to advance to a higher position at the client's job. I liked how the counselor helped the client outline the pros and cons of potential choices to satisfy her need for power. I think this helped her see the short-term vs. long-term consequences of each choice, along with deciding which choice the client could benefit most from. Although assertiveness is not a technique for this type of therapy, maybe the counselor and client could have discussed how a lack of assertiveness might be hindering her ability to be recognized in a following session. I think it was helpful that Dr. Grande asked the client if she honestly wanted to follow through with the choice she decided before ending the session.
The dialogue showed how the criticism would not be beneficial to the client nor to her coworkers. The client realized how power, in a positive way, for both her and her co-workers (not "throwing under the bus") actually would be to enhance her own skills. This role play supports choice theory in working relationships. Once the shift from the criticism and blaming occurred to ownership and responsibility, a healthier alternative was identified respecting the client and her co-workers. The client had the choice to stay focused on reporting the coworkers with the uncertainty that they might not change or she may not even get promoted. Now, whether or not they change, she will have improved skills without the dependency of her co-workers behavior. I'm curious, if the client's frustration with her coworkers' continued behaviors would subside as she takes classes. She was able to accept that she could do something but it wasn't clear if she was aware of accepting that behavior in the workplace.
During this session, the client expressed the need to have her skills recognized and get promoted to a higher position at her work. Her desire to advance to a higher position within the company is one of Glasser's five psychological needs, which is the need for power. Dr.Grande uses her need to gain power and focuses on one of the purposes of Reality therapy, which is helping others control their behavior. In this case, the counselor asked the client to think of things that she can do to get promoted to a higher position in her company. This was an excellent resource for the client and it allowed her to come up with one solution to achieve this goal. It is evident that the client feels much better after discussing the ways that education can help her obtain what she wants.
I loved this except I would use “empowerment” instead of “power”. That word feels better to me.
I thought this was a good video. At the beginning the client admitted to belonging at her job yet she felt the need for power because she wanted a promotion. Dr. Grande gave her space to come up with an idea to get a promotion. The client thought about telling of her co-workers' wrongdoing but Dr. Grande challenged that idea because that could cause harm. The client developed a clear and specific goal of selecting a class then signing up for school that would be completed by the next session.