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RATIONAL EMOTIVE

THERAPY (RET)

Albert Ellis 1957

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Albert Ellis

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COGNITIVE THERAPY

Specifically concerned with the thinking

processes.

Aims at modifying feelings and actions by

influencing the clients patterns of thought.

i.e. Cognitive Restructuring

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NATURE OF MAN

ACCORDING TO ELLIS1. Cognitiveemotivebehaving creature.

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2. Existentialist positionPlaces man squarely in the center of his

universe. Man has full control over what he

feelsand does. Full responsibilityand full

rightto choose a happy existence.

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3.Perfectionist yet error-prone.

Fallible human being and therefore engages

in such anomalies as ego-esteem and

feelings of worthlessness.

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Rational Emotive Therapy

Assumptions Psychological disorders arise from faulty or

irrational thinking.

These thought patterns are preconscious,

implicit verbalizations comprising the

clients basic belief system.

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Only you can upset yourselfabout events--the events

themselves, no matterhow undesirable, can neverupset you

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As a man thinketh, so is he.

-The Bible

Men are not worried by things, but by their ideas about things. When

we meet difficulties, become anxious or troubled, let us not blame

others, but rather ourselves, that is: our idea about things.

-Epictetus, about 60 AD

It is very obvious that we are not influenced by "facts" but by

our interpretation of the facts.-Alfred Adler

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The basic paradigm of RET

A-B-C-D-E

A=Activating event

B=Beliefs (Irrational beliefs)

C=Consequences

D=Disputing the irrational beliefs

E = Emotional Insight

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Ellis talks about the three main

irrational beliefs:

1. I must be outstandingly competent, or Iam worthless.

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2. Others must treat me considerately, or

they are absolutely rotten.

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3. The world should always give me

happiness, or I will die.

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Just, What are Irrational Beliefs?

Irrational beliefs take the form of absolute

statements. Instead of acknowledging a

preference or a desire, we make unqualified

demands on others, or convince ourselves

that we have overwhelming needs.

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Irrational Beliefs: Must or

Should statements

I must be a winner every time I compete

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Irrational Beliefs make

unqualified demands on others

and on self

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TYPICAL THINKING ERRORS

PEOPLE MAKE

1. Ignoring the positive,

2. Exaggerating the negative, and

3. Over - generalizing

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Structure of a typical RET session

1. Establish a relationship; build clientconfidence in therapy. Talk freely.

2. Identify the problem; put it into the A orC format.

3. Goal setting; changes in C & behavior.

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4. Explain RET..

5 .Uncover irrational beliefs.

Beliefs are defined as irrational only if theyhave dysfunctional consequences for the

client, not because they contain certain cuewords as must, awful, and the like

6. Dispute irrational beliefs.

7. End session with homework assignment.

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The therapist uses his or her

skills to argue against these

irrational ideas in therapy, or,

even better, leads the client to

make the arguments. For

example, the therapist may

ask...

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isputing the irrational beliefs

1. Is there any evidence for this belief?

2. What is the evidence against this belief?

3. What is the worst that can happen if yougive up this belief?

4. And what is the best that can happen?

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THE NEXT STEP IS TO ANSWERTHE DISPUTE

(This is the MOST IMPORTANT piece of RET)

We simply answer our disputedquestion statement in a rational and

factual manner. Here are a fewexamples:

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I am a loser because my lover left me for anotherman/woman.

O.K., That is silly. Why does losing my lover make me aloser as a person? It does not! I am not a loser of aperson just because my lover left me.

I can't live without my lover

Wait a minute. Who says I can't live without thisperson. We are not physically attached to each

other! Yes I can live without my lover. I might not wantto live alone, but I can. It may be painful, but I can livewithout him/her.

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HERES WH T YOU WILL SEE IN THE

CLINIC

Feeling: Anxiety, stressPossible Irrational Ideas: Hurry up

or be perfect messages; failureexpectations or too high expectations.

Feeling: Sad, pessimisticPossible Irrational ideas: Self-criticism; hopelessness; expecting tofail.

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Feeling: Anger, irritableIrrational ideas: Fantasies about beingmistreated; believing the other

person is evil and should be punished

Feeling: Disappointment

Irrational ideas: Expecting too much.Thinking things shouldbe different.

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12 Irrational beliefs pointed out by Ellis

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Everyone should love and approve of me

I should always be able, successful, and "on top of

things"

People who are evil and bad should be punished

severely

When things do not go the way I wanted and

planned, it is terrible and I am, of course, going to

get very disturbed. I can't stand it

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External events cause most of my unhappiness.

I don't have any control over these externalfactors, so I can't do anything about mydepression or other misery.

When the situation is scary or going badly, Ishould and can't keep from worrying all the time.

It is easier for me to overlook or avoid thinkingabout tense situations than to face the problemsand take the responsibility for correcting the

situation.

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I need someone--often a specific person--to be with and

lean on

Things have been this way so long, I can't do anythingabout these problems now

When my close friends and relatives have seriousproblems it is only right and natural that I get veryupset too

I don't like the way I'm feeling but I can't help it. I justhave to accept it and go with my feelings

I know there is an answer to every problem. I should'

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Characteristics of RET

Emphasis on the here and now

Stress on working relationship rather than

empathy

Active directive therapist

Existential approach

Short term therapy

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Advantages and drawbacks of

RETADVANTAGES

Shortterm

Cost effective Tangible behavioral

change

Respect as client

DRAWBACKS

Insight must be good

Motivated Not effective with all

disorders