REBT by Albert Ellis

REBT stands for Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, which was developed by Albert Ellis following the principles of cognitive psychology.. After the inefficiency of behavioral therapy (based on stimulus-response) to treat some psychological disorders, with a marked cognitive cut, they began to work to turn it around and improve the results. Thus, REBT is an example of those pioneering techniques that showed great effectiveness in disorders such as anxiety and depression.

This therapy is based on the ABC model of cognitive psychology initially proposed by Albert Ellis. In this model it is proposed that activating events (A) by themselves do not cause emotional, behavioral or cognitive consequences (C); These will depend on how said event is perceived or interpreted (B). In summary, A (events) cause B (interpretations) and these cause C (consequences/behaviors).

Psychological foundations of REBT

The ultimate goal of REBT is to eliminate or modify C. On the other hand, C could be altered by modifying both the events (A) and their interpretations (B). On the other hand, it is obvious that, on many occasions, events are unalterable. So, in this type of therapy, The work with the patient focuses on trying to change some of the interpretations that they make and that lead them to carry out the behaviors that we intend to change..

Genesis of disorders

Albert Ellis, after many investigations, found that All or most of us develop irrational thoughts that make us see reality in an extremely negative way.. She found more than 200 types of thoughts that promoted this negative vision, which led to anxiety or depression disorders. Currently we can group these forms of irrational thinking into 4 types:

Demands or demands: eg “If my partner loved me, he should have given me a gift.”Catastrophism: eg “If the interview goes wrong tomorrow it will be the end of my professional career, I’ll die.”Low tolerance to frustration: eg “I’m afraid to go to that party because I’m sure everyone is going to reject me, it’s very hard and I can’t stand it.”Depreciation: eg “My food has burned, I’m useless, I do everything wrong.”

These types of thoughts are considered irrational because they are false, illogical, extreme, or overly demanding inferences. Ellis argues that they come from absolutist beliefs of “shoulds” or “shoulds.” that abound in our internal dialogue.

Maintenance of disorders

The aforementioned modes of thinking cause negative emotional, behavioral or negative consequences, but what maintains them? According to the REBT, There are three types of insight or ideas that help disorders or discomfort last over time:

Insight #1: The disturbance is determined by the irrational interpretations that derive from negative events. However, if the person believes that the emotional disturbance is due to the event rather than his interpretation of it, he will try to change the situation without success: the real problem is his irrational beliefs.Insight #2: If people continue to reaffirm their rigid and extreme beliefs, they will resist change, so the disorder will remain.Insight #3: A thought focused on the past will cause stagnation in events and irrational beliefs. Only by working in the present and in the future will it be possible to change beliefs and with them the discomfort.

REBT Features

REBT is a therapeutic approach focused on helping patients deal with their irrational thoughts and teaching them to manage their emotions, beliefs and behaviors in a realistic and adaptive way. Albert Ellis argued that people are goal-oriented and very irrational in their way of reasoning. Most of them are not even aware of their irrationalities and negative consequences.

This type of therapy recognizes that Cognition, emotions and behavior are all interconnected, interacting and influencing each other. Therefore, to understand a behavioral pattern, it is essential to observe the beliefs that people have and the emotions that arise as a result of them. REBT is a short-term intervention that uses various techniques to challenge irrational beliefs and replace them with healthier ones.

REBT focuses primarily on the present to help the person understand how perceptions of situations can cause the emotional distress they experience, which in turn leads them to act and behave in ways that sabotage or interfere with the fulfillment of their goals. their vital goals.

To talk about what a rational emotive behavioral therapy should be like, we will talk from two perspectives. The first of them will be the therapeutic style, which will talk about what its strategies or methods are; and the second, the relationship that is taken with the client, the way in which the therapist interacts with him.

The therapist’s attitude will have the following characteristics:

Active and managerial: It is important that the therapist adopts an active attitude and offers alternatives to the patient’s irrational beliefs.Verbally active: It is essential that the dialogue be fluid and active on both sides, since the way therapy works is based on discussion and debate.Didactic: The therapist must behave like a good teacher teaching his student to generate change in him.Promote changes in life philosophy: An essential aspect is to provoke a change in the patient’s way of thinking, in their philosophy of life.Do not encourage catharsis: Although it may relieve discomfort at first, the intentional expression of emotions derived from your beliefs can strengthen these same beliefs.Be flexible: Each patient is a different world, with their own characteristic way of thinking. If the therapist is not flexible and knows how to adapt, he will not be able to generate changes in his patients.

On the other hand, The relationship with the patient will be based on the following principles:

Unconditional acceptance: There should be no value judgment, neither positive nor negative, towards the client/patient. This must show that they are accepted clients just like any other person, since one or more behaviors do not define anyone.Empathy: Understanding the patient’s thinking in depth is essential to understanding the nature of their beliefs. The therapist must understand the subject’s philosophy of life in order to help him change.Be genuine: The therapist must be open and accessible. He can even talk about his private life when he sees fit, to exemplify that we all go through difficulties and that we all make mistakes. Personal experience does not serve so much to offer solutions as to normalize certain emotions.Have a sense of humor: It is one of the key aspects of REBT, since it is a therapy based on restlessness and tranquility. The therapist can use humor to highlight aspects of her irrational beliefs. Of course, without depreciating or disrespecting: the therapist in this sense has to take into account that the sensitivity of each patient is different.Informal therapeutic style: REBT works best in a relaxed environment and away from formal aspects of therapy. The patient should see the therapy as a friendly and fun chat, in which he can talk about her concerns and beliefs in a relaxed way.

REBT techniques

There are three main types of techniques that clients will learn:

Problem solving techniques. Cognitive restructuring techniques. Coping techniques.

Problem solving techniques

These techniques are intended to help clients address the A in the ABC model, addressing the activating event or adversity head-on. Popular troubleshooting methods include:

Problem-solving skills.Social skills.Assertiveness.Decision-making skills.Conflict resolution skills.

Cognitive restructuring techniques

Cognitive restructuring techniques focus on helping the client change their irrational beliefs (Clark, 2013). They include:

Logical or rationalization techniques.Visualization and guided images.Reframing.Use humor and irony.Expose yourself to what you fear.Question irrational beliefs.

Coping techniques

When a client cannot change the event and is struggling, even though they are using rational thinking, coping techniques can help. These may include:

Relaxation.Hypnosis.Meditation.Mindfulness.Breathing exercises.

Effectiveness

REBT can be effective for a variety of mental health conditions. In fact, it can create lasting changes in patients. One study found it to be effective in reducing symptoms of burnout in college students. Furthermore, its positive effects continued even months after the therapy concluded.

It has also been found to be able to reduce work-related stress and burnout, while increasing your job satisfaction and commitment to your organization. Likewise, it has proven to be effective in reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety. In these cases, it has been observed that the positive effects generated by REBT can remain after the therapy has ended.

In closing, rational emotive behavioral therapy is an interesting and largely satisfactory therapy for patients. It helps to change your philosophy of life, to assume a more protective style in the face of problems that cause anxiety or depression. And what’s more, it has great scientific evidence to support it. This therapy places Albert Ellis as one of the most important figures in clinical psychology.

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