Mental Health Reality Therapy
Reality Therapy at Banyan Mental Health
Getting over a mental health disorder takes time and often a variety of mental health treatments for long-lasting and effective results.
At Banyan Mental Health, we implement a variety of unique programs and therapies to help our patients who are struggling, including our reality therapy program in Boca.
Although some people may be skeptical, there are many benefits of reality therapy, especially when it comes to a person’s mental health.
What Is Reality Therapy?
Reality therapy involves a person-centered approach that focuses on the here and now rather than issues from the past. This therapy promotes problem-solving and making better choices in order to achieve specific goals. A key component to a reality therapy program is the idea that mental distress is not the result of a mental illness. Instead, it is the result of a socially universal human condition that occurs when an individual has not had their basic psychological needs met.
These physiological needs include:
- Love and belonging
- Power and achievement
- Survival (nourishment and shelter etc.)
- Freedom and independence
- Fun (enjoyment and pleasure)
Developed by William Glasser in the 1960s, this treatment method for mental health promotes problem-solving and making better choices in order to achieve specific goals. Our mental health facility in Boca Raton assesses all patients to determine their best treatment plan and there are many people who could benefit from reality therapy. We provide effective treatment methods for mental health and can help numerous individuals manage their daily symptoms.
According to Glasser, whether we are aware of it or not, we are always acting to meet these basic needs. While we may struggle to choose our feelings and physiology, we are able to directly choose our thoughts and actions. Sometimes however, we don’t act effectively, and this can have negative repercussions for our health and well-being. A reality therapy program is therefore designed to find ways of meeting a person's basic needs, whilst facilitating patients to not only become aware of these negative thoughts and actions but also to change them. This method helps them take control of their behavior as well as the world around them. Ultimately, reality therapists take the view that changing what we do is key to changing how we feel and to getting what we want.
Benefits of Reality Therapy for Mental Health
The strengths and benefits of reality therapy lie in its focus on solution-building, particularly on changing thoughts and actions. It provides individuals with a self-help tool to gain more effective control over their lives and their relationships. In return this gained control helps to boost their confidence and self-esteem as well as enabling them to better cope with adversity and grow personally.
This approach can be used to treat addictions, eating disorders, substance abuse, phobias, anxiety, and other behavioral and emotional issues. It can also prove useful in treating highly sensitive problems such as racial issues, sexual identity issues, and cultural clashes. These can all cause division and tension, but a reality therapy program can help bridge the gap between intolerance and ignorance by helping individuals not only promote equality but also recognize how their behavior is negative.
In particular, reality therapy has been proven to be an effective treatment method for mental health disorders. Research has shown that group reality therapy is effective in improving social anxiety, interpretation bias, and interpersonal relationship in adolescents.1 Because we offer dual diagnosis treatment in Boca, our reality therapy program is designed to help people with both mental health and substance abuse problems if necessary. Another study found that group reality therapy for people addicted to drugs was effective in improving both their mental health and self-esteem compared to a control group.2
Our Reality Therapy Program in Boca
Our mental health facility in Boca Raton assesses all patients to determine their best treatment plan for them. Our reality therapy program is just one of many treatment methods we use to help our patients work through their problems.
Our mental health experts are committed to providing the best care possible for all individuals struggling with mental illness. Reality therapy is an approach to mental health treatment that has been proven effective so whether you are looking for Boca anxiety and alcoholism treatment or help for bipolar disorder, contact us today to learn more about how this approach can help you.
Sources:
