Rational Emotive

Behavior Therapy
 HISTORY
(REBT) by Albert  INTRODUCTION
Ellis

KRISHNA CHHAWCHHARIA
ID- DU2020MSC0003
 HISTORY

Albert Ellis (1913-2007)

 Was born in 1913 in
Pittsburgh and moved to New
York .
 He was MA and a PhD in
clinical psychology from
Columbia University.
 Developed a pattern of taking
care of himself and being self-
responsible
 HISTORY

Albert Ellis
 As a young man, he was quite shy with
girls

 He made himself talk to 100 girls at

the central park in New York during a
1-month period

 Although he didn’t find a partner , this

method decreased his fear of rejection
and increased confidence
 HISTORY

 Ellis became increasingly disillusioned by the

limited progress of psychoanalysis; Ellis laid
groundwork to REBT after deciding that
psychoanalysis was inefficient.

 In 1956, Ellis presented his 1st paper on RATIONAL

THERAPY, many psychologists misinterpreted it as
meaning therapy without emotion.
 HISTORY

 In 1962 he went on to publish

Rational-Emotive-Therapy (RET) in
his book “Reason and Emotion in
Psychotherapy”. He also formulated
the ABC-model and pointed out the
importance of emotions.

 In 1970 he formulated “Compulsion”

as a characteristic of irrational
thinking and the 11 occidental
irrational believes.
 HISTORY

 Published “Essence of RET” extension of his

model in 1984 and “Expanding ABC of RET” in
1985.

 In 1993 Ellis proposes the new name “Rational

Emotive-Behavior Therapy” (REBT). Update of
his book “Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy”
in 1994. Emphasizing of humanistic aspects of
REBT (how to live a happy life and development
of the human potentials)
 INTRODUCTION

Philosophies that influenced Albert Ellis

to form REBT-
 “People are disturbed not by things, but by
their view of things.” -Epictetus
 “Very little is needed to make a happy life; it
is all within yourself, in your way of
thinking”
-Marcus Aurelius
 INTRODUCTION

REBT is interrelation of thought, feeling, and

behavior. Human thinking and emotion are not two
different processes-our thinking, emoting, and acting
all interact together
REBT is based on the concept that emotions and
behaviors result from cognitive processes
REBT is a philosophically-based, humanistic
approach that emphasizes individuals’ capacity for
creating their own self-enhancing and self-defeating
emotions.
 INTRODUCTION

REBT seeks to help people understand that it is not

past or present events that “cause” emotional
disturbances, It is the individual’s belief system
about the event, self, others and the world that cause
such disturbances—what Ellis called irrational
beliefs

According to REBT theory humans are happiest

when they set up important life goals and purposes
and actively strive to achieve these.
 INTRODUCTION

REBT’s ABCDE Technique

 INTRODUCTION

ABCDE TECHNIQUE
 REBT argues, no, their Beliefs…between the
A and the B -- largely determine how they
feel.
 A (Activating) – He did not get admission in
college
 B (Beliefs) – I can’t believe after so much hard
work I did not get selected, I am a loser .
 C (Consequences) – Low confidence, and not
trying for other colleges.
ABCDE
In order to feel and act differently, someone doing
an ABC moves on to the D and the E.
D (Disputes) – in this step, you dispute or
question or challenge your irrational beliefs:
I have scored good marks always, I am not a loser
always
E – then they move on to figure out more
EFFECTIVE thoughts, feelings and behaviors
I can get into even better colleges if I keep trying.
 INTRODUCTION

LIMITATIONS
 This approach cannot be used effectively with individuals
who have mental problems or limitations, such as
schizophrenia any other severe mental disorders.
 REBT is too closely associated with its founder, Albert Ellis
and cannot be separated from his eccentricities.
 It’s a direct approach so the potential for the counselor being
over active and not as therapeutic as would be ideal is a real
possibility.
 The approach emphasizes on changing thinking which may
not be the simplest way of helping clients change their
emotions.
 INTRODUCTION

REBT Today
 Experimental evidence and clinical experience show
that REBT is effective and efficient at reducing
emotional pain. When Albert Ellis created REBT in the
1950's he met with much resistance from others in the
mental health field. Today it is one of the most widely-
practiced therapies throughout the world. In the early
days of REBT, even Dr. Ellis did not clearly see that
consistent use of its philosophical system would have
such a profound effect on the field of psychotherapy or
on the lives of the millions of people who have
benefited from it.