Category Archives: Family

Communication: The ‘How-to’ of Talking

In a quest for a more satisfying (or at least, less irritating) life with his parents, Liam has asked cousin Larry for help. Now, Liam’s wondering if the reason Larry gets along with his parents is because

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Communication: What’s the Message?

“If only we could communicate.”  Whether verbal or non-verbal, we communicate to send messages to the people around us. Clearly, some communications are more effective than others. Let’s take a look at Liam, who, according to his parents, is rebellious

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A Plan for Now

As we carry on with Joey and Rayne, you may remember that Rayne wants a change in the way her grown son, Joey, interacts with her.  After looking at past activities that have been helpful, Rayne decided to try a … Continue reading

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Improving the Present

Rayne has had an imperfect past. Who hasn’t? However, Rayne’s past life interferes with her present life, as she spends hours fretting over

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The Present

You’ve probably heard this: “Every day is a gift, that’s why we call it the present.” Cliché? Yes. However, in Reality Therapy, the present is the place to be.

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When the Answer Doesn’t Work for You

Whenever you ask, “What do you want?” there’s the risk that you won’t like what you hear. Young Sam asked his parents if they wanted him to stay home. His parents replied, “Don’t mind us, we’ll manage.” But what Sam … Continue reading

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Asking, Options, and Conflict

Young Sam is conflicted. He could behave responsibly—and be confined to home to help his sick mother. Or he could be independent—and miserable about abandoning his parents. However, after friend Lisa asked him, “Do your parents want you to stay?” … Continue reading

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Finding a Third Option for Conflict

Whether it’s a conflict within yourself or with someone else, often only two far-from-ideal options seem to exist. Let’s look again at Sam, who was about to leave home when his mom became ill. Sam is a responsible young man

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Conflicts in the Quality World

What does the word “conflict” mean to you? Is it disagreement with other people?

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Driving Toward Connection

Friends matter!  According to Choice Theory/Reality Therapy, developed by Dr. Wm Glasser, our connections with people are

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