Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

Group 5
Syeda Minahil Zainab
Laraib Arif
Laiba Riaz
Zoonash Tahir
Noor-ul-Ain Mubarak
Background
Albert Ellis was initially trained in psychoanalysis,
but became disillusioned with the slow progress of
his clients. He observed that they tended to get
better when they changed their ways of thinking
about themselves, their problems, and the world.
Ellis reasoned that therapy would progress faster if
the focus was directly on the client’s beliefs, and
thus was born the method now known as Rational
Emotive Behaviour Therapy.

His inspiration came from his passion for

philosophy and quotes from philosophers like
Epictetus, who said, “People are disturbed not by
things but by their view of things.”
 Introduction

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

(CBT) developed by psychologist Albert Ellis in 1955. REBT is an action-oriented
approach that’s focused on helping people deal with irrational beliefs and learn how
to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in a healthier, more realistic way.

Ellis believed that it isn’t the event that directly causes emotions and behaviors, but
it is one’s belief about the event that leads to our reactions.
 Psychological Influences on REBT

Horney’s (1950) concept of the “tyranny of the shoulds”

• An early influence in the creation and maintenance of psychological
disturbance.

Adler’s concept of inferiority feelings and Individual

Psychology
• Influenced the stress on self-rating and the ego anxiety
• Influences the emphasis people’s goals, purposes, values and
meanings.
Humanistic-Existential Approach

• Through the influence, REBT primarily deals with disturbed human

evaluations, emotions, and behaviors.
• Helped to emphasizes the importance of will and choice in human
affairs, though accepts the likelihood of biological and social factors.
 Basic Biological Tendencies

REBT theory hypothesizes that the biological tendency of humans to think

irrationally and dysfunctionally has a notable impact on such disturbance.

REBT holds that humans have a second constructivist biological tendency

and the following abilities:

The ability to see The ability to

that they make The ability to see actively and
themselves that they can continually work
disturbed by the change their toward changing this
irrational views they thinking thinking and
bring to situations behaving
 Two Fundamental Human Disturbances
Ego
Disturbance A person makes demands
on self, others, and the
world; and if these demands
are not met in the past,
present, or future, the
person becomes disturbed
by damning “self” (giving
oneself a global negative
rating, considering oneself
bad or less worthy). It
creates ego anxiety.
e.g. ‘I must … do well / not
fail / get approval from
others’; followed by negative
self-evaluations such as:
‘When I fail / get
disapproval / etc. this proves
I am no good.’
Discomfort
Disturbance
A person makes demands
on self, others, and the
world. It leads to discomfort
anxiety, worrying, secondary
disturbance, procrastination.
There are two types:
Low Frustration Tolerance
(LFT) – Demand that
frustration should not
happen. “‘The world owes
me contentment and
happiness.”
Low Disturbance Tolerance
(LDT) – Demand that
emotional or physical
disturbance should not
happen. “‘I should be able to
feel happy all the time.”
 Healthy Alternatives to Human Disturbances

Ego Discomfort
Disturbance Disturbance

The rational and healthy Tolerating discomfort in

alternative to self- order to aid goal attainment
damnation is and long-range happiness
Unconditional Self- is the healthy and rational
Acceptance. alternative to demands for
USA consists of immediate gratification.
the philosophy of Acceptance of
unconditionally accepting Uncertainty is present in
yourself as the imperfect healthy individuals. They
human you are whether you recognize that in the world
do well or poorly, or others of probability, absolute
love or hate you. certainty is not possible.
What is REBT?
By: Laraib Arif
Rational emotive Behavior
Therapy

● Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is the

first form of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and
was created by Dr. Albert Ellis in 1955.

● According to the REBT model, people experience

undesirable activating events, about which they have
rational beliefs (RBs) and irrational beliefs (IBs).
REBT helps to deal with irrational beliefs and learn how
to manage

Emotions Thoughts Behaviors

REBT helps people recognize and alter those beliefs and negative thinking patterns in
order to overcome psychological problems and mental distress.
 Main Beliefs of REBT

• You are worthy of self-acceptance

• Others are also worthy of
no matter what even when you
acceptance, even when their
struggle or make mistakes; there
behavior involves something
is no need for shame or guilt.
that you don’t like.

• Negative things will sometimes happen in life, and that doesn’t

mean that things are happening in a way they shouldn’t be. Life is
not positive all of the time, and there’s no rational reason to expect
it to be.
ABC Model
A core concept of REBT is the ABC model. This model explains how, while we may blame external
events for our unhappiness, it is our interpretation of these events that truly lies at the heart of our
psychological distress.

"ABC" is an acronym for:

A: Activating event, which is when something happens in the environment around you

B: Belief, which describes your thoughts about the event or situation

C: Consequence, which is your emotional response to your belief

Understanding ABC
Model
 Common Irrational Beliefs Addressed With REBT
● An important step in the therapeutic process is recognizing the underlying beliefs that lead to psychological distress. In
many cases, these are reflected as absolutes, as in "I must," "I should," or "I can’t”.
● Some of the most common irrational beliefs addressed in rational emotive behavior therapy include:

 Feeling excessively upset over other people’s mistakes or misconduct

 Believing that you must be perfectly competent and successful in everything to be valued and worthwhile

 Believing that you will be happier if you avoid life’s difficulties or challenges

 Feeling that you have no control over your own happiness; that your contentment and joy are dependent upon
external forces
Cognitive
Techniques
By: Zoonash Tahir
What Cognitive Techniques do?

● Cognitive restructuring techniques are focused on helping the client change irrational beliefs

● Cognitive techniques aim at teaching clients how to deal with self statements so that they no longer believe them

and encourage them to believe on a philosophy based on reality

 Techniques

● Guided Imagery Technique ● Reframing

● Guided imagery is a type of focused ● Reframing is a strategy foe getting bad
relaxation or meditation. Focused relaxation events into perspective is to re-evaluate them
involves concentrating on a specific object, as “disappointing”, “concerning” or
sound, or experience in order to calm your “uncomfortable” rather than awful or

mind. In guided imagery, you intentionally unbearable. This strategy aims at letting

think of a peaceful place or scenario. client see that every negative event always
have some positive side in them.
 ● Disputing Irrational Beliefs
It is actively disputing client’s irrational beliefs
and teaching them how to do this challenging on
their own. Clients go over a particular must or
should until they no longer hold that irrational
belief or until it is diminished in its strength. It
can be done both by therapist and client.
● Exposure to a feared situation
The exposure to the feared objects, activities or
situations in a safe environment helps reduce
fear and decrease avoidance. Exposure therapy
has been scientifically demonstrated to be a
helpful treatment or treatment component for a
range of problems, including: Phobias. Panic
Disorder.
Socratic questioning

● The first step is to identify the thoughts that a person feel need to be questioned. Think of a specific

thought that you suspect is destructive or irrational, especially one that pops into your head quite a lot.

● Next, consider the evidence for and against this thought. What evidence is there that this thought is

accurate? What evidence exists that calls it into question?

● Once person have identified the evidence, they can make a judgment on this thought. Weigh the

evidence for the thought and the evidence against the thought, and decide whether it is more likely to be

accurate or false. Determine whether it is based on the facts or on person feelings .

Behavioral
Techniques
By: Laiba Riaz
 Behavioral Techniques

 Behavioral techniques are a core component of many evidence-based psychotherapies.

 These techniques have in common a focus on changing behaviors to improve mood and overall

functioning.

 5 major Behavioral Techniques of REBT.

Shame attack

• Basically used to replace self directed shame.

• Shame is not about who you are as a person but it is

• an internalized experience

• some aspect of your character

• how someone has treated you in past

• You choose to identify and embrace your shame then move from it
 Skill training
 People at times lack skills they want to have
 Face problems
 Never had the opportunity

How to help client build a skill?

 Introduction
Tell him/her what we are going to do also tell him/her why.
 Modelling
Perform it in front of him because sometimes only instructing does not help
 Rehearsing
Make him/her do it , its ok if he is wrong for the first time or so.
 Feedback
Always start with something positive and then go towards the constructive part.
Staying in a difficult situation

If a client is experiencing a difficult ongoing situation, suggest staying in the situation until he/she
learns resilience.

Ask to….

 Evaluate the situation

 Practice mindfulness
 Focus on things that are in your control
 Try to avoid negative
 Try relaxation techniques
Acting on rational belief
If the client comes in with rational beliefs the therapist job is to identify the rational beliefs and help
him/her with the alternative i.e. rational beliefs that will ultimately change his/her behavior.

 Irrational belief
I cannot do it , I hate college.

 Rational belief
I know I can do better , I need to study more.
In vivo desensitization

 It is an exposure based strategy for treatment of anxiety, fear and phobias.

 A person’s apprehension is triggered by a specific place or situation, these kind of techniques are
used to reduce the fear of associated with these triggers.

 It guides your brain to stop giving you misinformation and begin to understand that the
consequences of their anxiety are not reasonable.
Emotive behavioral
techniques
By: Noor ul ain Mubarik
What are emotive techniques?

● It helps the client to Understand the value of unconditional self acceptance and unconditional others acceptance
even though the behavior Maybe difficult to accept they can see themselves and other as worth while.
● Any therapeutic technique designed to encourage people to express thoughts and feelings in an animated
manner to make them more obvious

Example of emotive technique

● You see a therapist because you are feeling depressed. Together, you and the therapist isolate some of the
negative thoughts that you seem to repeat to yourself. You then counter those negative thoughts with rational
positive thoughts.
4 emotive techniques

● Rationale emotive imaginary

● Role playing

● Shame attacking exercise

● Use of force and vigor

Emotive imaginary technique

● It is the form of intense mental practice designed to establish new emotional patterns By making the client

imagine themselves the worst thing that can happen, unhealthy and upset Feelings, intense experience Of

Feelings and changing them To healthy and positive feelings.

Role playing

● There are both emotional and behavioral components in Role playing.

● Client can rehears certain behaviors to Bring out what they feel in a situation With therapist in a presumed

environment
Shame attacking exercise

● Ellis has developed Exercises to Help people reduce shame over behaving in certain ways.

● These exercises are aimed at Increasing self acceptance and mature responsibility.

Use of force and vigor

● It is a way to help client to go from intellectual to Emotional insight. Clients are shown how to conduct forceful

dialogues by reverse role playing in which therapist adopts the client’s beliefs And argues for it While the client

tries to convince the therapist That the belief Is dysfunctional.

𝒯𝐻𝒜𝒩𝒦 𝒴𝒪𝒰!