Rational Emotive

Behavior Therapy
 Principles

 Techniques

 REBT vs. CBT

 Effectiveness

 Finding a therapist

 Takeaway

What is rational emotive therapy?

Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) is a type of therapy introduced by Albert
Ellis in the 1950s. It’s an approach that helps you identify irrational beliefs and
negative thought patterns that may lead to emotional or behavioral issues.

Once you’ve identified these patterns, a therapist will help you develop strategies to
replace them with more rational thought patterns.

REBT can be particularly helpful for people living with a variety of issues, including:

 depression
 anxiety
 addictive behaviors
 phobias
  overwhelming feelings of anger, guilt, or rage
 procrastination
 disordered eating habits
 aggression
 sleep problems

Read on to learn more about REBT, including its core principles and effectiveness.

What are the principles of REBT?

REBT is grounded in the idea that people generally want to do well in life. For
example, you probably want to achieve your goals and find happiness. But sometimes,
irrational thoughts and feelings get in the way. These beliefs can influence how you
perceive circumstances and events — usually not for the better.

Imagine you’ve texted someone you’ve been dating for a month. You see they’ve read
the message, but several hours pass with no reply. By the next day, they still haven’t
replied. You might start to think that they’re ignoring you because they don’t want to
see you.

You might also tell yourself that you did something wrong when you last saw them,
you may then tell yourself that relationships never work out and that you will be alone
for the rest of your life.

Here’s how this example illustrates the core principles — called the ABCs — of
REBT:

 A refers to the (a)ctivating event or situation that triggers a negative reaction or

response. In this example, the A is the lack of reply.
  B refers to the (b)eliefs or irrational thoughts you might have about an event or
situation. The B in the example is the belief that they don’t want to see you
anymore or that you’ve done something wrong and that you will be alone for
the rest of your life.
 C refers to the (c)onsequences, often the distressing emotions, that result from
the irrational thoughts or beliefs. In this example, that might include feelings of
worthlessness or not being good enough.

In this scenario, REBT would focus on helping you to reframe how you think about
why the person didn’t respond. Maybe they were busy or simply forgot to respond. Or
maybe they aren’t interested in meeting you again; if so, that doesn’t mean there’s
something wrong with you or that you will spend the rest of your life alone.

What techniques are used in

REBT?
REBT uses three main types of techniques, which correspond with the ABCs. Each
therapist might use a slightly different combination of techniques depending on both
their past clinical experiences and your symptoms.

Problem-solving techniques

These strategies can help address the activating event (A).

They often include working to develop:

 problem-solving skills
 assertiveness
 social skills
  decision-making skills
 conflict resolution skills

Cognitive restructuring techniques

These strategies help you to change irrational beliefs (B).

They might include:

 logical or rationalizing techniques

 guided imagery and visualization
 reframing, or looking at events in a different way
 humor and irony
 exposure to a feared situation
 disputing irrational thoughts

Coping techniques

Coping techniques can help you better manage the emotional consequences (C) of
irrational thoughts.

These coping techniques may include:

 relaxation
 hypnosis
 meditation

Regardless of the techniques they use, your therapist will also likely give you some
work to do on your own between sessions. This gives you a chance to apply the skills
you learn in a session to your daily lie. For example, they might have you write down
how you feel after experiencing something that usually makes you feel anxious and
think about how your response made you feel.

REBT is based on a few simple principles which have profound implications:

1. You are responsible for your own emotions and actions,

2. Your harmful emotions and dysfunctional behaviors are the product of your
irrational thinking,
3. You can learn more realistic views and, with practice, make them a part of you,
4. You'll experience a deeper acceptance of yourself and greater satisfactions in
life by developing a reality-based perspective.

REBT distinguishes clearly between two very different types of

difficulties: practical problems and emotional problems. Your flawed behavior, unfair
treatment by others, and undesirable situations, represent practical problems.
Regrettably, your human tendency is to upset yourself about these practical problems,
thereby unnecessarily creating a second order of problems--emotional suffering.
REBT addresses the latter by helping you:

1. Take responsibility for your distress. The first lesson in healthy emoting and
relating was stated by the Roman philosopher Epictetus more than 2000 years
ago: only you can upset yourself about events--the events themselves, no matter
how undesirable, can never upset you.

Recognize that neither another person, nor an adverse circumstance, can ever
disturb you--only you can. No one else can get into your gut and churn it up.
Others can cause you physical pain--by hitting you over the head with a
baseball bat, for example--or can block your goals. But you create your own
emotional suffering, or self-defeating behavioral patterns, about what others do
or say.

2. Identify your "musts." Once you admit that you distort your own emotions and
actions, then determine precisely how. The culprit usually lies in one of the
three core "musts:"
o "Must" #1 (a demand on yourself): "I MUST do well and get approval,
or else I'm worthless." This demand causes anxiety, depression, and lack
of assertiveness.
o "Must" #2 (a demand on others): "You MUST treat me reasonably,
considerately, and lovingly, or else you're no good." This "must" leads to
resentment, hostility, and violence.
 o "Must" #3 (a demand on situations): "Life MUST be fair, easy, and
hassle-free, or else it's awful." This thinking is associated with
hopelessness, procrastination, and addictions.

Ascertain what you're demanding of yourself, of your significant others, or of

your circumstances. Not until you have discovered the "must" can you then go
on effectively to reduce your distress.

3. Dispute your "musts." The only way you can ever remain disturbed about
adversity is by vigorously and persistently agreeing with one of these three
"musts." Thus, once you've bared them, then relentlessly confront and question
your demands.

Begin by asking yourself: "What's the evidence for my 'must?' " "How is it
true?" "Where's it etched in stone?" And then by seeing: "There's no evidence."
"My 'must' is entirely false." "It's not carved indelibly anywhere." Make your
view "must"-free, and then your emotions will heal.

4. Reinforce your preferences. Conclude, therefore:

o Preference #1: "I strongly PREFER to do well and get approval, but even
if I fail, I will accept myself fully."
o Preference #2: "I strongly PREFER that you treat me reasonably, kindly,
and lovingly, but since I don't run the universe, and it's a part of your
human nature to err, I, then, cannot control you."
o Preference #3: "I strongly PREFER that life be fair, easy, and hassle-
free, and it's very frustrating that it isn't, but I can bear frustration and
still considerably enjoy life."

Comparison Table Between CBT and REBT

Parameters of
CBT REBT
Comparison

REBT means Rational Emotive Behavioral

Full form CBT means Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Therapy.

This therapy is used to change a person’s This therapy is utilized to modify a person’s
Modification
current behaviour. underlined belief.

Focus This therapy focuses on changing This therapy focuses on the irritational
 behaviour. behaviour of the person.

This therapy takes a collaborative This therapy takes up a confrontational

Approach
approach. approach.

It undertakes a fictional point of view It undertakes a philosophical point of view

Point of View
towards a complication. towards a complication.

What is CBT?
CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a psychotherapeutic method. This
therapy method can be utilised to treat various mental health problems such as
depression and anxiety disorders. These two have become two very common
issues in recent times. CBT can effectively control these two conditions.

This cognitive behavioural therapy believes that thoughts, feelings, and

behaviour have a connection. All these are interconnected. Using this idea, we
can explain how our thoughts have the power to determine our mood, feeling,
and behaviour. All these share a closed relationship. Psychology gives
impotence to our thoughts and using this method. A psychologist observes the
function of our thoughts. Our thoughts influence our behaviour and mood.
Thoughts can commence changes not only in the body but in the mind as well.

CBT improves the dire situation that the mental health issues caused. This
therapy provides relief from the suffering. It points out the negative thoughts, and
then it gets solved by the therapist. It also offers an overall improvement and
helps to lead a healthy life.

What is REBT?
REBT or Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy was proposed in 1955 by a
psychologist named Albert Ellis. According to Ellis, people have different notions
about themselves and the world as well. Different environments and
surroundings cause the difference in our opinion and beliefs. In many cases,
these beliefs are irrational. And these beliefs determine our actions and
behaviours. So if a person has negative beliefs, then that person can not have a
healthy life.

By utilising REBT, a person can be helped to overcome overwhelming negative

notions. This therapy method has a technique called ABC Model, which is used
to negate irrational beliefs. Not only for mental disorders, but REBT is also
capable of encouraging people to win over difficult situations. REBT takes up a
philosophic angle towards emotional disturbance.

REBT also helps to unravel self-esteem problems. It develops the ground on

which one can accept oneself unconditionally. REBT can also play an important
role in anger management. Negative, self-destructive thoughts, anger, anxiety,
depression, anything related to mental health can be found its treatment in this
therapy. Case of suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, childhood trauma and sexual
abuse shows the effective outcome of REBT.

Main Differences Between CBT and REBT

1. The full form of CBT is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and the full form of
REBT is Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy.
2. CBT method is used when the aim is to change a person’s current
negative behaviour, which is becoming an obstacle towards prosperous
mental health, whereas REBT is used when a person’s underlying beliefs
and notion needs to get a modification for a better lifestyle.
3. On the one hand, CBT concentrates on changing negative behaviour, and
on the other hand, REBT concentrates on the irritational thoughts and
behaviour of someone.
4. CBT is a vast method that includes many separate subdivisions. CBT is
based on the foundation of REBT and CT. But REBT is a particular therapy
method that is not vast but to the point.
5. CBT has a collaborative procedure towards the problem, while REBT has
a confrontational strategy.
6. CBT goes forward with a fictional attitude, but REBT is more concerned
about the philosophical temperament of a problem.
Conclusion
CBT and REBT are addressed as psychotherapies because both are therapies
that include talk as a model. It is where a person talks to a therapist or
counsellor. The issues are untangled and resolved by talking things out. But they
have different strategies and also work on the different aspects of mental health.

CBT concentrates more on improving a person’s self-esteem, and REBT focuses

on the aspect of self-acceptance. CBT addresses a person’s negative behaviour,
and REBT focuses on showing the person the positive sides of the situation and
life. The right therapy for one is chosen by the therapist based on the necessities
and situation. Both the therapies have been proven to be effective and helpful.