1. Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)

2. View of Human Nature: human beings
have both rational and irrational thinking
are self-talking and self-evaluating
have a tendency toward growth and actualization
keep ourselves disturbed through self-talk
have the capacity to change cognitive, emotive, and behavioral processes

3. Key concepts in REBT Stresses thinking, judging, analyzing, and doing
Assumes that cognitions, emotions, and behaviors interact to have a causal effect relationship
Is a highly didactic, directive approach
concern thinking and feeling
Emotions are mainly generated by our beliefs, evaluations, interpretations, and reactions to life situations

4. View of Emotional Disturbance
We learn irrational beliefs from significant others during childhood
Teach clients to feel un-depressed even when they are unaccepted and unloved by significant others.
Self-blame  emotional disturbances
Irrational idea  internalize  self-defeating
We have a tendency to make ourselves emotionally disturbed by internalizing self-defeating beliefs

5. The A-B-C theory of personality

6. Irrational Ideas Irrational ideas lead to self-defeating behavior
Some examples:
“I must have love or approval from all the significant people in my life.”
“I must perform important tasks competently and perfectly.”
“If I don’t get what I want, it’s terrible, and I can’t stand it.”

7. Therapeutic Goals Minimize emotional disturbances
Decrease self-defeating behaviors
Become more self-actualized
Acquire unconditional self-acceptance and unconditional other acceptance
Think rationally, feel appropriately, and act more effectively in achieving the goals of living happily

8. Therapist’s function and Role
Discover clients’ irrational beliefs
Make connection of how irrational beliefs lead to emotional disturbances
Modify clients’ irrational beliefs.
Dispute irrational beliefs and substitute rational beliefs
Not spending too much time on exploring clients’ early history

9. The Therapeutic Relationship
The therapeutic relationship is important, but intensive relationship is not required.
Therapists show great faith in their clients’ ability to change themselves.
Therapists disclose their own beliefs to clients

10. Therapeutic techniques--Cognitive methods
Disputing irrational beliefs
If I don’t get what I want, it is not at the end of the world
Writing cognitive homework
Applying ABC theory to daily life problems
Changing one’s language
It would be absolutely awful.It would be inconvenient
Cost-benefit analysis
Make a list of advantages/disadvantages of smoking

11. Therapeutic techniques--Emotional Methods
Rational-emotional imagery
Imagine the worst things that could happen to them
Role playing
Shame-attacking exercises
Take risks to do something that the clients are afraid to do because of what others might think…until they realize that their feelings of shame are self-created.
Forceful self-dialogue
A dialogue with oneself

12. Therapeutic techniques--Behavioral methods
Activity homework
Write assignments that target on irrational beliefs in order to reduce them
Reinforcements and penalties
Rewardwhen accomplish a task penalizefail to attempt a task
Skill Training
Assertiveness training

13. Research on REBT More than 250 studies
Most research on irrational beliefs
Review of outcome studies:
REBT was more significantly more effective than other therapies or control group in 31 of 47 studies (DiGiuseppe & Miller, 1977) and in 49 of 89 studies (Silverman, McCarthy, & McGovern, 1992).
Research Efforts
Most studies focus only on cognitive methods

14. Summary and Evaluation
Contributions
focus on how we interpret and react to events
put insight into action
teach clients how to be their own therapists
Limitations
too confrontational
ignoring the past
power imbalance (teacher-student)