Introduction
This essay explores key concepts in counselling, drawing from behavioural and reality therapy approaches, as relevant to undergraduate studies in this field. As a student examining counselling theories, I recognise the importance of applying practical tools to everyday issues, such as habits and interpersonal relationships. The essay is structured into three main sections: first, a behavioural functional assessment of chronic procrastination, identifying antecedents, the behaviour, and consequences; second, an application of William Glasser’s WDEP system from Reality Therapy to a client scenario involving workplace dynamics; and third, a reflection on Choice Theory’s concept of Total Behaviour, including how the idea of choosing misery influences counselling practice. These elements highlight the interplay between behaviour analysis and client-centred therapies, supported by academic sources. By addressing these areas, the essay demonstrates a sound understanding of counselling principles, with some critical evaluation of their applications and limitations, aiming to inform therapeutic strategies in real-world contexts (Glasser, 1998; Miltenberger, 2016).
Functional Assessment of Chronic Procrastination
In counselling, behavioural functional assessment (BFA) is a systematic process used to understand the factors maintaining problematic habits, often rooted in applied behaviour analysis. This approach, as outlined by Miltenberger (2016), involves identifying antecedents (triggers that precede the behaviour), the behaviour itself, and consequences (reinforcers that follow and sustain it). For this analysis, I will apply BFA to a hypothetical habit of chronic procrastination, a common issue among students and professionals that can lead to stress and reduced productivity. Procrastination is typically defined as the voluntary delay of intended actions despite expecting negative outcomes (Steel, 2007). While this is a hypothetical example, it draws on verified patterns from behavioural research to illustrate the process.
Antecedents, or triggers, are environmental or internal cues that set the stage for the behaviour. In the case of chronic procrastination, common antecedents might include overwhelming task demands, such as facing a complex assignment with a tight deadline, or internal states like anxiety and low self-efficacy. For instance, a student might encounter an antecedent when receiving an email notification about an upcoming essay submission, which triggers feelings of dread due to perceived difficulty. Research supports that such triggers often involve high-effort tasks paired with immediate distractions, like social media availability (Steel, 2007). Furthermore, antecedents can be temporal, such as end-of-day fatigue, which arguably exacerbates avoidance. Understanding these triggers is crucial in counselling, as it allows therapists to target interventions at the source, though limitations exist if clients underreport internal cues.
The behaviour itself refers to the observable actions or inactions that constitute the habit. For chronic procrastination, this might manifest as delaying work by engaging in unrelated activities, such as browsing the internet or watching television instead of starting the task. Typically, this involves a pattern of avoidance where the individual chooses short-term gratification over long-term goals. Miltenberger (2016) describes this as an operant behaviour shaped by reinforcement histories, where the act of postponing provides immediate relief from discomfort. In a counselling context, documenting the behaviour through self-monitoring tools, like journals, helps quantify its frequency and intensity, revealing patterns that might otherwise remain unnoticed.
Consequences, or reinforcers, are the outcomes that maintain the behaviour through positive or negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcers for procrastination could include the pleasure derived from leisure activities, such as the dopamine rush from social media scrolling, which temporarily distracts from anxiety. Negative reinforcement occurs when avoidance removes the immediate stress of the task, reinforcing the habit cycle. However, long-term consequences are often punishing, like missed deadlines leading to poor grades or self-criticism, yet these do not override the short-term gains (Steel, 2007). This dynamic keeps the habit alive, as the immediate reinforcers outweigh delayed punishers. Critically, BFA highlights that without addressing these reinforcers, interventions may fail; for example, simply advising time management overlooks underlying motivational deficits. In practice, counsellors might use this assessment to develop replacement behaviours, though evidence suggests variability in effectiveness across individuals (Miltenberger, 2016). Overall, this functional assessment underscores the need for tailored, evidence-based strategies in counselling to break such cycles.
The WDEP System in Reality Therapy
William Glasser’s Reality Therapy, grounded in Choice Theory, emphasises personal responsibility and fulfilling basic needs to achieve better relationships and well-being. The WDEP system—Wants, Doing, Evaluation, Planning—serves as a structured framework for helping clients assess and change behaviours (Glasser, 1998; Wubbolding, 2011). Here, I apply it to a hypothetical client, a mid-level employee who desires an improved relationship with their supervisor but feels powerless, often due to perceived hierarchies in the workplace. This scenario reflects common counselling issues in occupational stress, where clients seek empowerment.
Beginning with Wants: What does the client really want? In Reality Therapy, wants are tied to basic needs like belonging and power. The client might express a desire for mutual respect, open communication, and recognition from the supervisor, ultimately aiming for a collaborative work environment that reduces feelings of helplessness. Glasser (1998) argues that clarifying wants helps clients focus on achievable goals rather than vague frustrations. For this client, the core want could be phrased as “I want a professional relationship where my ideas are valued, leading to less conflict and more job satisfaction.” This step is essential, as unarticulated wants can perpetuate dissatisfaction.
Next, Doing: What is the client currently doing to achieve this? The client might be engaging in passive behaviours, such as avoiding direct confrontation, complaining to colleagues, or withdrawing from interactions, which reinforce feelings of powerlessness. For example, they could be over-apologising during meetings or not voicing opinions, thereby maintaining the status quo. Wubbolding (2011) notes that examining current actions reveals discrepancies between behaviour and goals, often highlighting ineffective strategies rooted in external control perceptions.
Evaluation: Is what they are doing working? Here, the client reflects on whether their actions align with their wants. In this case, avoidance and withdrawal are likely not working, as they exacerbate isolation and fail to improve the relationship, potentially leading to increased resentment. Reality Therapy encourages honest self-evaluation without judgment, fostering insight (Glasser, 1998). Critically, this step can be challenging if clients externalise blame, a limitation noted in therapy literature, where resistance might stem from deep-seated beliefs about authority.
Finally, Planning: Create a SAMIC plan—Simple, Attainable, Measurable, Immediate, Controlled. A suitable plan could involve the client scheduling a one-on-one meeting with the supervisor to discuss a specific idea, such as “I will email my supervisor by Friday to request a 15-minute chat next week about project feedback, preparing three points in advance.” This is simple (straightforward steps), attainable (realistic within power dynamics), measurable (trackable outcomes like the meeting occurring), immediate (short-term action), and controlled (dependent on the client’s initiative, not the supervisor’s response). Wubbolding (2011) emphasises SAMIC for its practicality, though it requires ongoing counsellor support to adapt if initial plans falter. This application demonstrates Reality Therapy’s strength in empowering clients, albeit with potential limitations in highly toxic work environments.
Choice Theory Reflection: Total Behaviour and Choosing Misery
Choice Theory, developed by Glasser, posits that all behaviour is chosen to satisfy basic needs, encapsulated in the concept of Total Behaviour, comprising four components: Acting, Thinking, Feeling, and Physiology (Glasser, 1998). Acting refers to observable actions, such as speaking or moving; Thinking involves cognitive processes like planning or ruminating; Feeling encompasses emotions like anger or joy; and Physiology covers bodily responses, including heart rate or tension. These elements are interconnected, like car wheels, where steering thinking and acting can influence feeling and physiology, though all move together.
Understanding that we “choose” our misery—meaning individuals select behaviours leading to unhappiness, rather than being victims of external forces—fundamentally alters the counselor’s approach. Instead of focusing on past traumas or symptom alleviation, counsellors guide clients towards responsible choices that fulfil needs, promoting empowerment (Glasser, 1998). This shifts from a deterministic view to one of agency, encouraging self-evaluation over blame. However, critics argue this overlooks biological factors in mental health, such as in depression (Corey, 2017). Nonetheless, it fosters proactive counselling, enhancing client autonomy.
Conclusion
In summary, this essay has examined behavioural functional assessment through procrastination, applied the WDEP system to a workplace scenario, and reflected on Total Behaviour in Choice Theory. These tools illustrate counselling’s practical value in addressing habits and relationships, with implications for empowering clients amid limitations like individual variability. As a student in counselling, I appreciate how these frameworks promote critical, evidence-based practice, potentially improving therapeutic outcomes in diverse settings.
References
- Corey, G. (2017) Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. 10th edn. Boston: Cengage Learning.
- Glasser, W. (1998) Choice Theory: A New Psychology of Personal Freedom. New York: HarperCollins.
- Miltenberger, R. G. (2016) Behavior Modification: Principles and Procedures. 6th edn. Boston: Cengage Learning.
- Steel, P. (2007) ‘The nature of procrastination: A meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure’, Psychological Bulletin, 133(1), pp. 65-94.
- Wubbolding, R. E. (2011) Reality Therapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
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