Reality therapy seems to be widely used in treating addictions. I am currently researching it's methodology and usefulness in helping people to stop smoking. Does anyone know of any work that has been published in this area? Thanks Jason Vella Sydney

-- Jason Vella (jasonvella@hotmail.com), December 26, 2000

Answers

one of the instructors at the nova scotia community college in Middleton ,N.S.Canada bt the name of Dr. Bill Howatt has a smoke cessation program , that is really sucessfull, and does quite a lot of reality therapy , he may have the answers you need.

-- gladyskenny (gladyskenny@hotmail.com), July 30, 2001.

I have conducted several sessions for adolescents at a local high school to give them introductory information about smoking cessation. CT is inherent in the whole approach; that is, individuals attend the session by choice,indicating their interest in cessation; the facilitator's words and voice tone always convey the message "I am here to give you some information that may be helpful to you as a young person wanting to stop smoking. What you do with this information is entirely up to you..." Such statements as "I am not here to pretend that I can MAKE you stop smoking...only YOU can eventually do that..." and "who can contriol your smoking?" or "can you make someone else quit smoking?" are totally related to understanding the concept of "whose behaviour can you control?" As for needs, asking them to consider what needs are being met by smoking, more specifically, "what needs were met when you started to smoke?" "Does smoking still meet those neeeds for you?" etc. and then brainstormimg other ways of meeting these needs. I can not over emphasize the importance of voice tone and body language in this context. (I am considering making a presentation on this for cert week 2002.)

-- Brenda Boudreau (leobren@nbnet.nb.ca), June 10, 2002.