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Overview:
Choice Theory is a present-focused, relationship-based theory that believes that everyone wants
to be happy, and the keys to this are having satisfying relationships and making good choices.
In each quadrant, list the people, places, and activities that help you meet each of the
psychological needs: love & belonging, power, freedom, fun, and survival. You may want to list
the same need-fulfilling person, place, or activity more than once. What do you notice about the
ways you meet your needs?
Basic Needs
Power Fun
Survival
B. Total Behavior
Needs Choices
What have you learned about your Quality World? About Quality World pictures in general?
D. Creativity
Although most people will never have a need to explore this aspect of Choice Theory, some will. Most
people can temporarily lose themselves in their own creativity, helping themselves produce high quality
work, but they then tune down their creativity to rejoin the world after they are finished. Unfortunately,
sometimes people become amazingly disconnected, and while they search for a way to strengthen their
basic needs, they wind up getting lost in their own creativity, preventing them from seeing the world
accurately. Even though this limits their success at creating new, meaningful relationships, they can still
do so, which will also help them get their creativity back under control.
People use the Seven Deadly Habits because they want to take control of situations. Why?
It is faster than using the Seven Caring Habits, but using the Seven Deadly Habits will
diminish the value of the relationship over time.
IV. Use Choice Theory by Applying Reality Therapy to Your Situation.
Tune into WDEP.
W = Wants. Explore your mental picture album for the things you want the most. Use the
Quality World exercise in the tool box.
D = Direction and Doing. Examine your Total Behavior. What are you doing currently to get
what you want?
E = Evaluation. Is what you are doing going to get you what you want? Evaluate every action.
Compare your current life with your Quality World.
P = Planning. If you are not happy, you can change what you want, change what you are doing,
or both. However, doing what you have always done will only get you what you have always
gotten. Make plans that better meet your needs. The plan should be Simple, Attainable,
Measurable, Immediate, Controlled by the planner, Consistent, and Committed to.
V. Theory Summary
-Present-focused, relationship-based theory that believes that everyone wants to be
happy
-Keys = having satisfying relationships and making good choices
-The only person an individual can control is himself or herself
-All actions are chosen (often subconsciously) in an attempt to satisfy basic needs
-We often choose to use harmful habits in an attempt to control people to satisfy
our basic needs and immediate desires, effectively breaking down the
relationships needed to promote happiness.
-Anyone who chooses to consciously create and use caring habits in place of
harmful ones can satisfy their basic needs, build stronger relationships, and
promote greater individual happiness.
This packet was originally compiled by Dan Lawrence, Ph.D., professor at the University of Detroit-Mercy, and then
revised by Joe George, LLPC, middle school counselor at the Anglo-American School of Moscow. Full permission is
given to copy this packet, using it as counselors see fit.