Albert Elis

Albert Ellis was an American psychologist and psychotherapist who founded rational emotive
behavior therapy (REBT). He held MA and PhD degrees in clinical psychology from Columbia
University, and was certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). He
also founded, and was the President of, the New York City-based Albert Ellis Institute. He is
generally considered to be one of the originators of the cognitive revolutionary paradigm shift
in psychotherapy and an early proponent and developer of cognitive-behavioral therapies. Based
on a 1982 professional survey of American and Canadian psychologists, he was considered the
second most influential psychotherapist in history (Carl Rogers ranked first in the
survey; Sigmund Freud was ranked third). Psychology Today noted that, "No individual—not
even Freud himself—has had a greater impact on modern psychotherapy
Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)[edit]
Ellis published his first major book on rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) in 1962.
[23]
REBT is an active-directive, philosophically, and empirically based psychotherapy, the aim of
which is to resolve emotional and behavioral problems and disturbances and to help people to
lead happier and more fulfilling lives.[24] REBT is seen as the first form of cognitive behavioral
therapy (CBT).[25][26][27]
Unconditional self accepting[edit]
Ellis advocated the importance of accepting yourself just because you are alive, human, and
unique - and not giving yourself a global rating, or being influenced by what others think of you.
[28]

Integrity assessment studies[edit]

In 1979 and during the next two decades, one part of Ellis' research was an exploration of
behavioral integrity through applied experimental psychology, focusing on reliability, honesty,
and loyalty as psychosocial behavior. Organizational commitment as a cognitive norm,
evaluating concretely through images developed in his Institute.

 Health Conditions
 Health Products
 Discover
 Tools
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 REBT

 Principles

 Techniques

 Vs. CBT
 Effectiveness

 Finding a therapist

 Summary

Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that

aims to help a person challenge unhelpful thoughts to avoid negative emotions or behaviors.

REBT started in 1955 when Dr. Albert Ellis created the therapy as an action-oriented type
of CBT.

REBT focuses attention on the present and helps a person develop a new way of thinking about
events to prevent maladaptive behaviors and negative emotions.

The approach may help a person achieve their goals and learn how to overcome adversity by
addressing the underlying beliefs and thoughts that can lead to self-defeating or self-sabotaging
actions.

 REBT is a type of CBT that first appeared in the mid-20th century. It is an action-based
therapy that requires a person to focus on present events.
 The guiding principles of the therapy state that an activating event triggers a person’s
irrational thoughts or beliefs. Their beliefs can then result in consequences, including
negative emotions or maladaptive behaviors.
 The goal of REBT is to challenge a person’s negative thoughts and beliefs before the
person experiences an adverse outcome due to their beliefs. This approach may help a
person develop better coping skills and improve their overall quality of life.

When a therapist uses the technique effectively, REBT can help a person realize that they have
more control over their reactions than they previously believed, which can lead to an improved
quality of life.
Principles of REBT

REBT operates by altering what therapists often refer to as the ABCs of CBT. The goal is to
adjust the negative beliefs associated with an event or action to change the consequences of the
actions.

The ABC principles stand for:

 A refers to an activating situation or event that triggers a negative response or reaction.

 B refers to the belief or thought about the event that is negative or irrational.

 C refers to the consequences of the belief or thought, which often include negative
emotions or behaviors.

The end goal is to replace irrational beliefs with rational beliefs. In doing so, the consequences of
the activating event become positive and constructive.

Techniques

A therapist following the REBT framework may use one or more techniques to help a person
achieve their goals. The central technique is what practitioners call “disputing.”

Therapists can break disputing down into different types, including:

 Logical disputes: These question the logic of a person’s thinking process.

 Functional disputes: These question whether the belief will help a person achieve a
goal.

 Philosophical disputes: The person considers whether some pleasure can come anyway
despite the negative event.

 Empirical disputes: The person questions whether the facts of the event are accurate.
In addition to disputing, a therapist may use other techniques, which may include:

 reframing, or viewing an issue from a different point of view

 modeling, which means having a person copy the positive response to an event that
another individual might present

 humor

 encounter exercises

 therapist’s unconditional acceptance

 acting on rational beliefs

Vs. CBT

The main differenceTrusted Source between REBT and other forms of CBT is that REBT
focuses on irrational thoughts and beliefs, proposing that:

 Irrational beliefs are extreme, illogical, and rigid.

 Rational beliefs are logical, flexible, and non-extreme.

Therapists specializing in REBT work to help a person replace the irrational beliefs surrounding
an event with rational beliefs.