The European Association for Reality Therapy (EART) was officially established in 1999 under the leadership of the first president, Slovenian psychologist and psychotherapist Leon Lojk. It is an independent, non-profit, professional, voluntary organisation aiming to unite associations, institutes and centres for Reality Therapy from individual European countries teaching Choice Theory and its use in practice of psychotherapy and counselling – Reality Therapy, teaching – Quality School , management – Lead Management and Wellbeing on the basis of a signed contract, mutual interests and the Law on Association with the aim of improving their work .
The members of EART are: Association for RT of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgarian Association for Reality Therapy, Croatian Association for RT, Finish Association for Reality Therapy, William Glasser Institute Ireland, Association for Reality Therapy – Malta, Association for reality therapy Russia, Slovenian Association for Reality Therapy, Institute for Reality Therapy United Kingdom, and European Institute for Reality Therapy as accredited training institute. Besides organizational members EART has its Individual members chamber for those individuals in Europe which have no national organization. EART is through its members connected with William Glasser International and contribute in their activities on global level.
Since 2008 EART is fully authorized member and European Wide Awarding Organization of the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP) thus taking on educational standards of the EART as well as the educational standards and other criteria of for ordinary membership in EAP. The educational standards for psychotherapists are defined in detail by the EART Book of regulations for psychotherapists about educational standards, conditions and ways of obtaining the title of psychotherapist.
As a very well organized association EART organized European conferences every 4 years: In 1997 in Portorose, Slovenia; In 2001 in Zagreb, Croatia; In 2005 in Dublin, Ireland; In 2009 in Edinburgh, UK in 2013 in Bled, Slovenia; In 2017 in Tampere, Finland and 2021 online hosted by Croatia. Besides conferences EART organized European Faculty Retreats every other year: In 2006 in Izola, Slovenia; In 2008 in Dubrovnik, Croatia; In 2010 in Tampere, Finland; In 2012 in Dublin, Ireland: In 2014 in Medulin, Croatia; In 2016 in Malta ; In 2018 in Schotland and in 2022 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since 2022 EART organize Convention of RT Psychotherapists and Counselors every other year.
The EART’s aims and objectives are the following:
– Associateship and co-operation of the European associations, institutes and centres performing training for practical activities of this modality.
– Exchange of ideas and professionals of RT in Europe promotion of scientific research studies of RT and Choice Theory
– Contribution to the psychotherapeutic practice and training in RT in Europe and worldwide
– Joint incorporation and multicultural representation of RT in Europe and worldwide organization and development of integral studies of RT in the European countries fulfilling, besides the requirements of the William Glasser Institute, also the EAP education standards.
