Chapter 10 Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) Originally known as Rational Emotive Therapy (RET). Changed its name when its founder, Albert Ellis, decided it needed to be more reflective of focusing on behavior as well as cognitions. Sometimes considered a cognitive-behavior therapy.

Albert Ellis Born in 1913 into a Jewish family in Pittsburgh but spent most of his life in New York City. After literary efforts proved unsuccessful he decided to study psychology. Wanted to become a psychoanalytical clinical psychologist but became frustrated that only medical professionals were admitted. Began practice of his own theory in 1955. Established the Albert Ellis Institute to promote REBT.

View of Human Nature/Personality Assumes that people are both rational and irrational, sensible and crazy. This duality is biological and is perpetuated unless a new way of thinking is learned.

Irrational Beliefs and Emotional Disturbance (Ellis, 1984) Ellis places irrational beliefs into three categories correlated with emotional disturbance. “I absolutely must perform important tasks well and be approved by significant others or else I am an inadequate, pretty worthless person” RESULT: Severe feelings of anxiety, depression, and demoralization often leading to severe inhibition.

Irrational Beliefs and Emotional Disturbance (Ellis, 1984) “Other people, especially my friends and relatives, truly must treat me kindly and fairly, or else they are rotten, damnable people” RESULT: Severe feelings of anger, rage, fury, often leading to fights, child abuse, assault, rape, murder and genocide.

Irrational Beliefs and Emotional Disturbance (Ellis, 1984) “The condition under which I live absolutely must be comfortable , unhassled, and enjoyable, or else it’s awful, I can’t stand it, and my life is hardly worth living!” RESULT: Severe feelings of low frustration tolerance, often leading to compulsion, addiction, avoidance, inhibition, and public reaction.

View of Human Nature Although Ellis does not deal with developmental stages, he does think that children are more vulnerable to outside influences and irrational thinking than adults. Believes that human beings are gullible and highly suggestible and are easily disturbed. People have within themselves the ability to control thoughts, feelings and behavior; but they must first become aware of their self-talk.

Roles of the Counselor/Therapist Active and direct interaction. Instructors who teach and correct client cognitions. Main assessment instrument is evaluation of a client’s thinking. Do not rely heavily on DSM diagnostic categories.

Goals Primary goal is to help people realize they can live more rational and productive lives. Avoid having more of an emotional response to an event than is warranted. Help people change self-defeating habits of thoughts or behavior. Encourage clients to be more tolerant of themselves rather than dwell on mistakes or miscues.

Process and Techniques Before changes can be made, clients must learn the basic ideas of REBT and understand how thoughts are linked with emotions and behaviors. Highly didactive and very directive. Counselors teach their clients the anatomy of an emotion – feelings are a result of thoughts, not events, and self-talk influences emotion. This is known as Rational Emotive Education (REE). Critical for clients to be able to dispute irrational thoughts.

Disputing Thoughts or Beliefs Cognitive Disputation - the use of direct questions, logical reasoning, and persuasion. May challenge clients to prove their responses are logical. May incorporate the use of “Why?” questions. Syllogisms – a deductive form of reasoning involving two premises and a conclusion.

Disputing Thoughts or Beliefs Imaginal Disputation - relies on the client’s ability to imagine. Employs a technique called rational emotive imagery (REI). Client imagines a situation likely to be upsetting and examines his/her self-talk.

Disputing Thoughts or Beliefs Behavioral Disputation - involves behaving in a way that is the opposite of the client’s usual way of thinking. If successful, a new Effective Philosophy will emerge. This process is most effective when all three methods of disputation are used in conjunction.

Additional REBT Techniques Two additional effective REBT techniques are confrontation and encouragement.

Multicultural and Gender Sensitive Issues As a rule, REBT counselors are sensitive to their clients’ cultures and try to adjust their actions to respect those they are helping. REBT clinicians are active in finding out cultural customs of their clientele. REBT is sensitive to the needs and specific concerns of women as well.

Strengths and Contributions Clear, easily learned and effective. Can be easily combined with other behavioral techniques to help clients more fully experience what they are learning. Relatively short-term. Has generated a great deal of research and literature. Has continued to evolve over the years as its processes and techniques have been refined.

Limitations and Criticisms Not effective for individuals with mental problems or limitations such as schizophrenics and those with severe thought disorders. May be too closely associated with its founder Albert Ellis. Limited usefulness if not combined with behavioral or emotive techniques. REBT’s direct and confrontive way of working with clients is a limitation for some. May not be the simplest way of helping clients change behaviors or emotions.

The Case of Linda: Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy How would you conceptualize this case using rational emotive behavior therapy? What would be your treatment plan for this client using an REBT approach?