Dr. Glasser was influential in both my personal and professional life. I never met him personally but saw him present his mode of therapy while I was studying Counseling Psychology at Lehigh University in the mid 90s. He along with several other leaders in the field of cognitive behavioral therapy were invited to role play their mode of treatment. I was awestruck by how he easily connected with the client (an actress) and I will never forget how in comparison to the other therapists, he made the client feel hopeful, enthusiastic, and empowered. At the end of the role plays the actress was asked to talk about how the sessions went and of course Dr. Glasser came out on top.
I was already hooked onto the concepts of Reality Therapy from what I had read in graduate school and when I saw the venerable Glasser that day demonstrating the effectiveness of Reality Therapy/Control Theory I became an ardent practitioner and believer. I am actually in the process of writing a book for parents with teens, using the teen as a model of inspiration to both improve a parent’s ability to parent and also to improve the parent’s ability to live a more fulfilling life. The first lesson and upon which the book builds starts with an explanation and understanding of fulfilling basic needs based on Dr. Glasser’s work.
Words cannot express the influence he has had on my life and those with whom I have worked. Every accolade mentioned in the obituary was rightfully earned. It is my belief that his teachings will only gain in popularity and spread with the passing of time. I am grateful for his contribution not only to the field of psychology but also to the advancement of human understanding at a basic and fundamental level. Go well William Glasser!