Are you ready to begin your transformative journey with Choice Theory®? Our Basic Intensive Training is the foundational step in understanding and applying the powerful principles of Choice Theory® to improve relationships, enhance decision-making, and create a life of fulfillment and happiness. No prerequisites are required—just a willingness to learn and grow!
Core Concepts of Choice Theory®: Discover the fundamental needs driving all human behavior and how to use this understanding to foster meaningful connections.
The Seven Connecting Habits: Build stronger relationships by embracing habits that encourage trust and cooperation.
The Reality Therapy® Process: Learn practical tools to navigate challenges and find effective solutions for yourself and others.
Practical Applications: Integrate Choice Theory® principles into your personal and professional life, improving communication, conflict resolution, and overall well-being.
Lead Management - how to apply Choice Theory in management at work, running groups, and working with resistant clients.
Delivery: Live via Zoom (on-site arrangements available upon request)
Duration: Eight Interactive 3-hour Zoom sessions. Click on 2025 Schedule for specific dates and times.ds
Investment: $497
This interactive training sets the stage for deeper learning and application in subsequent stages of training.
Reality Therapy, developed by Dr. William Glasser in 1965, is more than just a counseling technique—it is a powerful problem-solving approach. It effectively helps individuals who seek assistance with their challenges, as well as those who appear resistant to help. Beyond counseling, Reality Therapy offers a structured model for guiding individuals toward objective self-resolution, making it an invaluable tool in coaching sessions.
At the core of Reality Therapy is the relationship between the helper and the person in need. This connection is especially crucial when working with non-voluntary clients, resistant students, or even one’s own child. Without a strong relationship, influence is lost—the helper’s words become background noise, much like the unintelligible “Whaa, whaa, whaa” of adults in Peanuts cartoons. As Gary Zukav aptly states, “Relationship is the root of all influence.” No amount of knowledge can compensate for a lack of trust. If the person you’re trying to help doesn’t believe you care or have their best interests at heart, they are unlikely to listen.
How do you establish a meaningful connection? Reality Therapy emphasizes the importance of creating a need-satisfying environment —a space where individuals feel safe, valued, and understood. According to Glasser, all humans share five basic psychological needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun.
In a helping relationship, the helper must cultivate an environment where the individual:
Feels safe and secure
Experiences a sense of connection with the helper
Is listened to and respected
Has a sense of choice and autonomy
Engages in moments of fun or meaningful learning
Only after establishing and maintaining this foundation can the helper effectively address the individual’s challenges and guide them toward solutions.
"The training that I did this past week with Kim was world/ life changing. I have always heard and even tried to use Choice Theory® in my classroom. However, it is hard to use it in your classroom when you really should just use it for yourself and every aspect of your life. I will not only take this with me to my school but will use it with every person I interact with to make me a better person and the person I want to be. I am the only person I can change so that is where I am starting, with myself" — Diane G.
If you're like many professionals, you may judge your success in therapy by whether clients follow your recommendations. While this approach works well with cooperative clients, it can be frustrating when they don’t. Basing your sense of effectiveness on something beyond your control—the choices of others—can lead to stress and burnout. Reality Therapy training offers a healthier perspective, providing a new way to measure success that empowers both you and your clients while reducing the emotional toll of the work.
Choice Theory® training enhances not only professional effectiveness but also personal fulfillment. When staff members experience greater personal satisfaction, they can engage more fully in their work. This training is highly adaptable and can be scheduled during staff development days or over the summer for maximum convenience.
Research shows that strong training programs play a key role in employee retention, and implementing Choice Theory® can have a profound impact on both workplace culture and customer satisfaction. By equipping individuals with practical tools for both their personal and professional lives, employees can better manage challenges, leading to greater focus and productivity on the job. Additionally, Choice Theory® fosters a sense of empowerment for both employees and supervisors, reducing stress and burnout by shifting mindsets from victimhood to personal responsibility and control.
Reality Therapy is a straightforward, four-step process designed to help individuals reflect on their behavior and find their own solutions. As a helper, your role isn’t to provide all the answers but to guide others in discovering the path that works best for them. This approach offers a clear framework for effective counseling interventions, equipping you with the tools to support individuals in making meaningful changes.
Choice Theory® has the power to transform every aspect of your life, shaping the way you see the world and interact with others. By applying its principles, you can become a better parent, partner, employee, or leader while experiencing greater peace and fulfillment. Your relationships will become more meaningful, bringing you closer to those who matter most. Most importantly, Choice Theory® helps you build a healthier relationship with yourself. Let go of the belief that unhappiness is inevitable or that relationships must be difficult. They don’t have to be. With small adjustments in your actions and mindset, you can create a life of greater satisfaction and connection. Explore Choice Theory® and see the difference for yourself.
The course consists of eight sessions held on Zoom, each lasting three hours, with meetings approximately every one to two weeks.
Basic Intesive Training is offered twice a year, with a choice of two group start dates. All times are in Central.
Group 1; April 1, 8, & 15, May 8, 13, 20 & 27, June 2 (9 am - 12 pm)
Group 2: August 7, 14, 21 & 28, September 4, 11 & 18, October 9 (1 pm - 4pm)
Up to 14 weeks
24 CEs In Illinois: CE's for counselors and social workers.
Contact Kim Olver directly at [email protected] to make arrangements.
"The Basic Intensive Training is the single best training I have ever attended. It honestly altered the way I view the world in such a positive and meaningful way. I think I have a much more powerful lens now for understanding students, where they are coming from, and how to help them learn to meet their needs. And, for helping teachers understand students. On a personal level it changed who I want to be and how I want to interact with others. The safe and supportive atmosphere Kim created allowed each of us to reflect on everything she taught us and how we could integrate this within our work. It also created a community of Choice Theory® practitioners who are tightly bound together and will stay in close contact to support each other as we share what we’ve learned throughout Albemarle County." — Karen G. Ferrer
"What Kim showed us in such a beautiful way is that experiencing Choice Theory® in real life is not a “Theory,” it’s a “Reality.” That no matter who you are, no matter what your background is, and no matter what religion or status you have, as long as you don’t try to use your power to control others or try to change others, and instead you focus on yourself and what you can do differently or better to improve your relationship with others, you will be successful in improving your relationship with whomever you want to, no matter who that other person is."
— Shlomo Tauber
If you would like a free consultation with Kim Olver to discuss Choice Theory & Reality Therapy Training,
book your appointment here.