Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC) Practice Exam

Which therapy is most likely to emphasize the importance of clients meeting their own needs?

1. Gestalt Therapy

2. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

3. Reality Therapy

4. Behavioral Therapy

The correct answer is: Reality Therapy

Reality Therapy is centered around helping clients recognize their ability to meet their own needs and take responsibility for their choices. This therapeutic approach was developed by William Glasser and focuses on the idea that individuals are motivated by their basic needs, including love and belonging, power and achievement, freedom and independence, and fun. In Reality Therapy, clients are encouraged to assess their current behavior and how it aligns with their needs. They learn to develop more effective strategies for meeting these needs instead of relying on external control or avoidance behaviors. Clients engage in discussions about their desires and reflect on how their actions either fulfill or obstruct their needs. The therapist acts as a guide, fostering personal accountability and empowering clients to make better choices that lead to satisfying their needs. This process reinforces the concept that clients have the power to influence their lives and must actively participate in meeting their own emotional and psychological requirements. While the other therapeutic approaches also have valuable elements, they do not emphasize client autonomy and needs in the same foundational way as Reality Therapy. For instance, Gestalt Therapy focuses on awareness and personal responsibility but is less directly about meeting needs. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy emphasizes identifying solutions without delving deeply into needs, while Behavioral Therapy typically concentrates on modifying specific behaviors rather than addressing the fulfillment