Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

• Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) posits that cognition, emotion, and behavior are integrated, not disparate functions.
• When people are disturbed, they think-feel-act in a dysfunctional manner, and undisturbing themselves involves changing cognitions, emotional reactions, and activities.
• Disturbed thoughts, feelings, and actions are interconnected, varied, and significantly influence each other.
• REBT aims to change Irrational Beliefs to Rational Beliefs for emotional and behavioral improvement and is always integrative, using multimodal methods (cognitive, emotive, behavioral).
• AE's theory suggests individuals possess both Rational Beliefs (RBs) and Irrational Beliefs (IBs), and frequent, intense IBs correlate with higher disturbance.
• A second major theory of REBT is that turning IBs into rational beliefs reduces disturbances, confirmed by extensive research.
• The practice of REBT is not merely eclectic and incorporates parts of many therapeutic theories.
• AE originated REBT because it was more effective than other forms of therapy.
• Rational analysis would prove to be more effective than other types of therapies.
• REBT uses Jung's concept of self-actualization.
• REBT includes Rogers' theory and practice of unconditional positive regard or full acceptance.
• REBT energetically encourages clients to change, as Adlerians do.
• REBT actively-directively gives homework assignments, uses operant conditioning, and employs in vivo desensitization as Skinnerians and other behaviorists do.
• REBT uses many experiential, encounter, and feeling methods, as Gestalt therapists do.
• REBT integrates some aspects of many therapeutic theories and eclectically uses specific techniques from many sources for individual clients.

The Origins of REBT

• REBT's origin is traced back to 1953, when AE abandoned psychoanalysis due to its inefficiency.
• Some clients gain insight into psychodynamic aspects of their disturbances, without change.
• Insight and expressed repressed feelings did not lead to changes in the lives of clients.
• Homework assignments and skill training worked much better, particularly with socially phobic clients.
• In vivo desensitization and relationship training greatly increased progress.
• Traditional insight alone is insufficient for deep and lasting change, often leading to self-pity or retraumatization.
• Insight often does not show clients what they do now to keep alive the hurts and horrors of the past.
• AE was interested in philosophy since the age of sixteen onward.
• AE then realized that the kind of insight that clients gain usually does not help.
• In January 1955, Rational Therapy (RT) was conceived and presented the ABC theory of emotional disturbance: Adversity (A), Belief System (B), and Consequences (C).
• Cognitive therapy was espoused by other therapists of the early twentieth century.
• The ABC’s of Rational Therapy was at first burdened with unconscious ideas.
• AE used the approval of his own belief system to bolster the cognitive-behavioral therapy.
• In August 31, 1956, AE said that Rational Therapy was highly active-directive, confrontational, and emotive.
• He later had to admit that there was a very strong behavioral aspect and this should be called Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy.
• In 1961, AE and Robert Harper collaborated together.
• AE changed his name to Rational-Emotive Therapy (RET).
• Raymond Corsini objected to this designation because there was a strong behavioral aspect to REBT so it should be called Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy.
• In 1993, AE changed the name to Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT).