What is rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)? – Online Psychologists

In 1955, Albert Ellis created the rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT).

Ellis was the founder and president of the Albert Ellis Institute in New York. In addition, he came to be considered one of the most influential psychotherapists in history. He was ranked ahead of the notable Sigmund Freud, according to the survey distributed in 1982 among psychology professionals in the United States and Canada. In fact, the same year that Albert Ellis died, the magazine Psychology Today had described him as the most important living psychologist.

In 1953, Ellis considered psychoanalysis to be unphilosophical and ineffective. He also rejected behavioural therapy almost entirely. Ellis decided to develop a more active and dynamic type of psychotherapy: rational emotive behavior therapy. In this therapy, the therapist was required to help the patient understand that his or her personal beliefs or philosophy influenced and participated in the creation of his or her emotional pain.

Therefore, his new approach focused on actively change those beliefs and self-destructive behaviors. He did this by demonstrating to the patient their irrationality through evidence. That is, Ellis believed that, through rational analysis, people would understand and comprehend their irrational beliefs and change them into rational ones. This was called cognitive restructuring.

In 1954 he began to teach his new technique to other therapists. And three years later, in 1957, he officially presented the first cognitive therapyIn the presentation he proposed that therapists help their patients by adjusting their thinking and behavior as a treatment for thought and behavior problems.

In 1959, Albert Ellis published How to live with a neurotica book in which he discussed his new method. And in 1960, at a convention in Chicago, he gave a presentation of his new theory to the American Psychological Association (APA). However, it was received with little interest, since at that time the attention of experimental psychology was focused on behaviorism.

Although Ellis' approach took a while to catch on, he did manage to found his own institute: the Institute for Rational Living. It was founded in 1959 as a non-profit organization. Nearly a decade later, it was approved by the New York Board of Governors as a center for learning and clinical psychology.

In the seminars he conducted very often, he offered the opportunity to one of the participants to go up on stage. He treated them and, due to this, his method became famous for taking a direct and confrontational style.

Rational emotive behavior therapy is a form of brief psychotherapy. The goal of this therapy is to review irrational ideas of people and their thought patterns that are associated with the emotional discomfort. In this way, they can be replaced by more productive beliefs. This will allow the patient to better deal with their problems and develop more social skills to be able to relate and live in a full way.

This therapy is based on the assumption that We wrongly blame external events for our discomfort. We think that everyday situations in life are to blame for our unhappiness, as if everything were against us.

However, what makes us unhappy is not the events themselves, but our own interpretations about them.

After all, we all want to be happy and enjoy a full life full of beautiful things. But the reality is that it is not always possible. Sometimes effort is not rewarded. Sometimes life puts obstacles in our way that prevent us from achieving what we so desire. It is the natural cycle of life and we cannot do anything to avoid it.

From the perspective of the rational emotive behavioral approach, our reactions to these obstacles are determined by a series of beliefs and not by the events themselves.

Rational emotive behavior therapy explains that an event (A) triggers thoughts or beliefs (B) that cause our emotions (C). This was called the ABC technique for irrational beliefs.

As we have already mentioned, it is not events that cause emotions, but our interpretation of them. Therefore, the same event can affect two people differently.

Each individual has beliefs that make him unique. By changing our beliefs or thoughts, We change emotions. This is the main goal of rational emotive behavior therapy.

The main characteristic of REBT is that it focuses on the present.

It aims to help patients understand their own thought patterns and beliefs that cause emotional distress. These beliefs lead to harmful actions and behaviors that influence a person's life goals and emotional stability.

Once these negative thoughts have been identified and understood, they can be be modified and replaced with more positive and productive ones. This will allow the person to develop deeper and more successful personal and professional relationships.

For rational emotive behavioral therapy to work, it is essential to patient workThe more involved you are in therapy and in the work during the sessions, the shorter the process will take and the sooner you will notice an improvement. Therefore, REBT can be considered a brief therapy.

If irrational thoughts are controlling your life, it may be time to contact an online psychologist.

Once the patient has finished the therapy he will have learned to rationalize your thoughtsThis will help you manage your own reactions to situations that previously caused you emotional distress. This will also bring great results when dealing with problems such as anxiety, depression, phobias or social isolation.

This approach is also used to change behaviors that generate stress. On the other hand, it is useful to correct self-sabotage, which refers to behaviors such as self-harm, harmful eating habits or procrastination. Elements that worsen the quality of life.

The TREC-specialized therapist will be in charge of working with the patient to Identify false beliefs and the thought patterns that block you and do not allow you to achieve the goals you have set in your life. The rational emotive psychologist will help you see what level of irrationality his thoughts come and how harmful they are to him.

Through a series of mental and behavioral exercisesyou will learn to know how to reduce those negative thoughts and behaviors. Once you control them, you will replace them with others that are positive and constructive.

Rational emotive behavioral therapy uses tools such as positive visualizationto the reframing of thought. In addition, it also promotes the use of self-help books or guides. And, of course, the task assignment that the patient must carry out at home to reinforce what is acquired in each of the sessions.

REBT has not only been applied in the clinical field. There are also several writings on intervention in the work and education fieldRational emotive behavior therapy is a psychotherapy that offers a wide range of opportunities.

If you are flooded by the negative thoughtsInstead of constructive ones, going to a professional psychologist can be of great help.

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