What is REBT?
People are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of them.
It is not only the event, but also our attitudes and beliefs about it, that cause our emotional reaction.
REBT is:
a practical, action-oriented, brief approach to coping with problems and enhancing personal growth. It places a good deal of its focus on the present, on currently-held attitudes, painful emotions and maladaptive behaviors that can sabotage a fuller experience of life. The main job of the therapist is to help people uncover their individual set of beliefs (attitudes, expectations and personal rules) that frequently lead to emotional distress. REBT then provides a variety of methods to help people reformulate their self-defeating beliefs into more sensible, realistic and helpful ones by employing the powerful REBT technique called 'disputing.' Ultimately, REBT helps people develop a philosophy and approach to living that can increase their effectiveness and happiness in all areas of life, thus enhancing their own health and personal welfare.
REBT is not:
therapy that tries to uncover the past in order to understand peoples problems. Although it may be true that we are strongly influenced by events in our early lives and that much of our present lives, and our beliefs are learned from past experiences, we carry these values and beliefs in our head in the present. While we cannot change the past, we can change how we let the past influence the way we are today and the way we want to be tomorrow.
Example of:
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy's
A - B - C Theory of Emotional Disturbance
A = Activating Experience
Your boyfriend breaks the news that he is going out with another woman and therefore wishes to break off his relationship with you.
B = Irrational Beliefs About the Experience
"I really must be a worthless person."
"I'll never find another great man like him."
"He doesn't want me, therefore no one could possible want me"
and/or
"This is awful" Everything happens to me!"
"That bastard! He shouldn't be that way."
"I can't stand the world being so unfair and lousy."
C = Upsetting Emotional Consequence
Depression
and/or
Hostility
D = Disputing of Irrational Ideas
"Where is the evidence that because this man wishes to end our relationship, that I am a worthless person; or that I'll never be able to have a really good relationship with someone else; or even that I couldn't be happy alone?
"Why is it awful that I'm not getting what I want?"
"Why shouldn't the world be full of hassles?"
"How does his rejecting me make me a bad person (or him a bad person)?"
E = New Emotional Consequence or Effect
Sadness: "Well, we did have a nice relationship, and I'm sorry to see it end - but it did have its problems and now I can go out and find a new friend"
or
Annoyance: "It's annoying that he is seeing someone; but it isn't awful or Intolerable."