Choice Theory

This important work, the latest by Dr. Glasser, is a bold proposal for helping families, schools, work places and entire communities, to help people feel free, and at the same time, get along with each other.

Dr. William Glasser offers a new psychology that, if practiced, could reverse our widespread inability to get along with one another, an inability that is the source of almost all unhappiness.

For progress in human relationships, he explains that we must give up the punishing, relationship–destroying external control psychology. For example, if you are in an unhappy relationship right now, he proposes that one or both of you could be using external control psychology on the other. He goes further. And suggests that misery is always related to a current unsatisfying relationship. Contrary to what you may believe, your troubles are always now, never in the past. No one can change what happened yesterday.

The essence of choice theory is exemplified in this situation: you hear the telephone ring; you answer the phone. The reason you answered the phone? Because it rang. No, the reason you answered the phone is because you chose to answer the phone. You could have chosen not to answer it.