A Basic Week is the first step in formal Reality Therapy or Choice Theory training although many people who have no interest in further training find it a very complete entity in itself.

Normally this course is a four and a half day full time series of talks, activities and practise sessions. Currently new versions of the course are being developed to suit those who prefer evenings, week-ends or other arrangements.

The course can be organised as an "open" event and any adult may apply for a place. An alternative format is the "closed" course arranged specifically for a particular organisation and usually held in their own premises and with an individualised fee structure.

School personnel interested in training in the Glasser Quality School approach should check the Quality Schools item in the Key Areas menu.

On successful completion of a Basic Week trainees may choose to join a Basic Practicum group. This is normally made up of six trainees who work under the supervision of a WGI faculty member. In Ireland it is customary, but not essential, for people to engage in Practicum work during the winter months.

The Advanced Week is open only to those who have completed a Basic Week and Basic Practicum. The goal of such a week is to help the trainees integrate the different knowledge and skills into their own personal style.

Following the principles of the Glasser Quality School the course is very much needs driven and so there is constant checking that the participants are getting the information and skills that they require.

Information about forthcoming advanced weeks will be displayed in the members' section (as these courses are only open to those who have completed Basic training).

Admission to Advanced Practicum requires prior completion of an Advanced Week. In structure it is similar to the Basic Practicum but there is greater depth and detail to the work done under supervision of a WGI faculty person.

One strong theme running through Advance Practicum is the trainee's preparation for the final stage of his or her training, the Certification week.

This final stage of formal Reality Therapy/Choice Theory training normally takes place at a central location in the latter half of July. This helps bring together trainees from many backgrounds and helps establish a sense of collegiality among trainees.

The main purpose of the Certification Week is to provide trainees with an opportunity to show what they have learned in their training, to prove that they have reached an appropriate level of competence and to share their new learning with others. There is a strong atmosphere of celebration throughout such courses.

Those who complete the training successfully obtain a certificate in Reality Therapy/Choice Theory issued by the International William Glasser Institute.

Completion of Basic and Advanced training is a prerequisite for participating in Certification.

If you are Reality Therapy Certified and have a university degree or the equivalent knowledge and psychotherapeutic experiences, you can attend an additional programme organized by EART (the European Association for Reality Therapy) that will focus on deepening your knowledge of Choice Theory, providing supervised Reality Therapy practice while also having a personal experience of it.

The purpose of this additional training is to ensure appropriate knowledge and skills that match the standards of the EAP (the European Association for Psychotherapy) to practise Reality Therapy as a psychotherapy in Europe. The standards for obtaining the European Certificate of Psychotherapy, valid in all of Europe, were set in 1990 at the Strasbourg Declaration. The Entire Psychotherapy Training Programme is described on the website of the European Association for Reality Therapy.

Those considering Faculty Training must be certified and applications will normally not be considered until at least one year after their Certification.

As a first step it is essential to read the latest Policies and Procedure Manual to find out about the latest requirements for training as faculty. (The Policies and Procedure Manual is normally issued during Certification training.) The manual also outlines the different stages of training for supervisors and instructors.

It is important that those who apply for faculty training should have made a detailed self-evaluation of their suitability for a teaching/supervising role. To assist in this interested parties are required by WGI to contact a Faculty Programme Consultant who will act in a supervisory role throughout their training.

As a general rule Faculty Training courses in Ireland are held during the summer months but all trainee faculty are expected to meet other requirements of an experiential nature as outlined in the Policies and Procedures Manual. Because of these pre-course requirements those interested in becoming faculty are recommended to become aware of the requirements well in advance of applying for a course.

All enquiries about faculty training should be made to the WGII Office.

Information on forthcoming courses is given in each course link in the COURSES item on the Main Menu