Choice Therapy

Choice Therapy, developed by Dr. William Glasser, is based on the idea that we are responsible for the choices we make and that personal freedom comes from taking control of our own behaviour. It teaches that the past should not be dwelled upon but understood, resolved and moved beyond in order to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

• The only person whose behaviour we can control is our own.
• What happened in the past influences who we are today, but our focus should be on meeting our needs in the present and planning to continue meeting them in the future.
• Clients often choose certain behaviours or emotional states because they believe these help them meet their needs with less effort.
• All behaviour is chosen and is referred to as Total Behaviour, which includes acting, thinking, feeling and physiology. It is described using verbs, focusing on what a person is doing rather than what they have.

For example, instead of saying “I am depressed,” a client may be encouraged to say “I am depressing myself.” This shift helps the client take responsibility for their actions and empowers them to make changes.

Choice Therapy, developed by Dr. William Glasser, is based on the idea that we are responsible for the choices we make and that personal freedom comes from taking control of our own behaviour. It teaches that the past should not be dwelled upon but understood, resolved and moved beyond in order to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

1. Survival
   This includes physiological needs such as food, water, air, shelter, clothing and sexual satisfaction, along with safety and security. It reflects our instinct to protect ourselves from harm and maintain stability.
   
2. Love and Belonging
   The need to love, be loved and feel connected. This includes forming friendships, family bonds and intimate relationships. It is one of the strongest motivators of human behaviour.
   
3. Power
   The need to achieve, to be recognised and to feel competent and valued. This need is also about influencing others positively and feeling a sense of accomplishment.
   
4. Freedom
   The need for autonomy and independence. It involves having control over one’s choices, decisions and life direction.
   
5. Fun
   The need for play, joy and enjoyment. Fun is essential to human well-being and is closely linked to learning, creativity and growth. Play allows people to relax, bond and develop life skills in an enjoyable way.
   

In Choice Therapy, the counsellor or therapist helps clients identify which of their basic needs are not being met and guides them toward healthy, responsible ways of fulfilling them. The focus is always on present choices and future actions, rather than past mistakes or external blame.

Clients are encouraged to change their behaviour first, even if their emotions have not yet caught up. Acting in a new way often leads to new emotional experiences.

• Client: “I feel anxious.”
• Counsellor: “What is the opposite of anxiety?”
• Client: “Courage.”
• Counsellor: “If you were courageous, what would you be doing?”
• Client: “I would give the presentation confidently.”
• Counsellor: “Can you act courageous, even if you don’t feel it yet?”

This approach helps clients take small, actionable steps that eventually reshape emotions and self-beliefs.

The therapist works with the client to explore which of the five basic needs are not being satisfied. Once identified, practical strategies are created to help meet those needs in healthy ways.

Clients are encouraged to use action-oriented language to describe their experience. This helps them recognise that they are actively choosing behaviours rather than passively experiencing them.

For example:
Instead of saying, “I have depression,” a client might say, “I am depressing myself.”
This small but powerful shift builds self-awareness and personal responsibility.