Rational
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REBT was developed in 1955 by Dr. Albert Ellis REBT is an action-oriented psychotherapy that teaches individuals to identify, challenge, and replace their self-defeating thoughts and beliefs with healthier thoughts that promote emotional well-being and goal achievement. The goal of REBT is to help people change their irrational beliefs into rational beliefs. Changing beliefs is the real work of therapy and is achieved by the therapist disputing the client's irrational beliefs. Important Theoretical Concepts: Self-acceptance: people with conditional self-acceptance value themselves because of their accomplishments rather than because of their basic worth as a person. People should have a realistic sense of their strengths and weaknesses and take pride in their achievements. REBT teaches people to assess their thoughts and behaviors, not themselves. Origins of emotional disturbances: REBT recognizes that childhood difficulties and traumas may contribute to a person's tendency to think and act in unhealthy ways. It also perceives people as able to exercise choice and to see that their thoughts are responsible for disturbing them, and to actively and continually work toward positive change and fulfillment. Secular humanism: REBT encourages people to develop a rational philosophy of life. Secular humanists believe that people are neither good or bad, but human. Thoughts as the route to change: Change only occurs when people recognize and accept that they are largely responsible for creating their own emotional problems. REBT believes that these emotional problems come from irrational beliefs. Through hard work and practice, people can change their absolute and irrational beliefs and be rid of their emotional difficulties. Focus on present thoughts: REBT focuses on present thoughts rather than past events. People's current thoughts and behaviors maintain their self-defeating thoughts. |