101 Quotes by William Glasser

The patient rather than the therapist must decide whether or not his behavior is irresponsible and whether he should change it. [...] If a man thinks it is all right to overeat and be fat, no obesity treatment will work.

The skill of therapy is to put the responsibility upon the patient, and after involvement is established, to ask him why he remains in therapy if he is not dissatisfied with his behavior.

Happiness occurs most often when we are willing to take responsibility for our behavior. Irresponsible people, always seeking to gain happiness without assuming responsibility, find only brief periods of joy, but not the deep-seated satisfaction which accompanies responsible behavior.

As part of becoming involved the therapist must become interested in and discuss all aspects of the patient's present life. [...] We are interested in him as a person with a wide potential, not just as a patient with problems. In fact, one of the best ways not to become involved is to discuss his problems over and over.

Good or bad, everything we do is our best choice at that moment.

This is at the heart of all good education, where the teacher asks students to think and engages them in encouraging dialogues, constantly checking for understanding and growth.

Using no control and using humor will build a relationship and make a dent to where the client puts the counselor in their quality world and then begins to relate and seek out the counselor. Effective therapy begins with the acceptance of the therapist into the client's quality world.

What happened in the past that was painful has a great deal to do with what we are today, but revisiting this painful past can contribute little or nothing to what we need to do now.

They have this big book called the 'DSM-IV,' you know, that is supposedly written about crazy people, but I think it is a book that is written by crazy people!