RATIONAL EMOTIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY Flashcards
a type of psychotherapy introduced by Albert Ellis in the 1950s. It is an action-oriented approach focused on helping people deal with their irrational beliefs and learning how to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in a healthier and more realistic way.
Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)
REBT can be particularly helpful for people living with a variety of issues, including:
● depression
● anxiety
● addictive behaviors
● phobias
● overwhelming feelings of anger, guilt, or rage
● procrastination
● disordered eating habits
● aggression
● sleep problems
irrational beliefs
Demandingness
Awfulizing and catastrophizing
Low frustration tolerance
Global ratings of self and others
Believing events “must”
or “should” be a certain way. Eg. “My partner absolutely must love me all the time or it’s intolerable.”
Demandingness
Exaggerating the negativity of an event (when things go wrong it is awful and terrible). Eg. “Failing this test means I’ll never get a good job and my life is ruined.”
Awfulizing and catastrophizing
Believing you can’t stand or cope with discomfort. Eg. “I can’t bear feeling sad or anxious.”
Low frustration tolerance
Judging your people’s worth including one’s own based on a single event. Eg. “Getting rejected means I’m a total loser.
Global ratings of self and others
irrational demands
demands on oneself
demands on others
demands on conditions of your life
These are ego demands in the form of, “I absolutely must do well and get approval or else I’m no good.”
Demands on Oneself
These are grandiose demands in the form of, “You absolutely must treat me well or else you’re no good.”
Demands on Others
These are discomfort demands and
frustration tolerance demands in the form of, “My life absolutely must be fair, easy, and hassle-free or else it’s no good.”
Demands on the Conditions of Your Life.
MAIN BELIEFS OF REBT
● Humans are inherently rational, meaning they have an innate capacity to think logically and solve problems. However, they also have a tendency towards irrational thinking.
● Dysfunctional emotions and behaviors often result from irrational beliefs.
● People can learn to identify and dispute irrational beliefs on their own. This enables them to develop more rational thinking processes and healthier emotions/behaviors.
ABCs of REBT
Activating Event/Adversity
Belief
Consequences
The event or situation that triggers
a negative reaction or response
Activating Event/Adversity
The irrational thought that you
might have about an event or
situation
Belief
Often distressing emotions that
result from the irrational thoughts or beliefs
Consequences
DEFs of REBT
dispute
effect
feeling
This involves actively challenging
the irrational beliefs identified in the previous step.
Dispute
This refers to developing a more
rational and adaptive belief system.
It involves replacing irrational
beliefs with more realistic and
helpful thoughts.
Effect
By disputing irrational beliefs and
adopting a more effective
philosophy, individuals can
experience healthier emotions and
behaviors.
feeling
COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS
all or nothing thinking
overgeneralization
catastrophizing
should statements
emotional reasoning
labeling
mental filter
Viewing outcomes or traits as absolute rather than on a spectrum. Eg. “If I’m not perfect, I’m a total failure.
All-or-nothing thinking
Broadly applying beliefs beyond the specific situation. Eg. “All men are selfish jerks.”
Overgeneralization
Exaggerating or imagining the worst case scenario. Eg. “Getting a bad grade means I’ll flunk out and have a terrible life.”
Catastrophizing
