Reality Therapy differs from most psychotherapeutic approaches because it focuses on the present, helping people understand that they can choose a better future. This is based on the Choice Theory axiom that states, “regardless of what has occurred in the past, to be happy and effective we must live and live in the present”. Because of this, it is an effective, short-term therapy in the age of managed care.

To practice Reality Therapy, we create warm, trusting relationships with clients. From these relationships, we usually are able to help them evaluate both what they want and the total behaviors that they are presently choosing. We then assist them in creating a plan to either change what they wanted to something more achievable, and/or to choose behaviors that will better satisfy what they now want.