Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) is a
type of therapy introduced by Albert Ellis in the
1950s. It’s an approach that helps you identify
irrational beliefs and negative thought patterns
that may lead to emotional or behavioral issues.
Once you’ve identified these patterns, a therapist
will help you develop strategies to replace them
with more rational thought patterns.
REBT can be particularly helpful for people living
with a variety of issues, including:
- depression
- anxiety
- addictive behaviours
- phobias
- overwhelming feelings of anger, guilt, or
rage
- procrastination
- disordered eating habits
- aggression
- sleep problems
What are the principles of REBT?
REBT is grounded in the idea that people generally
want to do well in life. For example, you probably
want to achieve your goals and find happiness. But
sometimes, irrational thoughts and feelings get in
the way. These beliefs can influence how you
perceive circumstances and events — usually not for
the better.
Imagine you’ve texted someone you’ve been dating for
a month. You see they’ve read the message, but
several hours pass with no reply. By the next day,
they still haven’t replied. You might start to think
that they’re ignoring you because they don’t want to
see you.
You might also tell yourself that you did something
wrong when you last saw them, you may then tell
yourself that relationships never work out and that
you will be alone for the rest of your life. |
