National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) Practice Exam

Which therapy approach fosters empowerment by encouraging clients to take responsibility for their actions?

1. Psychodynamic Therapy

2. Reality Therapy

3. Humanistic Therapy

4. Family Systems Therapy

The correct answer is: Reality Therapy

Reality Therapy effectively promotes empowerment by encouraging clients to take responsibility for their actions. This approach, developed by William Glasser, is grounded in the concept of choice theory, which asserts that individuals have control over their behavior and can choose how to respond to their circumstances. In reality therapy, the focus is on current issues rather than past experiences, which empowers clients to recognize their role in creating their own reality. The therapeutic process involves helping clients understand the consequences of their choices and guiding them to make better decisions aligned with their goals and values. This fosters a sense of personal agency, motivating clients to actively participate in their own change rather than feeling like passive victims of their circumstances. While other therapy approaches have their strengths, they do not emphasize responsibility and empowerment in the same direct way as reality therapy. Psychodynamic therapy often delves into unconscious processes and past experiences, potentially leading clients to feel less empowered in the present moment. Humanistic therapy does focus on the individual's potential and self-actualization, but it may not explicitly center on taking responsibility for actions as a primary therapeutic goal. Family systems therapy examines relational dynamics and influences within the family context, but it may not primarily emphasize individual responsibility. Thus, reality therapy stands out as the approach that uniquely fosters empowerment through