Finding What's Underneath the Behavior with Reality Therapy: FREE DOWNLOAD

Reality Play Therapy is something I find essential to integrate into my Play Therapy practice.  Check out more on Reality Play Therapy HERE and HERE. The 5 Needs described in Choice Theory are foundational to my parenting work with families. 
 
The 5 Basic Needs according to Reality Therapy and Choice Theory are: 
 
Survival
Physiological need for survival and sustaining life including physical health, shelter, nourishment, and feelings of safety and being secure. 
 
Love and Belonging 
The drive and need to connect with others including friends, family, classmates, pets, spiritual communities, sports groups, online communities, etc.
 
Power
The desire to matter, have competence, the ability to achieve and make a difference.  This need encompasses self esteem and the desire to have an impact.
  
Freedom 
The need to have age appropriate independence, choice, and autonomy.  Being able to make choice without restriction, which also includes creative freedom. 
 
FUN
The need for pleasure, PLAY, humor, relaxation, and relevant learning. 

One of the most important things in working with children (and humans) is identifying what is underneath the behavior.  And often, more than one need can be at play.  If we can explore with children (as the expert in their world) what needs they were attempting to meet in a non judgmental way we can then begin to empower children to evaluate how effective or helpful their choice was.  
 
Let’s face it, most often children come into therapy for unhelpful choices.  One of the basic premises in Choice Theory is that our thoughts and choices lead to our physiological responses and feelings.  So, children come into therapy for overwhelming and uncomfortable feelings and physiological responses that are a product of thinking and choosing. 

So....if we want to shift thinking and behavior then we have to explore what needs the behavior was attempting to meet! 

If this seems like something you want to start using in your practice grab this FREE DOWNLOAD to help support you in explaining the basic needs to children and families as well as a set of questions to help clients and families explore how well each basic need is being met! 

Looking for a deeper dive into Reality Play Therapy complete with tons of interventions and downloadable workbook?  Check out this training HERE! ​

Let's Connect - click here to join my email list!