REBT
Albert Ellis is the creator of rational emotive behavior therapy. "REBT is an action-oriented psychotherapy that teaches individuals to identify, challenge, and replace their self-defeating thoughts and beliefs with healthier thoughts that promote emotional well-being and goal achievement" (The Albert Ellis Institute). As time moved on REBT now pays greater attention to the background and viewpoint of the client (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014).
Goals
|
Concepts
Human Development & Emotional Health
Dimensions of psychological health include the following:
Dimensions of psychological health include the following:
Self-Acceptance
-Emotional difficulties are always found in people with conditional self-acceptance. These people value themselves because of their accomplishments, and therefore do not value themselves when they fail. It is important that individuals have a realistic sense of their strengths and weaknesses in order to have a healthy self-acceptance rather than a conditional one or none at all. REBT helps people assess their thoughts and behaviors rather than themselves.
Origins of Emotional Disturbance
-Because so many people think irrationally, REBT believes there is a strong biological tendency towards it. REBT looks at childhood traumas as a possible cause for dysfunctional and irrational thinking.
-Emotional difficulties are always found in people with conditional self-acceptance. These people value themselves because of their accomplishments, and therefore do not value themselves when they fail. It is important that individuals have a realistic sense of their strengths and weaknesses in order to have a healthy self-acceptance rather than a conditional one or none at all. REBT helps people assess their thoughts and behaviors rather than themselves.
Origins of Emotional Disturbance
-Because so many people think irrationally, REBT believes there is a strong biological tendency towards it. REBT looks at childhood traumas as a possible cause for dysfunctional and irrational thinking.
Secular Humanism
-"Relativist, skeptical, and nondogmatic and emphasizes the best and most practical aspects of the scientific method together with human choice and meaningfulness" (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 275). People are not seen as good or bad, they are seen as human and only their acts are evaluated.
Thoughts as the Route to Change
-"Change only occurs when people recognize and accept that they are largely responsible for creating their own emotional problems" (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 275). Emotional problems are seen to stem from irrational beliefs, so the only way to get rid of the problems is to change the beliefs.
Focus on Present Thoughts
-Present thoughts are the focus of therapy. Clinicians recognize the importance of the past and address it to an extent, but they believe the present is more meaningful to people.
-"Relativist, skeptical, and nondogmatic and emphasizes the best and most practical aspects of the scientific method together with human choice and meaningfulness" (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 275). People are not seen as good or bad, they are seen as human and only their acts are evaluated.
Thoughts as the Route to Change
-"Change only occurs when people recognize and accept that they are largely responsible for creating their own emotional problems" (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 275). Emotional problems are seen to stem from irrational beliefs, so the only way to get rid of the problems is to change the beliefs.
Focus on Present Thoughts
-Present thoughts are the focus of therapy. Clinicians recognize the importance of the past and address it to an extent, but they believe the present is more meaningful to people.
REBT's views of:
Irrational Beliefs
- Include words like: should, ought, and must, and immediate demands about the self, others and the world.
-Rational beliefs are logical and pragmatic
- Insight -Insight to the origin of one's problems is NOT an essential part of REBT, it is actually harmful and leads to self-blame and immobilization. Gaining insights into the principles of REBT is the important part.
- Emotions- REBT believes that if people become aware of their emotions and their impact, it will facilitate with identifying and changing irrational beliefs.
- Behavior - Behaviors are a secondary focus of treatment, just as emotions are. "They provide a measure of progress, are used to modify and reinforce thoughts, and are a prime target of homework assignments" (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 276).
Irrational Beliefs
- Include words like: should, ought, and must, and immediate demands about the self, others and the world.
-Rational beliefs are logical and pragmatic
Treatment
Therapeutic Alliance- Collaborative relationship
- Client's assume some responsibility for planning/implementing treatment
- Clinicians teach clients about rational and irrational thinking
- Clinicians help clients establish more balanced, logical, and rewarding lives
- Clinicians do not hesitate to use persuasion, praise, exaggeration, instruction, humorous songs, and anecdotes to help people think more rationally
Identify, assess, dispute, and modify irrational beliefs
-ABCDE Model
A- Identification and description of the activating agent
B- The persons belief about the activating agent
C- Consequences of that belief
D- Dispute whether the belief is rational or irrational
E- New rational effect or beliefs, this is the desired outcome of the disputation.
- Client's assume some responsibility for planning/implementing treatment
- Clinicians teach clients about rational and irrational thinking
- Clinicians help clients establish more balanced, logical, and rewarding lives
- Clinicians do not hesitate to use persuasion, praise, exaggeration, instruction, humorous songs, and anecdotes to help people think more rationally
Identify, assess, dispute, and modify irrational beliefs
-ABCDE Model
A- Identification and description of the activating agent
B- The persons belief about the activating agent
C- Consequences of that belief
D- Dispute whether the belief is rational or irrational
E- New rational effect or beliefs, this is the desired outcome of the disputation.
Techniques/Strategies
The following strategies can be used for homework or incorporated into therapy
Cognitive Strategies
Behavioral Strategies
Affective Strategies
|
Examples
Information provided by:
InsightMediaDigital. (July, 22 2013). Demonstration of brief rational-emotive therapy: Albert ellis . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sc4bxVIOo4
PsychotherapyNet. (Nov.,14 2013). REBT with a single mother video . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egel_wbITcw
Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L. (2014). Theories of counseling and psychotherapy: Systems, strategies, and skills. (4th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
The Albert Ellis Institute. (2014). Retrieved from http://albertellis.org/
InsightMediaDigital. (July, 22 2013). Demonstration of brief rational-emotive therapy: Albert ellis . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sc4bxVIOo4
PsychotherapyNet. (Nov.,14 2013). REBT with a single mother video . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egel_wbITcw
Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L. (2014). Theories of counseling and psychotherapy: Systems, strategies, and skills. (4th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
The Albert Ellis Institute. (2014). Retrieved from http://albertellis.org/