reality therapy homework

Reality Therapy

Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff

Reality therapy is a client-centered form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that focuses on improving present relationships and circumstances, with less concern and discussion of past events. This approach is based on the idea that our most important need is to be loved, to feel that we belong and that all other basic needs can be satisfied only by building strong connections with others. Reality therapy sees behavior as choices, and it teaches us that while we cannot control how we feel, we can control how we think and behave. We choose to behave in certain ways and these choices can help or hamper the ability to satisfy essential needs and reach individual goals . This therapy also uses choice theory, the behaviors we choose are key to our accountability and who we are. This therapy is less concerned with actual mental health diagnoses; the goal of this type of therapy is to help people take control of improving their own lives by learning to make better choices.

• When It's Used
• What to Expect
• How It Works
• What to Look for in a Reality Therapist

The principles of reality therapy can be applied to individual, parent-child, and family counseling. Studies have proven the effectiveness of reality therapy in treating addiction and other behavioral problems. It is also an approach that works with people in leadership positions, from education to coaching and administration to management, where problem-solving, instilling motivation , and a focus on achievement play essential roles in their connection to others.

Therapists use this approach for tough problems such as eating disorders, addiction, substance use, anxiety , phobias, and relationship difficulties.

There is significant overlap in the two approaches. They differ to the extent that CBT examines a person's thought process and emotions more closely, whereas reality therapy focuses on unmet needs and goals in a dispassionate manner. Both are present-day focused, reality therapy may be more so. 

Reality therapy focuses on present issues and current behavior as they affect you now and will affect you later. Little or no time is spent delving into the past. Since reality therapy is solution-oriented, you will examine how your behavior is interfering with your ability to form stronger relationships and figure out what kind of changes you can make in your behavior to get what you want out of life. You can learn how to reconnect with people from whom you have become disconnected and how to make new connections. If you try to make excuses or blame others for your behavior, the therapist will show you how that kind of thinking results in behavior that prevents you from improving relationships and reaching your goals. You have the opportunity to learn and practice new ways to relate and techniques in the privacy of the therapist’s office before you employ them in your life outside of sessions.

• W wants: What the individual wants

• D doing: What the individual is doing to progress

• E evaluation: Assessing the effectiveness of the individual’s behavior

• P planning: Plan a course of action to change behavior

Based on the work of psychiatrist William Glasser in the mid-1960s, reality therapy is founded on the idea that everyone is seeking to fulfill five basic needs, and mental health issues arise when any of these needs are not being met. The five basic needs are:

1. Power, or a sense of self-worth and achievement

2. Love and belonging, or being part of a family or community of loved ones

3. Freedom, or independence

4. Fun, which includes a sense of satisfaction or pleasure

5. Survival, or the comfort of knowing that one’s basic needs—food, shelter, and sex —are met.

When one or more of these needs go unfilled, the resulting problems occur in the present time and in current relationships; hence, it makes sense to act and think in the present time. Reality therapy is also based on choice theory — you cannot change or control others, and the only sensible approach to solving problems is to control yourself and your own behavior. This will help you make choices that work toward your life goals.

And these seven habits will help you to connect in your relationships:

• Support

• Encouragement

• Listen

• Accept

• Trust

• Respect

• Negotiation

Conversely, these seven habits may lead to disconnection in your relationships:

• Criticism

• Blame

• Complaints

• Nagging

• Threats

• Punishment

• Bribing

The perceived world is what you think reality is, and the quality world is what you actually want. If there is a large gap between the perceived world and the quality world, life satisfaction will be rather low. The idea is to bring the two worlds closer together, either by bringing your reality closer to your quality world or by changing what you want in your quality world.

It’s a good idea to screen your potential therapist either in person or over video or phone. During this initial introduction, ask the therapist:

• How they may help with your particular concerns • Have they dealt with this type of problem before • What is their process • What is the treatment timeline

Look for a licensed mental health professional, a cognitive-behavioral therapist, or a counselor with training and experience in reality therapy and choice theory. Health providers can receive training and certification for this type of therapy. In addition to checking credentials, it is important to find a reality therapist with whom you feel comfortable working. Note that not all types of therapy are covered by insurance, so call your carrier for information.

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8 Reality therapy Exercises & Activities to do with your Clients

Reality Therapy was initially developed in the 1960s by William Glasser and has grown in popularity with mental health professionals since then. Another notable influence on this therapeutic approach is Robert Wubbolding (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010). Keep reading to learn 8 Reality Therapy Exercises and Activities you can do with your clients.

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Reality Therapy differs from other therapeutic approaches because it focuses on the process, more so than the outcomes and results (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010). Reality Therapy draws from both cognitive and behavioral strategies during its use.

Reality Therapy initially incorporated Control Theory into it by believing that our brains naturally control our behaviors and emotions so that we can meet our basic needs (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010). However, in the mid-1990s, Glasser determined that this was not the best viewpoint, and that the true underlying theory was Choice Theory (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010). In Choice Theory, it is believed that the choices we make regarding our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors impact our quality of life (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010). In line with this belief, Glasser believed that choice theory is more beneficial for clients when compared to the use of psychotropic medications for mental health illnesses (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010).

Reality Therapy recognizes the role that a child’s environment will have later in life. As an example, Glasser believed that the best way to raise children was in a loving environment that provided them with opportunities to experience freedom, power, and fun in an age-appropriate, and healthy manner (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010). Additionally, Glasser believed that adults have the ability to overcome difficulties and challenges that stem from childhood by working to address their basic needs that were not met at a younger age (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010).

An important belief of Reality Therapy is that we are all born with 5 basic needs. This includes belonging, power and achievement, fin and enjoyment, freedom and independence, and survival (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010). While we each have the same basic needs, Reality Therapy recognizes that there are differences in the ways that we work to meet these needs. There are also individual differences regarding how we each view the importance of these basic needs. Within the Reality Therapy approach, mental health struggles are believed to be the result of unmet needs (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010).

Reality Therapy has four main elements that can be remembered with the acronym WDEP . This includes Wants, Direction and Doing, Evaluation, and Planning. Reality Therapists tend to focus more on what their clients are doing rather than why they are acting as they are (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010).

Reality Therapists often describe a client’s symptoms as verbs in an effort to help their clients take responsibility for their behaviors and emotions (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010). These therapists tend to use “what” questions frequently, and “why” questions sparingly (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010).

Mental Health Concerns That Can Benefit from Reality Therapy Exercises

Reality Therapy is a great example of a therapeutic approach that can be applied to a variety of settings and a variety of presenting concerns. If we are to look at clinical uses, Reality Therapy can be used in individual sessions, group sessions, and family therapy. Additionally, Reality Therapy has been used in schools, correctional institutions, and rehab programs (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010).

Reality Therapy is a popular approach in addiction counseling and can also be used for clients who are living with depressive symptoms, low self-esteem , victims of bullying, domestic violence victims, and families experiencing conflict (Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L.W., 2010).

Reality Therapy Exercises

Reality Therapy exercises can be an effective tool in each element of Reality Therapy. Examples of Reality Therapy activities include:

• An informative Reality Therapy exercise would be to simply explore your client’s perspective of the principles associated with Reality Therapy. As an example, control theory believes that every aspect of our lives is within our control. Spend time exploring your client’s reactions to this belief and if they feel it is realistic and applicable to their life. Clients who have experienced discrimination, and those who have disabilities may have a hard time agreeing with this belief of Reality Therapy. You can then explore the differences found within choice theory, and explore your client’s reactions to this approach.\
• Learning new ways to navigate challenges and difficult situations can be challenging for clients who have been reacting to these situations in their own way their whole life. A useful Reality Therapy exercise would be to review TherapyByPro’s Solution Worksheet in session. This worksheet can help you walk your client through the process of finding a realistic and attainable solution for their current challenge. This worksheet may help them gain a different perspective on their challenge in some respects, which can help them work to find a healthy solution. This worksheet can also provide clients with a good refresher on how they can work to solve a problem outside of the session.
• Introduce your client to the concept of their 5 basic needs as viewed in Reality Therapy. Spend time exploring how your client feels their needs are being met at this time, and which areas could use some improvement. Explore how their behaviors work to improve their ability to have their needs met, and how they may be hindering their ability to do so. TherapyByPro offers a comprehensive Needs Assessment Worksheet that can be used to guide this session if you or your client benefits from the use of worksheets in session.
• Clients may find themselves experiencing distress when they find themselves unable to achieve their goals or reach the expectations that they have set for themselves. As clinicians, we can work with them to explore this experience and determine if the goals and expectations that they have are unattainable or unrealistic. As an example, not allowing the proper amount of time that it can take to reach a goal can make it feel as though we failed when the truth is that we needed a bit more time to accomplish our task. TherapyByPro offers a Expectations vs. Reality Worksheet that can help clients effectively evaluate their current goals and expectations so that the appropriate changes can be made so that they are realistic and attainable. 
• A journaling Reality Therapy exercise that could be beneficial is for your client to spend time writing about how their relationships impact their well-being. As an example, do their current friendships provide a sense of support and connection? Do they find themselves feeling down or self-conscious when interacting with anyone in their life? Encourage your client to explore the positive and difficult effects they experience in their different relationships. Once they have completed this step, your client can then identify two changes that they could make that would improve their interactions with others. These changes should work towards improving the positive impact of their relationships. This can be done as a homework assignment and brought into your client’s next session.
• Reality Therapy recognizes the role that relationships have on our quality of life. Each relationship we have is unique and often evolves over time. This Impact on Others Worksheet can be used to explore how a client’s actions and behaviors affect others in various areas of our life, such as work and family. By working through this sheet, your client may find patterns within their relationships, both good and bad. This allows them to see where changes could be made to improve the quality of their relationships.
• An important topic to review with the use of Reality Therapy, is how to set goals that are realistic and plausible. Clients may have ideas of goals that they want, however, there may be some gaps in their planning. The acronym SAMICCC can be used to help clients remember components that should be considered when setting goals. Goals should be simple, attainable, measurable, immediate, controlled, they are committed, and consistent. Plans and goals can be and should be, modified, to reflect any changes that your client experiences after the initial goal have been planned. SAMICCC worksheet can be used to guide the evaluation of your client’s goals.
• For clients who find themselves overwhelmed with a problem or challenge they are facing, an effective Reality Therapy activity would be to break their problem down into digestible pieces. The problem as a whole may feel overwhelming and scary, so when it is broken down into smaller pieces clients may find their associated distress reduced which would allow them to tackle the problem. TherapyByPro offers a Reframing the Problem Worksheet that can be used to guide this process and act as a reminder for clients outside of your sessions.  

Final Thoughts On Choosing the Right Reality Therapy Exercises for your Clients

Thank you for reading this resource on 8 Reality Therapy exercises and activities to do with your clients. If you find that your clinical approach tends to heavily rely on the importance of your therapeutic alliance, you may find that Reality Therapy is a good approach for you to utilize in your clinical work. Reality therapists are engaging, share their perceptions, and ask for feedback from their clients. This approach uses teamwork to help clients look at their actions and work to different choices.

As with other therapeutic approaches, it is important to ensure that you have the proper training and experience with new strategies and interventions in your clinical work. This can be attained with the proper use of training, supervision, and continuing education courses.

TherapyByPro is an online mental health directory that connects mental health pros with clients in need. If you’re a mental health professional, you can Join our community and add your practice listing here . We have assessments, practice forms, and worksheet templates mental health professionals can use to streamline their practice. View all of our mental health worksheets here .

• Seligman, L., & Reichenberg, L.W. (2010). Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: Systems, Strategies, and Skills (3rd ed., pp. 338–358).  Pearson Education, Inc.

Author: Kayla Loibl, MA, LMHC

Kayla is a Mental Health Counselor who earned her degree from Niagara University in Lewiston, New York. She has provided psychotherapy in a residential treatment program and an outpatient addiction treatment facility in New York as well as an inpatient addiction rehab in Ontario, Canada. She has experience working with individuals living with a variety of mental health concerns including depression , anxiety , bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder , and trauma .

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What Is Reality Therapy? Techniques And Applications

Do you feel lonely or unaccomplished but don't know how to cope with it? Do you stress about daily responsibilities or feel like it's hard for you to relax and enjoy yourself? Do you appreciate problem-solving by finding practical solutions that focus on your choices? If you answered yes to these questions, reality therapy might benefit you. 

Reality therapy focuses on the future rather than the past. It focuses on developing goals and assessing your current behavior related to achieving or moving away from them and ties your motivations to human psychological needs, including survival, power, love and belonging, freedom, and fun.

While reality therapy might not be perfect for everyone and every problem, it can offer benefits for various mental health conditions and symptoms. Learning more about how reality therapy works can help you make an informed decision about the types of therapy of treatment you seek. 

Origins of reality therapy

Reality therapy was first identified as a distinct approach to human psychology by  William Glasser  in the 1960s.

Rather than looking into a client's past for insight, reality therapy is a type of future-focused therapy. Glasser determined that there are  five basic needs  every human has, including the following: 

• To have the power to achieve, learn, and act 
• To love others and feel loved in return and belong to a group
• To have the freedom to make independent choices and take responsibility for the consequences
• To be able to have fun and enjoy oneself

Reality therapy is tied to two core concepts. The first concept states that all people tend to distract themselves from reality with enjoyable fantasies. Whenever you imagine what you should have said to a coworker or fantasize about going on vacation, you may avoid reality in favor of pleasant fiction. Under the concepts of reality therapy, although these fantasies may seem harmless, they might distract you from the consequences of your actions and remove the motivation to change your life for the better.

The second core concept of reality therapy is that the goal of centering yourself in reality to make better choices is valuable. You might have heard the term "reality check" as a negative experience forced on you. However, in reality therapy, staying grounded is how you get what you want out of life and involves seeking self-fulfillment. For many clients, focusing on the facts of a situation can offer a realistic sense of self and improve mental health.

What is choice theory? 

A significant part of reality therapy is choice theory . Choice theory states that each person only has control over their choices and not as much impact over the actions of others. Some people may use reality therapy and choice theory interchangeably, but there is a distinction. 

Choice theory is the theoretical basis for the actions taken during treatment, whereas reality therapy is a therapeutic modality for describing and interpreting human behavior. Reality therapy is more than a way of seeing and understanding the world. It is designed to take that knowledge and apply it with professional support. 

The three Rs of reality therapy

In developing choice theory, Glasser devised several principles about human nature and relationships. Three of the most essential involved the "three Rs of reality therapy." 

In reality therapy, the therapist may help the client see and accept the consequences of their behavior. Reality therapy and choice theory posits that it's challenging to make healthier choices if you don't understand your choices' outcomes. At the beginning of a reality therapy session, you might start identifying objective facts to describe your behaviors instead of using past experiences, feelings, or ideas to validate them. 

Responsibility 

A therapist specializing in reality therapy and choice theory might also see whether the participant takes responsibility for their actions and their effect on their own life without worrying whether other people's choices meet their needs. Reality therapy encourages the value of relationships in making positive choices and achieving success. However, reality therapy and choice theory focus on an individual's ability to make progress without relying on others for all of their support or validation. 

Right and wrong 

Finally, a choice theory and reality therapy therapist may ask whether the participant understands their goals and how their choices move toward or away from them. These goals can include material, ethical, and social considerations. Understanding how goals align with morals is another aspect of choice theory and reality therapy. 

How to set goals in reality therapy

A few primary goals are often set at the beginning of reality therapy, including the five above needs. However, choice theory and reality therapy approach these goals in a way that differs from many therapeutic techniques.

Rather than focus on how your past has led you to your current situation like some other therapy techniques, reality therapy concentrates entirely on your present and future. Instead of focusing on what occurred, you can focus on where you want to go. The premise of this therapy is that understanding what you desire is the first step in achieving it. 

In modern society, many individuals have achieved the survival stage of reality therapy. However, they may struggle to reach the other four. According to Glasser, we all drive towards these goals consciously or unconsciously. Greater happiness and success can be attained by openly seeing these as objectives and then making healthy choices to achieve them.

Part of the process of achieving your goals may involve determining the specifics of your goals. For example, if your goal is to be loved, your therapist may ask you who you want to love you, why you want to be loved, and what form of love you seek. If your goal is to be successful, your therapist may ask you to outline what success looks like to you and what you'd do once you had it. 

The main objective of reality therapy

For many, the main goal of reality therapy is to feel empowered, confident, and in control of your life. By focusing on what you can change in your behavior and environment, you can capitalize on opportunities to progress. 

For many, aspects of life may feel like occurrences that just happen to you and around you. It can also feel like your success depends on how others behave. Reality therapy offers the tools to be intentional about how you spend your time, showcasing that you can lead your reality. 

The eight steps of reality therapy

How you and your therapist execute reality therapy and what reality therapy techniques you use may depend on your specific relationship. However, there is an eight-step process for counselors to use when helping someone through reality therapy, including the following steps: 

• Build a healthy therapeutic relationship
• Examine the current behavior
• Evaluate whether the behavior is helpful or not
• Brainstorm alternatives
• Commit to trying selected alternatives
• Later, examine the effectiveness of the commitment without punishment or excuses
• Accept the logical and natural consequences of the behavior
• Try not to feel discouraged

Although reality therapy takes a straightforward approach, it can be an effective modality for many. One study on reality therapy for clients living with schizophrenia found that self-esteem, sense of control, and problem-solving ability increased significantly for all participants. 

Positive therapeutic connection with your reality therapist

Reality therapy's goal is not to punish, degrade, criticize, or otherwise make the participant feel down. When a reality therapy counselor guides a participant, their goal is to achieve a new understanding of where that participant is and where they would like to go. The participant sets the goals and standards.

Finding a counselor that you feel safe and comfortable with can be essential when looking for a reality therapist. The counselor's goal is to keep the participant honest and on track. When a client is trying to make behavior changes, challenges may occur. Even someone wholly committed to a personal transformation might waver occasionally. A behavioral therapy counselor can help them identify when they're making excuses for themselves or struggling to continue with their treatment plan but is not there to shame or cause harm. 

A healthy reality counselor may maintain accountability with the participant while serving as a navigator. Reality therapy is often focused on moving forward. When trying to change who you are, you might struggle with thoughts and ideas about who you used to be. A reality therapist may help you avoid those pitfalls.

Counseling options 

Many people work to change the way they behave and learn to make healthier choices in their lives. This process may require understanding trauma, treating an underlying mental illness, or identifying psychological diagnoses in some cases. In other cases, clients might benefit from changing their perspective on themselves, their power, and the consequences of their behavior.

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.

Reality therapy is designed to develop that new perspective. It can teach you to create a feeling of competence as you learn to exercise more significant influence over your existence. This work might take time, honesty, and focus. If you don't have the time to commit to appointments in person, you can also try reality therapy online through a platform like Regain for couples or BetterHelp for individuals. 

You can gain insight into your own reality through an online platform while meeting with a therapist on a schedule that works for you. Since online therapists can work from home, many offer early morning, late night, or weekend hours for other professionals who can't meet with an in-person therapist. In addition, online therapists can show each other's screens, send instant worksheets, and offer questionnaires to their clients. Studies have also found that 71% of those who try online therapy prefer it to in-person options, and 96% would use an online platform again. 

Reality therapy is a unique specialty form of therapy that allows you to investigate your present reality and make changes for the future. Reality therapy is backed by rigorous principles that outline human behavior. If you are interested in breaking ineffective behavior patterns and exploring new choices, reality therapy may benefit you . 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Below are several frequently asked questions about the reality therapy modality. 

What is reality therapy used to treat?

Reality therapy is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that can treat any mental health condition. As reality therapy views all behaviors as choices that can be changed, reality therapy is an option for anyone looking for actionable solutions for the present. It has been used to treat severe mental illnesses and conditions like anxiety and depression. However, you do not need a diagnosis to receive reality therapy, and you may not discuss the diagnosis or symptoms in depth during your sessions. This future-focused therapy has an emphasis on problem-solving and improving present relationships.

What are the principles of reality therapy?

One of the principles of reality therapy is that therapists are there to work with the client instead of validating every concept they bring up. They treat clients with respect and understanding, regardless of what they've been through or done in the past. A reality therapist may let clients know which behaviors may not serve them as they attempt to achieve their goals. However, this guidance is done safely and respectfully, without judgment or disdain. 

Another principle of reality therapy is focusing on the present and future instead of looking into the past for insight. In reality therapy, clients are often encouraged not to discuss their symptoms but instead focus on their current choices and relationships. Needs such as love and belonging can be examined. Clients may avoid criticizing and blaming themselves or making comparisons to others. 

Many reality therapists also use the SMART model to set goals, which is an acronym standing for the following: 

The principles of reality therapy involve positive therapeutic support, a focus on present behavior, self-evaluation, making plans, commitment, avoiding excuses and punishments, and never giving up on goals and progress. 

Is reality therapy a long-term approach?

Reality therapy is often considered a short-term  approach  because it is action-oriented behavior therapy. The therapist and client work together to create a realistic plan. In some cases, reality therapy might be more of a long-term approach, but it is considered a short-term approach to improving mental health with lasting effects compared to most therapy types.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of reality therapy?

One of the potential  strengths  of reality therapy is that it appeals to clients resistant to traditional behavior therapy and looking for short-term answers. It focuses on immediate solutions, which can be positive for those seeking problem-solving support. Another strength is that it directly addresses a client's problems. However, reality therapy may not benefit those discussing past traumas or extreme distress. For those looking for validation, long-term discussion of symptoms, or another concern, a different type of therapy may be more beneficial. 

How do I apply for reality therapy?

You can find a reality therapist in your area by searching online or contacting a local mental health clinic. You may be able to find apps that can match you with a provider who offers  reality therapy services, as well. Some clients find that online therapy is the most convenient, as it gives individuals a connection to more providers specializing in specific methods. 

How do you determine reality?

You can test for reality by remaining as  objective as possible. Look at the situation from many angles, don't rush to judgment, and remember that others look at the world differently. Take time to think before you react, and seek out external perspectives before concluding. Testing for reality is a skill taught in reality therapy, which is a type of behavior therapy.

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What Is Therapy Homework?

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Types of Therapy That Involve Homework

If you’ve recently started going to therapy , you may find yourself being assigned therapy homework. You may wonder what exactly it entails and what purpose it serves. Therapy homework comprises tasks or assignments that your therapist asks you to complete between sessions, says Nicole Erkfitz , DSW, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker and executive director at AMFM Healthcare, Virginia.

Homework can be given in any form of therapy, and it may come as a worksheet, a task to complete, or a thought/piece of knowledge you are requested to keep with you throughout the week, Dr. Erkfitz explains.

This article explores the role of homework in certain forms of therapy, the benefits therapy homework can offer, and some tips to help you comply with your homework assignments.

Therapy homework can be assigned as part of any type of therapy. However, some therapists and forms of therapy may utilize it more than others.

For instance, a 2019-study notes that therapy homework is an integral part of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) . According to Dr. Erkfitz, therapy homework is built into the protocol and framework of CBT, as well as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) , which is a sub-type of CBT.

Therefore, if you’re seeing a therapist who practices CBT or DBT, chances are you’ll regularly have homework to do.

On the other hand, an example of a type of therapy that doesn’t generally involve homework is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. EMDR is a type of therapy that generally relies on the relationship between the therapist and client during sessions and is a modality that specifically doesn’t rely on homework, says Dr. Erkfitz.

However, she explains that if the client is feeling rejuvenated and well after their processing session, for instance, their therapist may ask them to write down a list of times that their positive cognition came up for them over the next week.

"Regardless of the type of therapy, the best kind of homework is when you don’t even realize you were assigned homework," says Erkfitz.

Benefits of Therapy Homework

Below, Dr. Erkfitz explains the benefits of therapy homework.

It Helps Your Therapist Review Your Progress

The most important part of therapy homework is the follow-up discussion at the next session. The time you spend reviewing with your therapist how the past week went, if you completed your homework, or if you didn’t and why, gives your therapist valuable feedback on your progress and insight on how they can better support you.

It Gives Your Therapist More Insight

Therapy can be tricky because by the time you are committed to showing up and putting in the work, you are already bringing a better and stronger version of yourself than what you have been experiencing in your day-to-day life that led you to seek therapy.

Homework gives your therapist an inside look into your day-to-day life, which can sometimes be hard to recap in a session. Certain homework assignments keep you thinking throughout the week about what you want to share during your sessions, giving your therapist historical data to review and address.

It Helps Empower You

The sense of empowerment you can gain from utilizing your new skills, setting new boundaries , and redirecting your own cognitive distortions is something a therapist can’t give you in the therapy session. This is something you give yourself. Therapy homework is how you come to the realization that you got this and that you can do it.

"The main benefit of therapy homework is that it builds your skills as well as the understanding that you can do this on your own," says Erkfitz.

Tips for Your Therapy Homework

Below, Dr. Erkfitz shares some tips that can help with therapy homework:

• Set aside time for your homework: Create a designated time to complete your therapy homework. The aim of therapy homework is to keep you thinking and working on your goals between sessions. Use your designated time as a sacred space to invest in yourself and pour your thoughts and emotions into your homework, just as you would in a therapy session .
• Be honest: As therapists, we are not looking for you to write down what you think we want to read or what you think you should write down. It’s important to be honest with us, and yourself, about what you are truly feeling and thinking.
• Practice your skills: Completing the worksheet or log are important, but you also have to be willing to put your skills and learnings into practice. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and open to trying new things so that you can report back to your therapist about whether what you’re trying is working for you or not.
• Remember that it’s intended to help you: Therapy homework helps you maximize the benefits of therapy and get the most value out of the process. A 2013-study notes that better homework compliance is linked to better treatment outcomes.
• Talk to your therapist if you’re struggling: Therapy homework shouldn’t feel like work. If you find that you’re doing homework as a monotonous task, talk to your therapist and let them know that your heart isn’t in it and that you’re not finding it beneficial. They can explain the importance of the tasks to you, tailor your assignments to your preferences, or change their course of treatment if need be.

"When the therapy homework starts 'hitting home' for you, that’s when you know you’re on the right track and doing the work you need to be doing," says Erkfitz.

A Word From Verywell

Similar to how school involves classwork and homework, therapy can also involve in-person sessions and homework assignments.

If your therapist has assigned you homework, try to make time to do it. Completing it honestly can help you and your therapist gain insights into your emotional processes and overall progress. Most importantly, it can help you develop coping skills and practice them, which can boost your confidence, empower you, and make your therapeutic process more effective.

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Conklin LR, Strunk DR, Cooper AA. Therapist behaviors as predictors of immediate homework engagement in cognitive therapy for depression . Cognit Ther Res . 2018;42(1):16-23. doi:10.1007/s10608-017-9873-6

Lebeau RT, Davies CD, Culver NC, Craske MG. Homework compliance counts in cognitive-behavioral therapy . Cogn Behav Ther . 2013;42(3):171-179. doi:10.1080/16506073.2013.763286

By Sanjana Gupta Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

Sending Homework to Clients in Therapy: The Easy Way

Successful therapy relies on using assignments outside of sessions to reinforce learning and practice newly acquired skills in real-world settings (Mausbach et al., 2010).

Up to 50% of clients don’t adhere to homework compliance, often leading to failure in CBT and other therapies (Tang & Kreindler, 2017).

In this article, we explore how to use technology to create homework, send it out, and track its completion to ensure compliance.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free . These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology including strengths, values, and self-compassion, and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students, or employees.

This Article Contains:

Is homework in therapy important, how to send homework to clients easily, homework in quenza: 5 examples of assignments, 5 counseling homework ideas and worksheets, using care pathways & quenza’s pathway builder, a take-home message.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy has “been shown to be as effective as medications in the treatment of a number of psychiatric illnesses” (Tang & Kreindler, 2017, p. 1).

Homework is a vital component of CBT, typically involving completing a structured and focused activity between sessions.

Practicing what was learned in therapy helps clients deal with specific symptoms and learn how to generalize them in real-life settings (Mausbach et al., 2010).

CBT practitioners use homework to help their clients, and it might include symptom logs, self-reflective journals , and specific tools for working on obsessions and compulsions. Such tasks, performed outside therapy sessions, can be divided into three types (Tang & Kreindler, 2017):

• Psychoeducation Reading materials are incredibly important early on in therapy to educate clients regarding their symptoms, possible causes, and potential treatments.
• Self-assessment Monitoring their moods and completing thought records can help clients recognize associations between their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.
• Modality specific Therapists may assign homework that is specific and appropriate to the problem the client is presenting. For example, a practitioner may use images of spiders for someone with arachnophobia.

Therapists strategically create homework to lessen patients’ psychopathology and encourage clients to practice skills learned during therapy sessions, but non-adherence (between 20% and 50%) remains one of the most cited reasons for CBT failure (Tang & Kreindler, 2017).

Reasons why clients might fail to complete homework include (Tang & Kreindler, 2017):

Internal factors

• Lack of motivation to change what is happening when experiencing negative feelings
• Being unable to identify automatic thoughts
• Failing to see the importance or relevance of homework
• Impatience and the wish to see immediate results

External factors

• Effort required to complete pen-and-paper exercises
• Inconvenience and amount of time to complete
• Failing to understand the purpose of the homework, possibly due to lack of or weak instruction
• Difficulties encountered during completion

Homework compliance is associated with short-term and long-term improvement of many disorders and unhealthy behaviors, including anxiety, depression, pathological behaviors, smoking, and drug dependence (Tang & Kreindler, 2017).

Greater homework adherence increases the likelihood of beneficial therapy outcomes (Mausbach et al., 2010).

With that in mind, therapy must find ways to encourage the completion of tasks set for the client. Technology may provide the answer.

The increased availability of internet-connected devices, improved software, and widespread internet access enable portable, practical tools to enhance homework compliance (Tang & Kreindler, 2017).

Clients who complete their homework assignments progress better than those who don’t (Beck, 2011).

Having an ideal platform for therapy makes it easy to send and track clients’ progress through assignments. It must be “user-friendly, accessible, reliable and secure from the perspective of both coach and client” (Ribbers & Waringa, 2015, p. 103).

In dedicated online therapy and coaching software, homework management is straightforward. The therapist creates the homework then forwards it to the client. They receive a notification and complete the work when it suits them. All this is achieved in one system, asynchronously; neither party needs to be online at the same time.

For example, in Quenza , the therapist can create a worksheet or tailor an existing one from the library as an activity that asks the client to reflect on the progress they have made or work they have completed.

The activity can either be given directly to the client or group, or included in a pathway containing other activities.

Here is an example of the activity parameters that Quenza makes possible.

A message can be attached to the activity, using either a template or a personally tailored message for the client. Here’s an example.

Once the activity is published and sent, the client receives a notification about a received assignment via their coaching app (mobile or desktop) or email.

The client can then open the Quenza software and find the new homework under their ‘To Do’ list.

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Quenza provides the ability to create your own assignments as well as a wide selection of existing ones that can be assigned to clients for completion as homework.

The following activities can be tailored to meet specific needs or used as-is. Therapists can share them with the client individually or packaged into dedicated pathways.

Such flexibility allows therapists to meet the specific needs of the client using a series of dedicated and trackable homework.

Examples of Quenza’s ready-to-use science-based activities include the following:

Wheel of Life

The Wheel of Life is a valuable tool for identifying and reflecting on a client’s satisfaction with life.

You can find the worksheet in the Positive Psychology Toolkit© , and it is also included in the Quenza library. The client scores themselves between 1 and 10 on specific life domains (the therapist can tailor the domains), including relationships, career development, and leisure time.

This is an active exercise to engage the client early on in therapy to reflect on their current and potential life. What is it like now? How could it look?

The wheel identifies where there are differences between perceived balance and reality .

The deep insights it provides can provide valuable input and prioritization for goal setting.

The Private Garden: A Visualization for Stress Reduction

While stress is a normal part of life, it can become debilitating and interfere with our everyday lives, stopping us from reaching our life goals.

We may notice stress as worry, anxiety, and tension and resort to avoidant or harmful behaviors (e.g., abusing alcohol, smoking, comfort eating) to manage these feelings.

Visualization is simple but a powerful method for reducing physical and mental stress, especially when accompanied by breathing exercises.

The audio included within this assignment helps the listener visualize a place of safety and peace and provides a temporary respite from stressful situations.

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20 Guidelines for Developing a Growth Mindset

Research into neuroplasticity has confirmed the ability of the adult brain to continue to change in adulthood and the corresponding capacity for people to develop and transform their mindsets (Dweck, 2017).

The 20 guidelines (included in our Toolkit and part of the Quenza library) and accompanying video explain our ability to change mentally and develop a growth mindset that includes accepting imperfection, leaning into challenges, continuing to learn, and seeing ‘failure’ as an opportunity for growth.

Adopting a growth mindset can help clients understand that our abilities and understanding are not fixed; we can develop them in ways we want with time and effort.

Self-Contract

Committing to change is accepted as an effective way to promote behavioral change – in health and beyond. When a client makes a contract with themselves, they explicitly state their intention to deliver on plans and short- and long-term goals.

Completing and signing such a self-contract (included in our Toolkit and part of the Quenza library) online can help people act on their commitment through recognizing and living by their values.

Not only that, the contract between the client and themselves can be motivational, building momentum and self-efficacy.

The contract can be automatically personalized to include the client’s name but also manually reworded as appropriate.

The client completes the form by restating their name and committing to a defined goal by a particular date, along with their reasons for doing so.

Realizing Long-Lasting Change by Setting Process Goals

We can help clients realize their goals by building supportive habits. Process goals – for example, eating healthily and exercising – require ongoing actions to be performed regularly.

Process goals (unlike end-state goals, such as saving up for a vacation) require long-lasting and continuous change that involves monitoring standards.

This tool (included in our Toolkit and part of the Quenza library) can help clients identify positive actions (rather than things to avoid) that they must carry out repeatedly to realize change.

We have many activities that can be used to help clients attending therapy for a wide variety of issues.

In this section, we consider homework ideas that can be used in couples therapy, family therapy, and supporting clients with depression and anxiety.

Couples therapy homework

Conflict is inevitable in most long-term relationships. Everyone has their idiosyncrasies and individual set of needs. The Marital Conflicts worksheet captures a list of situations in which conflicts arise, when they happen, and how clients feel when they are (un)resolved.

Family therapy homework

Families, like individuals, are susceptible to times of stress and disruptions because of life changes such as illness, caring for others, and job and financial insecurity.

Mind the Gap is a family therapy worksheet where a family makes decisions together to align with goals they aspire to. Mind the gap is a short exercise to align with values and improve engagement.

How holistic therapist Jelisa Glanton uses Quenza

Homework ideas for depression and anxiety: 3 Exercises

The following exercises are all valuable for helping clients with the effects of anxiety and depression.

Activity Schedule is a template assisting a client with scheduling and managing normal daily activities, especially important for those battling with depression.

Activity Menu is a related worksheet, allowing someone with depression to select from a range of normal activities and ideas, and add these to a schedule as goals for improvement.

The Pleasurable Activity Journal focus on activities the client used to find enjoyable. Feelings regarding these activities are journaled, to track recovery progress.

Practicing mindfulness is helpful for those experiencing depression (Shapiro, 2020). A regular gratitude practice can develop new neural pathways and create a more grateful, mindful disposition (Shapiro, 2020).

Each activity can be tailored to the client’s needs; shared as standalone exercises, worksheets, or questionnaires; or included within a care pathway.

A pathway is an automated and scheduled series of activities that can take the client through several stages of growth, including psychoeducation , assessment, and action to produce a behavioral change in a single journey.

How to build pathways

The creator can add two pathway titles. The second title is not necessary, but if entered, it is seen by the client in place of the first.

Once named, a series of steps can be created and reordered at any time, each containing an activity. Activities can be built from scratch, modified from existing ones in the library, or inserted as-is.

New activities can be created and used solely in this pathway or made available for others. They can contain various features, including long- and short-answer boxes, text boxes, multiple choice boxes, pictures, diagrams, and audio and video files.

Quenza can automatically deliver each step or activity in the pathway to the client following the previous one or after a certain number of days. Such timing is beneficial when the client needs to reflect on something before completing the next step.

Practitioners can also designate steps as required or optional before the client continues to the next one.

Practitioners can also add helpful notes not visible to the client. These comments can contain practical reminders of future changes or references to associated literature that the client does not need to see.

It is also possible to choose who can see client responses: the client and you, the client only, or the client decides.

Tags help categorize the pathway (e.g., by function, intended audience, or suggested timing within therapy) and can be used to filter what is displayed on the therapist’s pathway screen.

Once designed, the pathway can be saved as a draft or published and sent to the client. The client receives the notification of the new assignment either via email or the coaching app on their phone, tablet, or desktop.

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Success in therapy is heavily reliant on homework completion. The greater the compliance, the more likely the client is to have a better treatment outcome (Mausbach et al., 2010).

To improve the likelihood that clients engage with and complete the assignments provided, homework must be appropriate to their needs, have a sound rationale, and do the job intended (Beck, 2011).

Technology such as Quenza can make homework readily available on any device, anytime, from any location, and ensure it contains clear and concise psychoeducation and instructions for completion.

The therapist can easily create, copy, and tailor homework and, if necessary, combine multiple activities into single pathways. These are then shared with the click of a button. The client is immediately notified but can complete it at a time appropriate to them.

Quenza can also send automatic reminders about incomplete assignments to the client and highlight their status to the therapist. Not only that, but any resulting questions can be delivered securely to the therapist with no risk of getting lost in a busy email inbox.

Why not try the Quenza application? Try using some of the existing science-based activities or create your own. It offers an impressive array of functionality that will not only help you scale your business, but also ensure proactive, regular communication with your existing clients.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free .

• Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond . Guilford Press.
• Dweck, C. S. (2017).  Mindset: The new psychology of success.  Robinson.
• Mausbach, B. T., Moore, R., Roesch, S., Cardenas, V., & Patterson, T. L. (2010). The relationship between homework compliance and therapy outcomes: An updated meta-analysis. Cognitive Therapy and Research , 34 (5), 429–438.
• Ribbers, A., & Waringa, A. (2015). E-coaching: Theory and practice for a new online approach to coaching . Routledge.
• Shapiro, S. L. (2020).  Rewire your mind: Discover the science and practice of mindfulness. Aster.
• Tang, W., & Kreindler, D. (2017). Supporting homework compliance in cognitive behavioural therapy: Essential features of mobile apps. JMIR Mental Health , 4 (2).

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