Rational emotive behavior therapy is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). It’s an action-oriented therapeutic method that focuses on helping people deal with irrational beliefs so that they can manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in a healthier, more realistic way.
When people have irrational beliefs about themselves or the world, it can cause problems. The goal of REBT is to help people identify and change those beliefs and negative patterns of thinking. This helps overcome psychological problems and mental disturbance.
As stated in REBT, our cognition, emotions, and behaviors are all connected. To be able to understand the effect of events and situations that people come across throughout their lives, it’s important to look at the beliefs that people have about these experiences and the emotions that emerge as a result of those beliefs.
REBT is based on the idea that generally, people want to do well in life. People want to reach their goals and find happiness. However, sometimes irrational thoughts and feelings get in the way. These beliefs can influence how a person perceives circumstances and events. It is usually not for the better.
Imagine a situation where you have texted someone you’ve been dating for a month. You can tell that the person has seen the text but several hours have passed by without a reply. Then, the next day passes without a reply.
You might start to think that the person doesn’t want to reply because he or she doesn’t want to see you. You might also tell yourself that you did something wrong the last time you saw that person. Then you might begin to tell yourself that relationships never work out. Then you may come to the irrational conclusion that you will be alone for the rest of your life.
This example above illustrates the core principles of REBT called the ABCs of REBT:
“A” refers to the Activating event or situation that produces a negative reaction or response. In the example, that is the lack of reply.
“B” refers to the beliefs or irrational thoughts about the event or situation. In the example, B is the belief that the person doesn’t want to see you anymore. Or that you’ve done something wrong and will be alone for the rest of your life.
“C” refers to the Consequences. Frequently, the consequences are the distressing emotions that come from irrational thoughts or beliefs. In our example, that might include feelings of not being good enough or being worthless.
In our story, REBT would aim at helping you to reexamine how you think about why the person didn’t respond to your text. Maybe he or she was just busy or just forgot to answer. It also may actually be that the person isn’t interested in dating you anymore. BUT, that doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with you, OR that you will spend the rest of your life alone.
During therapy, your therapist will help you learn how to apply the ABC model to your everyday life. If you’re feeling depressed due to a conflict with someone, your therapist may help you identify the activating event for your distress and then encourage you to figure out which beliefs brought on your negative feelings. You would then work with your therapist to change those beliefs and eventually, your emotional response to the conflict.
In this process, an important step is recognizing the underlying beliefs that cause psychological distress. Many times, these are framed as “I must,” “I should,” or “I can’t.” The most common irrational beliefs include:
Being overly upset over the mistakes or misconduct of other people
Believing that you have to be proficient and successful in everything to have value and be worthwhile
Believing that your life would be happier if you just avoid the difficulties and challenges of life
Feeling like you have no control over your own happiness and that your contentment and joy depend on outside influences
Hanging on to unrelenting beliefs like these makes it almost impossible to respond to activating situations or events in a way that is healthy psychologically. Maintaining strict expectations of yourself and others only leads to disappointment, regret, and anxiety.
Beliefs that end up in negative emotions are variations of three common irrational beliefs. Called “The Three Basic Musts,” these common irrational beliefs are based on demands about ourselves, about others, or about the environment.
They are:
If a person doesn’t get “Must #1,” they usually feel anxious, depressed, shameful, or guilty. Regarding “Must #2,” if not treated fairly, they typically feel angry and may act out violently. As to “Must #3,” the person may feel self-pity and procrastinate.
Going through a process called disputation is one step toward changing your beliefs. During disputation, your therapist will directly challenge your irrational beliefs. The therapist may challenge your beliefs head-on, causing you to rethink them. Alternatively, the therapist may ask you to imagine another point of view that hasn’t been considered yet.
Instead of being warm and supportive in this process, therapists need to be blunt, honest, and logical to help push people toward changing their thoughts and behaviors. Disputation is designed to teach you life-long skills to help you manage your emotional responses and overall mental health.
There are three main types of REBT techniques that correspond with the ABCs of rational emotive behavior therapy. Different therapists might use a slightly different combination of REBT techniques depending on their past clinical experiences and their symptoms. The three types of REBT techniques are described below.
These address the activating event or situation (A). They include working to develop:
Problem-solving skills
Assertiveness
Social skills
Decision-making skills
Conflict resolution skills
Cognitive processes are higher-level brain functions that include language, imagination, perception, and planning.
These strategies help change irrational beliefs (B) and might include:
Problem-solving skills
Assertiveness
Social skills
Decision-making skills
Conflict resolution skills
Coping techniques help with managing the emotional consequences (C) of irrational thoughts.
Examples of coping techniques include:
Relaxation
Hypnosis
Meditation
No matter what techniques are used, your therapist will also probably give you work to do on your own between sessions. This way, you can apply the skills you learn to your daily life.
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Beliefs that end up in negative emotions are variations of three common irrational beliefs. Called “The Three Basic Musts,” these common irrational beliefs are based on demands about ourselves, about others, or about the environment.
They are:
If a person doesn’t get “Must #1,” they usually feel anxious, depressed, shameful, or guilty. Regarding “Must #2,” if not treated fairly, they typically feel angry and may act out violently. As to “Must #3,” the person may feel self-pity and procrastinate.
Going through a process called disputation is one step toward changing your beliefs. During disputation, your therapist will directly challenge your irrational beliefs. The therapist may challenge your beliefs head-on, causing you to rethink them. Alternatively, the therapist may ask you to imagine another point of view that hasn’t been considered yet.
Instead of being warm and supportive in this process, therapists need to be blunt, honest, and logical to help push people toward changing their thoughts and behaviors. Disputation is designed to teach you life-long skills to help you manage your emotional responses and overall mental health.
A key part of the REBT process is replacing your irrational beliefs with healthier beliefs. This can be an intimidating and upsetting process, so it is normal to be concerned that you’ve made a mistake and to feel some discomfort. However, the aim of REBT is to help people learn to respond rationally to situations that would usually cause them to experience stress, depression, and other negative feelings.
According to Albert Ellis, these are the 3 main insights that REBT teaches:
REBT can be especially helpful for people with a variety of issues including:
Depression
Anxiety
Addiction
Phobias
Anger, Rage or Guilt
Procrastination
Eating disorders
Aggression
Sleep problems
If you or a loved one are struggling with SUD, you can receive comprehensive REBT techniques for addiction treatment here at Harmony Place. Here at Harmony Place, we offer multiple levels of care, including aftercare treatment. In other words, as long as you need us, we are here for you.
In addition, our licensed and experienced therapists are qualified to help you through the emotional and behavioral challenges of the road to recovery.
Research has shown that the most influential treatment methods are combination treatment methods. This usually includes behavioral therapies like REBT, combined with medical treatments. Thus, utilizing REBT techniques here at Harmony Place to treat your substance addiction could likely be the most effective way to achieve recovery.
Our staff is ready to design an individualized program specifically for you or your loved one. Contact us today. We are always available to answer your questions.
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