A Concise Exploration Of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

There are a lot of emerging theories and methods that are to be exploited by psychiatric therapy and counseling. Experts continuously study and observe to develop new approaches to psychotherapy to increase efficacy and prevent relapse.

Source: citcassociates.com

For so long, therapists have applied different methodologies in order to deliver effective treatment to their patients. They have observed the patient’s emotions and behaviors to construct the appropriate treatment.

One thing that has gone overlooked, as observed by one particular psychologist, is the manner in which the patients think. This analysis did not go disregarded to this psychologist’s perception; it was something that he dug deeper into and made a further careful investigation.

Finally, after an in-depth study, this said doctor started to establish this observation now formally known as Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, or REBT.

 

Now, what is REBT and how can it be an enhancement to the broad approaches to psychotherapy?

 

  • It Is A Psychotherapy Method Of Advanced Age

Developed in the 1950s, pioneering American Psychologist Albert Ellis initially presented the idea of REBT at a conference of the American Psychological Association. In 1957, a seminal article was published by Ellis entitled “Rational Psychotherapy and Individual Psychology” wherein he established the foundation for Rational Therapy (RT) and from then on further formed this method of psychotherapy.

“Today, more people are making psychotherapy a part of their self-care practice. In the same way they have personal trainers, they are investing in therapists — and that’s a good thing.” –Robin D. Stone, LMHC

Source: ct.counseling.org

 

  • It Came From Various Philosophical Inspirations

Ellis was enthused by the wisdom of different philosophers: Asian, Greek, Roman, and Modern. On his first major publication on Rational Therapy, he described its philosophical basis as the principle that outside things seldom affect a person emotionally; instead, his perceptions, attitudes, or internalized sentences about these external things and events are what affects him emotionally.

 

  • It Is A Pioneering System Of Psychotherapy

As an innovative cognitive-experiential-behavioral system of psychotherapy, REBT uncovers patient’s irrational beliefs and actively-directly disputes them. Through this system, the client’s disorderly thoughts, feelings, and actions are changed through thinking, feeling and action techniques designed to help them modify their manner of self-defeating ways.

 

  • It Challenges The Way We Perceive Things

It is natural for humans to have self-defeating thoughts, according to Ellis. He believed that the way we think has a direct impact on how we feel. As naturally negative thinkers, he introduced REBT as a therapy to help clients steer their thoughts toward the positive and reduce negative symptoms to improve their overall quality of life.

“Research has also demonstrated that medication in conjunction with ongoing psychotherapy is the most effective treatment for depression and/or anxiety.” –Dr. Karen Wolman, Licensed Psychologist

Source: thebalance.com

 

  • It Leads To A Healthier, More Positive Perspective On Life

REBT explains that a person’s hold to various irrational beliefs is often the cause of negative emotions toward an event. By making clients understand that these illogical beliefs are detrimental to the outcome of a situation, therapists encourage them to change their manner of thinking and navigate towards the rational, healthier side and eventually onto a mentally healthier life.

 

  • It Essentially Changes One For The Better

REBT, like any other therapies, is not an overnight cure. “Therapy is a lot like other things in life, in that you’ll get out of it what you put in. You’ll need to put in effort to get results.”  Sarah Rumpf, MA, LPCC said. However, unlike other methods, this helps uncover the causes of a client’s adverse reaction to an event. It fundamentally suggests techniques that will encourage the client to live with a healthier state of mind and accept that reality can be pleasant or unpleasant. It is in our manner of thinking about how we can turn these situations for the better.