Chapter 7 CCRT Power PDF

CHAPTER 7 CCRT Power ''Power is the second need on the list ofuniversal needsfor every human to func- tion in normal reality. Reality 1berapy power includes learning, achieving, feeling worthwhile, and winning {ju...

CHAPTER 7 CCRT Power ''Power is the second need on the list ofuniversal needsfor every human to func- tion in normal reality. Reality 1berapy power includes learning, achieving, feeling worthwhile, and winning {just to name afew." (Glasser, 1965) In the book Using Reality 1herapy by Dr. Robert Wubbolding writes, "1he needfor power is of- ten expressed through competition with people around us. It is also expressed in achieving some- thing;for example, swimming orjogging non-competitively also provides a sense ofachievement or self-worth. Making plans andfollowing through on them can help fulfill the needfor power. When I think ofpower, I am instantly reminded ofMother Teresa, that marvelous woman who has shunned the worldly status and leadership which helped many others to fulfill their power needs. Yet her irifluence and serving the poor of Calcutta has placed her as a person who is genu- inely powerful worldwide." In his book Understanding Reality Therapy: A Metaphorical Approach, Dr. Wubbolding writes, "Power or Achievement: people have a tendency to seek competence, to have a sense of achievement or accomplishment, to gain self-esteem and self-worth, 84  CHAPTER 7 CCRT and to be in charge of their own lives. When this need is unmet the consequences are feelings of being out of control." Dr. Glasser writes, "1hose who believe and assume incorrectly, (say) mental illness is some- thing definitively wrong with the patient which causes him to be the way he is. Most psychi- atrists believe the patient was alright at one time and then fell victim to a series of unhappy life experiences which now cause his deviant behavior. When these experiences are exposed and resolved through conversational psychotherapy, the mentally ill person will recover in much the same way that the physically ill person recovers from a strep throat when the penicillin kills the Streptococcus. "U'e believe this concept misleads the doctor and the patient, and t~ose concerned with him fall into the false beliefthe doctor's job is to treat some de.finite condition, after which the patient will get well 1his attitude was graphically illustrated by a patient who I treated some years ago, an imposing woman who sat down, looked directly at me and stated in all sincerity," I am here, Doctor. Do psychiatry!" (Glasser, 1965) Christ Centered Reality Therapy - (CCRT): The Reality of Power is it directly attacks the cause of mental illness. Real power is always individual and internal. Superficial power is external and only a perception. One of man's primary sources of self-destruction is the lack of hope or perceived pow- er. Being a successful shoplifter or not getting caught in a lie will provide a sense of power, control and achievement but is ultimately self-destructive. The lack of individual hope is congruent with the consequences or of being out of control. Abnormal reality always provides depression, discouragement, and a lack of hope. Abnormal reality gives a false sense of what is good or false self-control. The abnormal power always has a source, and it becomes an altering of normal reality. Abnormal reality control is like a drug dealer asking God to bless his drug deal so he can make a lot of money. The man who gets pulled over for drunk driving and promises "the big man upstairs" he will never drink again if he just gets him out of this one. A young woman who prays for God to not let her be pregnant this time because she's not sure which one of her boyfriends is the father. 85 CHRIST CENTERED REALITY THERAPY FOR THE 21 ST CENTURY In each of these examples, the individuals are hopelessly bound up in negative behav- ior with an abnormal perception of reality. They are desperately crying out for help while circling the toilet of depression and life despair. Their fear and lives are perilously out of control. Each is absorbed by their abnormality. Reality Key: Abnormal behavior always began at an early age and is an imitation of the environment. (Children often go into the family business) ''Most psychiatrists believe the patient was alright at one time and then fell victim to a series of unhappy life experiences which now cause his deviant behavior. " (Glasser) This is a Yes and No. Abnormal reality infests the world at all ages of development. The concept of normal must always be defined and clearly understood by an individual and on a personal level. The understanding of morality and ethics does not guarantee the absence of abnormality. Individual choice is the constant in the normal formula. 1he Death of Sigmund Freud· At the end of Freud's life, he was a desperately hopeless man who had cancer and hated God. He also hated his life. His quest to discover the inner truth was bound to his absolute negative perception for spiritual man. To hate the spiritual nature of oneself is to hate the larger part of onese1£ He faced the end of his life with eternal hopelessness. Freud's last attempt at writing on this earth, and his real legacy of how he related to God, was to formulate a.fictional account of Moses from his Jewish heritage. His ultimate goal was to discredit the practice ofJudaism as he understood it and bring all men to the conscious belief man was self-sufficient. The God of the Bible was a mythological god. Man's created god is the root of the Hebrew race and Jewish religion is responsible for the individual and national destruction. 1he Legacy of His Last Days: The author records, "Freud also focuses on the psycho- analyst's last major project, "Moses and Monotheism," one of Freud's highly speculative works. In it he offered an argument about the origins of religion (in delusion and desire), the identity of Moses (he was really an Egyptian) and the historical destiny of the Jews (how they lived with the trauma of oppression). Some complained the psychoanalyst was 86  CHAPTER 7 CCRT depriving the Jews of images of leadership and consolation when they needed them the most. It was 1938, after all, and a program of unimaginable horror was getting under- way." (Bloomsbury) Freud's last book of choice was Balzac's mysterious tale of 1he Magical Shrinking Skin, La Peau De Chagrin. When he had finished the book, he told Schurcasually this had been the right book for him to read, as he dealt with shrinking and starvation." Freud's last book was really about a man who is dying of starvation and made a pact with Lucifer to ease the suffering but in the end, Lucifer the devil did nothing but allow him to suffer. Freud concluded he had read the right book for the conclusion of his life. All of Freud's insight into the human psyche the best he could do was in the last des- perate act of a hopeless life by having his physician assist him in suicide." (Gay, 1988) Power and achievement as understood in relationship to God's absolutes within CCRT, is achieved first and foremost by interpersonal relationships. Dr. Glasser writes about interpersonal relationships as foundational to reality. Jesus Christ never promised to give any individual Christian anything more than he could or should handle. The problem is people take on problems they were never intended to handle. In fact, people were never intended to get close to or even touch some problems. Individuals draw things into their lives and interpersonal relationships producing an ab- normal perception of reality. These abnormal precipitates create a loss of control. This loss of control (or power) leads to toxic behavior and relationships. In absolutely all of Jesus' interpersonal relationships, he never once avoided a problem or a conflict.Jesus always chose truth above compromise. He was never sidetracked from the real issue regardless of the situation or who confronted him. Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus was a classic example of how a personal relation- ship begins with a counseling client. Nicodemus had come to Jesus to share his story and with a preconceived agenda. Jesus immediately pointed out the foundational nature of the problem and proceeded to help Nicodemus realize truth or a new reality. Nicodemus immediately began to argue and rush behind his wall of well-organized defense systems created from his abnormal reality and his perceived truth. The simplicity of the truth was 87 CHRIST CENTERED REALITY THERAPY FOR THE 21 ST CENTURY it would be very painful for Nicodemus since it would mean change. The change would be from hi~ belief system to normality. Reality Key: For a counselor the unwavering resolve there is a normal reality and it is essential. Uncompromising normal reality will mean as a counselor it will be necessary to redirect in love the client back to normal reality. Jesus unfolded the gospel to Nicodemus within the context of an interpersonal ex- change.Jesus shares a foundational theological cornerstone verse,John 3:16. In fact, it is noteworthy, ALL the favorite evangelical quoted verses of Jesus Christ come from interpersonal relationships, conversations, and conflicts. The conversations with Jesus from His interpersonal relationship provide a wealth of normalized reality. Jesus took the time with Nicodemus and the result was he touched on the core problem of his human need, which is to be born again. Wow, talk about change! Counseling experience teaches power is the second pole position in the universal hu- man need. Power is the need to care for one's sel£ I was highly skeptical of this concept at first. Upon reflection, having been involved with numerous types of mental illness, addic- tion and a variety of counseling clients' needs, I have determined individual power should occupy the first pole position. Self-reliant independence and the ability to individually operate with self-control and independence is considered maturity even by the world's standards. The most successful self-help group in the entire world, run by lay counselors and be- gun as a Christ centered ministry is A.A. The cover page of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA.) third edition, 1976, "Originally published in 1939, when A.A. membership numbered was only about 100, a first edition of this book went through more than 300,000 copies. Not bad for a startup group. The second edition, appearing in 1955, when membership had surpassed 150,000, eventually brought the total distribution to over 1,450,000 cop- ies. By the time the third edition went to the printer in March 1976, A.A. membership 88  CHAPTER 7 CCRT worldwide was estimated conservatively at a million members, but the basic text pages 1 through 164 remain unchanged. The 35th printing was in 1989 and continues to this day." CCRT states the human will always attempt to meet the basic human needs. I think of the Alcoholics Anonymous program to be one long term self-funded research program. AA has immeasurable success more than any other treatment program or counseling mo- dality which has ever existed. Alcoholic's recovery begins with AA Step One, "'We admit we are powerless over alcohol and our lives have become unmanageable. "This is the first step of any and all AA programs and has been unchanged since the 1939 publication. The founder of the A.A. program, Bill Williams, places the emphasis on powerlessness over alcohol and today any addiction with new organizations like Narcotics Anonymous Then, as now, the alcoholics who first attend the A.A program take the concept of powerlessness for granted. There is at the very least casualness to their understanding and lackadaisicalness to their recovery. Until the day the alcoholic run's headlong into the fact the alcoholic lifestyle is abnormal and their personal power is under the control of alcohol, they remain truly powerless. Understanding the principle of powerlessness is the foundation for a successful ap- proach to recovery from alcohol dependency or addiction. It was with this realization, A.A. in essence agreed with Dr. Glasser placing "Power" as the second need of the hier- archy of needs. Which leads to the question: is Dr. Classer's order of needs out of order? Should love be the second and power be first, or are they the same thing? There is a resolutely abject difference between power and love. Power and love have different practical applications of the two individual needs. "A client of mine once told me he was trying to 12 step his marriage back to health and it did not work''! Reality Key: Marriage is an outer expression of an inward truth founded in love not power. 89 CHRIST CENTERED REALITY THERAPY FOR THE 21 ST CENTURY Addicted people breaking free of addiction will come to understand the process of identifying powerlessness involves a great deal of mental, physical, and spiritual pain. Those who have a low threshold and tolerance for pain often fail at recovery. You have to toughen up to recover; this is a reality. The pain in their life and their low threshold of pain help to develop their dependency on a substance. When they surrender their self-control (or power), the addict prefers to exist in their state of abnormal reality (pain pills, drunk or high) rather than experience any of the pain of recovery. Reality Key: CCRT addiction states you drink to feel good so thus there must be a reason you feel bad (pain). Pain is the great motivator. Pain and powerlessness walk hand in hand. The fear of pain is greater than the need for power, hope and control. It is always amazing in the movies when the hero and his lady fair are in the middle of a typhoon or a hail of bullets, they look at each other with longing in their eyes. Next, they stop pas- sionately kissing, then run for their lives. Meanwhile, the rest of the people in the movie theater are yelling, "run, the monster's coming!" Fear and powerlessness are both taught and learned by all people universally. In normal reality, real people would run, not stop and kiss. Abnormality becomes an addict's reality; the selfishness of the addiction is the new normal. The control of the substance is greater than the need for self or others. This is the point of surrender of personal power. This is why all alcoholics describe their existence as hopeless and empty and out of control. They have given away their power to the drug and the abnormal life. Drugs, pain pills, and booze have only one kind of relationship which is not power, hope or control. Trying to meet the need (power, hope and control) with a substance is like getting buck naked and diving into cactus to scratch and itch on your back. The end results are always the same every time you jump in, "pain''! The more pain the more the need to medicate the pain. The addiction cycle begins. 90  CHAPTER 7 CCRT There are always three sides to addiction. First there is the substance of the addictive activity causing physical dependency. Second, there is the psychological dependency to the addictive activity. Third is the spiritual dependency on the addictive activity. The "psychological part of addiction is what I call bootstrap theology. It is the idea, I can reach down, pull myself up by my bootstraps, and take care of myse1£ I do not need God or anyone else. I cannot express to you how many chemically dependent people I have heard articulate: "I am not an addict; I just like to drink.""I can stop anytime I want." ''All I need is willpower and I can control my drinking and everybody else." Each time they try, they hit the wall of pain and retreat back into the bottle. The abnormal perception of reality in individuals predates the addiction. When the third-grade teacher asked the students what they want to be when they grow up? No child put their hand up and said, "I want to be a crackhead, hooker or drunk." Most children want to be a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker or an NFL star. The abnormal per- ception of reality relates to the second part of the AA statement, "our lives have become unmanageable," loss of power, hope and control. Reality Key: CCRT identifies these typical statements in a self-diagnosis about the abnormal reality of addiction. The addiction has become so great, abnormality now con- trols the entire life event system. The need for substance is greater than the want of in- dividual hope, power or control. The balance of the AA program is stressing the need to gain control over one's personal life. CCRT cannot over stress the necessity to remove the misguided mythology and ideology of substance abuse and addiction which represents only one set of counseling issues. The false and misguided myth concept of psychological dependency and mental ill- ness represents one set of issues while addiction represents another set of problems. If a person has diabetes and high blood pressure both are treated. Both diseases are chronic and pervasive in the United States of America in the 21st century. Each medical condi- tion represents a significant health risk. Each disease must be treated separately, and both 91 CHRIST CENTERED REALITY THERAPY FOR THE 21 ST CENTURY conditions can be treated simultaneously with different medicines. One condition will have preeminence. One may be more life threatening. High blood pressure can cause a heart attack or stroke and needs to be treated immediately. Diabetes has lethal, long-term effects and needs also to be treated immediately. Exercise, medication, an appropriate diet is part of the healing recipe, but the medication for each is different. Utilizing the same logical medical reasoning, addiction and psychological issues are equally important, but one is preeminent and the cure for both is congruent. It is impossible to deal with psychological issues of an addict while the addict is self-medicating with substance. It is essential to put the plug in the jug and deal with the medical psychological needs. It is very difficult to talk sense to a drunk person while they are still drinking. As my alcoholic father used to say, "If you give coffee to a drunk you have a wide awake drunk, or if you sober up a thief you have a sober thie£" My father did not know he was expressing the two sides of the same coin. Both feed on each other and exist in an abnormal perception of reality. The treatment for each is the same but different. Paul writes to the Ephesians about power and the control of power Christ adminis- ters in each life. Paul points to the inward man in which God's power dwells. The control over each life is grounded in the love of God and the love of God for each and every one who accepts Jesus Christ. Changing men's hearts leads to changing reality. "And to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge." It is NOT necessary to learn every intricate detail about God to understand the entire scope of a new reality. A spiritual man will grow in leaps and bounds always, but the natural man drags behind. St.Jerome said, "The Scriptures are shallow enough for a baby to come and drink without fear of drowning and deep enough for theologians to swim in without ever reaching the bottom." The inauguration of hope is essential for normal reality. Without hope we are like a drowning man thrashing in the deep water who will grab anything to stay alive even drowning the lifeguard trying to save him. Men grab abnormalities to stay afloat. It is akin to drowning in the ocean and grabbing a shark thinking it will keep you from drowning. The 21st century is overwhelmed with abnormal and false belief systems. Confusion is the power of abnormality and the cornerstone of false belief systems. 92  CHAPTER 7 CCRT Once safely in the life boat of hope, life is regained. The process is not over. Now the work begins rowing to safe ground where final and ultimate safety is found. You cannot live a full life in a lifeboat! Reality Key: Regaining Hope, Control and Power is an incremental process, and a clear plan of action and direction is required. The counselor must lay out an uncompro- mising plan of action, with measurable and clearly defined goals. Lifeguards do not ask the drowning man what he wants. The lifeguard knows the need and takes action (they are the trained professional). CCRT in action is extremely directive counseling and un- compromising in absolutes. The CCRT intake process is an ongoing goal assessment of the counseling client. All three counseling elements (MBS) should have measurable goals. The treatment plan must have mental, physical and spiritual goals. Reality Key: The reinstallation of power (control) must occur on all three levels. It is not necessary the goals be achieved at the same rate or frequency. It does not matter what order is achieved first. You CANNOT achieve the installation of a new reality and hope with nondirective counseling. Is not about control of the client. Success is in creating a mutual plan with a critical path, a realistic scope, and achievable plan. The installation of normalcy takes work, critical thinking skills, a systematic approach, and persistence. Story of my favorite drunk,James M. is a good illustration. He came to church at the urging of his family. After Sunday service he would always head out to the bar where he spent most of his time. After one Sunday service, he stopped to talk to me about the fact he had no intention of stopping drinking, but he did enjoy church, expecting a lecture from me on the evils of being a drunk. In fact, I quickly opened Genesis and pointed out Noah was the first recorded drunk in the Bible. Next, I gave him the master Keys to the church and asked him to work on any project he felt like in his spare time. He was stunned I would trust an old drunk like him with a key. Thus, led to a long relationship and an amazing testimony which culminated in James M. starting an A.A. Meeting at the 93 CHRIST CENTERED REALITY THERAPY FOR THE 21 ST CENTURY church. He was empowered with a Key. We all need hope. The physical key was the "key" to him realizing there was hope for a better life of normal reality. ''In the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit ofan unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, let us alone.' What have you to do with us,Jesus ofNazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One ofGod" ButJesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out ofhim."' When the demon had thrown him down before them, he came out ofhim without having done him any harm. Luke 4:33-35 Even under the loving care of Jesus, the demon gasping for life tosses the man pain- fully to the ground. There is always pain in the process of healing. CCRT Reality Key: When Jesus completes a healing work in an individual, they are ab- solutely healed. Carl Rogers introduced the term non-directivity in the 1940's to distinguish his ap- proach to therapy from the existing forms of therapy at time. He was trying to separate himself from Sigmund Freud. The therapies of the 1940's was based on the concept, the doctor was the one to diagnose, evaluate, and offer expert direction to the patient. In contrast, Rogers proposed people need to rely less on the judgements of others and instead turn inwards to themselves as the best expert on what to do. "In short, he believed people are their own best experts." This is like one of those clover leaf engineering drawings for highways. It looks good on paper until you have to drive the road. Consider a man who is hopelessly lost in the woods, when you find him, you ask for directions. It's nice to have someone to talk to, but you are both still lost. Reality Key: Tools and therapies: a tool is a device to accomplish a task; you need many different tools to construct a livable permanent structure. The more complex the structure, the more tools needed. N ondirective Counseling is a tool, not a therapy. Counselors who only use this tool would be like tossing a carpenter only a hammer and telling him to build 94  CHAPTER 7 CCRT a house. To build successfully, a person needs blueprints, saws, nails, glue, materials, and so on. They also need a place to build a home. Nondirective counseling is a good tool to have a client learn to communicate. It is a skill, not a direction. This book is written in the style of systematic critical thinking and directive instructions. 95 CHRIST CENTERED REALITY THERAPY FOR THE 21 ST CENTURY CHAPTER 8 CCRT Christ Centered Reality Therapy Key Reality Study Questions 1. Which leads to the question: is Dr. Glasser's order of needs out of order? Should love be the second and power be first or are they the same thing? 2. The story ofJames M. the drunk, I used CCRT to help him heal. There is much more to the story but applying what you understand from the text, how was hope instilled in him? 3. The addiction has become so great, abnormality now controls the entire life event sys- tem. Qyestion: What are the three areas it controls? 4. According to the text "Regain Hope, Control and Power is an incremental process." Explain this as a concept of CCRT. 5. "For a counselor the unwavering resolve" Qyestion: What does this mean as a coun- selor? What is the focus of the resolve? Explain in detail. Hint, are you committed to the client, the plan, the money, or self? 6. It is NOT necessary to learn every intricate detail about God to understand the entire scope of a new reality. Qyestion: Explain this concept and do you agree? 7. "One of man's primary sources of self-destruction is the lack of hope or perceived power." Qyestion: explain where morals and ethics play a role according to the text. 8. Abnormal behavior always began at an early age and is an imitation of the environ- ment. (Children often go into the family business) Qyestion: Explain this concept and give at least one short example. 9. Dr. Glasser writes, "1hose who believe and assume incorrectly, mental illness is something definitively wrong with the patient which causes him to be the way he is. Most psychiatrists believe that the patient was alright at one time and then Jell victim to a series of unhappy life experiences which now cause his deviant behavior. Qyestion: Do you agree or disagree with Glasser? Explain your subjective opinion in one to three paragraphs. 96  CHAPTER 7 CCRT 10. "Reality Key: CCRT identifies these typical statements in a self-diagnosis about the abnormal reality of addiction. The addiction has become so great, abnormality now controls the entire life event system. The need for substance is greater than the want of individual hope, power or control." (&estion: Addiction is used in the text because it is easy to understand and illustrate. Other than addiction, apply this concept to any other areas oflife and explain and illustrate with an example. 11. "In fact, it is noteworthy that ALL thefavorite evangelical quoted verses ofJesus Christ come from interpersonal relationships, conversations and conflicts." (&estion: Using the bible, list five Chapters and verses in the New Testament where Jesus had a conflict and the verses have become a bedrock quote of Christianity. 12. "Power and achievement as understood in relationship to God's absolutes within CCRT, is achieved first and foremost by interpersonal relationships. Dr. Glasser writes about interpersonal relationships being foundational to reality." Explain this concept from a Christian perspective. Use your own words. Do not cut and paste long passages from the bible. 97