Appendix 3

8 Steps of Reality Therapy

1. Make Friends:

• Be friendly towards the student, communicating on his/her level.
• The student needs to perceive you as a reliable person.
• Ensure that the student develops a sense of belonging.

Ask: What Are You Doing Now?

• Identify the behaviour the student has chosen, letting him/her know that he/she have made that choice themselves.
• Avoid focusing too much on past failures.
• Identify positive behaviours, especially strengths and build on them.
• Search for success and emphasise them.

Ask: Is it Helping? Discuss:

• Do you think this behaviour helps you to feel better?
• Reinforce the fact that the student has chosen this behaviour.

Make A Plan to Do Better:

• Reconsider the consequences of this behaviour, possibly using a decision making model. Allow the student the option to choose a more positive behaviour.

Get a Commitment:

• Discuss and/or develop the Risk eduction Agreement.
• The student should define the commitment he/she is prepared to undertake.

Don' t Accept Excuses:

• Excuses can handicap development of a new positive behaviour.
• Even though it may seem difficult try not to give the student an easy 'out' from his/her commitment.

Don't Punish But Don't Interfere with reasonable Consequences:

• The student may behave badly, resulting in him/her hurting but hurt doesn't change the behaviour of people who are already failing.
• Restrict the student's field of operation but avoid punitive measures. Instead, reduce privileges.
• If the student replies that it's 'Not Fair', explain that it's probably not but ask them to tell you what is fair.

Never give up:

• Keep you head above water, maybe another boat will come along. You can't get into a boat if you've drowned.
• There is a 'get well' system in all of us, you can do a lot for yourself.

References

Adapted from Glasser W, Reality Therapy: A New Approach to Psychiatry, California: Borgo Press 1990 Reproduced with permission from the Queensland Cancer Fund.

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