Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

2. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy Frank North Missouri Baptist University November 2002 “What disturbs people’s minds is not events but their judgments on events” – Epictetus, 100 A.D.

3. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy • Albert Ellis • A-B-C’s of REBT • Treatment Goals • The practice of REBT

4. Albert Ellis • Born - Pittsburgh – 1913 • Grew up in New York City • Undergraduate – City College NY 1934 • Ph.D. - Columbia University 1947 • Discarded traditional psychoanalysis • Took more active role • Quicker improvement

5. 1959 Albert Ellis Institute • Prolific author/editor/consultant • 60 books, 725 articles, • Still in active practice today • 90th Birthday celebration 2003. • Grant me the courage the change the things I can, accept the things I cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference. • Reinhold Niebuhr – 20th century theologian

6. A-B-C’s of REBT • A – Activating Event (trigger) • Something happens • Major event • Job loss, death of loved one, • Minor build-ups • Small events adding up to the last straw

7. A-B-C’s of REBT • B – Beliefs • Rational • Logical • Reality based • Self-helping • Irrational • Illogical • Wishful thinking • Self-defeating

8. The Three Major “musts” • Demands about self. • I must not make mistakes or I will be a failure • Demand about others. • You must not be mean to me or you are a rotten person. • Demand about world & life. • I’m surrounded by idiots, its just awful. • “Musterbations”

9. A-B-C’s of REBT • C – Consequences: • Emotional responses • What happens does not cause you to feel… • You make yourself feel by your beliefs • Behavioral responses • Your reaction is for you to control

10. A-B-C’s of REBT • D – Dispute Irrational beliefs • If you are unhappy with ‘C’, look at ‘B’ and look into those beliefs. • Changing old habits: challenge and replace.

11. A-B-C’s of REBT • E – New Emotions and Behaviors • Results of replacing irrational ‘B’ beliefs with rational ones. • The ‘A’s’ won’t go away, but now they have less impact.

12. Treatment Goals • To show clients that self-defeating behaviors arise from irrational beliefs they hold about activating events. • To minimize emotional disturbances. • To help clients surrender irrational beliefs and replace with more rational philosophies that will help them behave in more constructive, self-serving ways. • To foster a more realistic philosophy of life.

13. The Practice of REBT • The ABC assessment starts from the beginning of the first session and continues. • Therapist listens to the ‘A’ in depth and to the emotional consequence, ‘C’. • Therapist challenges the beliefs ‘B’ of the Client. • ‘show me proof you can’t do anything right’ • Client disputes the belief to form a rational philosophy about the ‘A’ event.

14. The Practice of REBT • “Too much warmth and understanding can be counterproductive for the client and counseling process.” • Albert Ellis • Ellis challenges the client with: • Role playing • Self-talk • Humor

15. The Practice of REBT • Active therapist • Provide clients as quickly as possible the tools to help them change their beliefs, thus freeing them to confront everyday problems with new resources.

16. Summary • Teaching client to identify and discard “absolute” words, “musturbations” and “awfulizations”

17. “Musts” to “Preferences” • I prefer to do well, but if I fail I can try again. • I prefer you treat me well, but since I don’t run the world, I cannot control you. • I prefer life be easy, fair, but since it isn’t I can bear the frustration and still lead an enjoyable life.