[From Rick Marken (2000.08.28.2030)]
Here is a great example of what happens when people use PCT to
justify rather than modify practice. Note in particular the third
statement in the first paragraph: ..." in order for control theory
to work for me as a practicing psychiatrist, psychotherapist and
educator, I made many changes..." I don't think Glasser has ever
given a better description of his own controlling; vary the means
(PCT) as necessary to achieve the desired result (my own way of
doing things).
ยทยทยท
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Programs, Policies & Procedures Manual for the
Glasser Institute:
January 1999
Introduction by William Glasser, M.D.
For many years, I used the term "control theory" for what I now call
"Choice Theory." Even though I had always believed that we are
intrinsically motivated, I learned from William Powers, a theoretician,
that there was an actual theory of this motivation called control
theory. However, in order for control theory to work for me as a
practicing psychiatrist, psychotherapist and educator, I made many
changes in what Powers taught me. These changes are major and are
explained below.
First, I figured out what I believe is the fundamental human
motivation: the basic needs. Then, to help counselors avoid focusing
on what clients cannot directly change, which is how they feel, I
created the concept of Total Behavior. This concept explains that
we choose our actions and thoughts; feeling and physiology are always
a result of our actions and thoughts. To bring Choice Theory more in
line with W. Edwards Deming, I then added the specific concept of the
Quality World to replace Powers' internal world. Very early, I deleted
the levels of perception, which from Powers' standpoint, was his major
contribution. I replaced them with the perceptual filters--the Total
Knowledge Filter and the Valuing Filter. From the information that
passes through these filters I created a new version of the Perceived
World that puts a value on all that we perceive. I got rid of the
technical term, perceptual error, and replaced it with Frustration,
in an effort to make that concept coincide with everyday usage.
Finally, I replaced the concept of reorganization with Creativity,
because reorganization implies changing around what is already there;
creativity, however, often means changing what is there to something
totally new and more effective.
Considering that I have always taught that we choose all we do, I
decided in the spring of 1996 to call what I teach, Choice Theory.
The words "control theory" imply external control, and since Powers
and I teach so differently, I thought it would be misleading to
continue to call what I teach control theory.
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Best
Rick
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Richard S. Marken Phone or Fax: 310 474-0313
Life Learning Associates e-mail: marken@mindreadings.com
mindreadings.com