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Topic 4: Counselling Theories

RATIONAL EMOTIVE
BEHAVIOUR THERAPY (REBT)
 WHAT IS RATIONAL EMOTIVE
THERAPY?
RATIONAL Based on or in
accordance with reason
or logic
EMOTIVE Arousing or able to
arouse intense feeling.

Curing, healing
THERAPY

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 REBT

REBT is based on the premise that

whenever we become upset, it is not the
events taking place in our lives that upset
us; it is the beliefs that we hold that cause
us to become depressed, anxious, enraged,
etc.

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 RATIONAL EMOTIVE THERAPY
Rational emotive therapy (REBT) is a
psychotherapeutic approach which proposes that
unrealistic and irrational beliefs cause many emotional
problems.

Created by Albert Ellis in the

1950's.

Previously known as Rational Emotive Therapy (RET)

A form of cognitive-behavioral
therapy (CBT)

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 RATIONAL EMOTIVE
BEHAVIOUR THERAPY
A theory of personality and a technique of
treatment / help for psychological problems.

Individuals have the ability to act either in the

form of rational or irrational.

Ellis said, people are acting negatively , they

are NOT RATIONAL.
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 REBT Views HUMANS as.

REBT see people from two angles;

a. healthy individuals are rational
b. unhealthy individuals who are irrational.

Ellis argues, humans are born with the

potential to think rationally, and to think
irrationally and manipulative.

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 MAIN CONCEPTS OF REBT

You are responsible for your own emotions and

actions,
Your harmful emotions and dysfunctional
behaviors are the product of your irrational
thinking,
You can learn more realistic views and, with
practice, make them a part of you,
You'll experience a deeper acceptance of yourself
and greater satisfactions in life by developing a
reality-based perspective.
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 Rationality is the key
We all have the potential to think rationally.
Emotional disturbances comes from
irrational thinking.
REBT theory holds that, if you think more
rationally in the face of negative events, you
will have less emotional distress.
Rationality is the key to achieving
happiness.

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 WAYS OF THINKING
RATIONAL IRRATIONAL
Empirically Inconsistent with
consistent with reality, lacks empirical
reality, testable validity
Illogical
Logical
Dogmatic, nonflexible
Flexible
Demanding: states
Preferential: demand rather than a
expresses a desire desire.
not a demand
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 HANDLING NEGATIVE EMOTIONS
Adversity may lead to negative emotions.
Some negative emotions are more rational than others.

APPROPRIATE INAPPROPRIATE
Sadness (I lost Depression (im no
something I cared about) good, worthless)
Remorse (im sorry) Guilt (ive sinned)
Concern (I need to take Anxiety (ill never be
care of this) able to handle this)
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 THREE REBT INSIGHTS
Beliefs, not events, cause disturbance. We
remain disturbed by adhering to irrational
beliefs.
We perpetuate these beliefs by using them
repeatedly. We make the same connections
again and again, thereby strengthening our
irrational beliefs.
We will have to work hard to restructure the
beliefs that create unhappiness.
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 BASIC REBT
PRINCIPLES
There are 3 aspects of human functioning:
Thoughts
Feelings
Behaviours
People or events dont make us feel good
or bad.
It is our perceptions of them that result in
our feeling good or bad.
These perceptions influence our
behaviour.

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 A) FROM POSITIVE
Man is responsible for the emotional
distress.
Human is creative and able to
communicate clearly and independently,
learn from the mistakes, flexible, high
degree of self-acceptance, willingness to
take risks.

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 B) NEGATIVE @ NOT
RATIONAL
Humans tend to destroy themselves (self-
destructive)

They try to avoid thinking about anything, repeat

the same mistakes, often blame themselves, no
tolerance, superstition (superstitious), feeling
good and hold themselves from moving towards
self-perfection

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 REBT to focus on THINKING components
other than the feelings and behaviours of
students.

The thought process is closely related to the

feelings and behaviours.

REBT see human problems are caused by

IRRATIONAL THOUGHT of the events.
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 So. REBT explains
people are not disturbed by things but rather by their
view of things."
REBT states the way people feel is largely
influenced by how they think.
When people hold irrational beliefs about
themselves or the world, problems result.
The goal of REBT is to help people alter illogical
beliefs and negative thinking patterns in order to
overcome psychological problems and mental
distress.

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 ABC Model

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 ABC Model

A. Activating event (thought or image)

B. Beliefs about the event
Beliefs will lead to emotional and/or
behavioral
C. Consequences

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 The ABC Model at work
ABC model helps people understand the
connection between belief and consequence.
Individuals are influenced by what they tell
themselves (what they believe to be true).
Most people begin only seeing that the
consequence stems from the activating event.
For example: I yelled at the jerk who stole my
parking place.
Dont stop to consider or challenge their belief.
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 ABCDEF Model

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 A -Activating Event
or Adversity

E - New B - Irrational
Effect/Reasonable Belief about the
or rational thinking event

D - Disputes or C - The emotional

and behavioral
arguments against
Consequences.
irrational beliefs

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 A
Activating event

D B E
Dispute BELIEF New effects

C F
Consequences New
F
Feeling
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 HOW REBT helps.
REBT distinguishes two very different types
of difficulties:
a. practical problems and
b. emotional problems.
REBT addresses the latter by helping you:
Take responsibility
Identify must
Dispute / Challenge your musts
Reinforce
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 Emotional problem
Epictetus more than 2000 years ago said only you can upset yourself about
events--the events themselves, no matter how undesirable, can never upset
you.

1. Take responsibility
Recognize that neither another person, nor
circumstance, can ever disturb you--only you can.
an adverse

No one else can get into your gut and churn it up.
Others can cause you physical pain--by hitting you over the head
with a baseball bat, for example--or can block your goals.
But you create your own emotional suffering, or self-defeating
behavioral patterns, about what others do or say.

http://www.threeminutetherapy.com/rebt.html

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 2. Identify your MUSTs
The culprit usually lies in one of the three core
"musts:"
"Must" #1 (a demand on yourself): "I MUST do well and get
approval, or else I'm worthless." This demand causes
anxiety, depression, and lack of assertiveness.

"Must" #2 (a demand on others): "You MUST treat me

reasonably, considerately, and lovingly, or else you're no
good." This "must" leads to resentment, hostility, and
violence.

"Must" #3 (a demand on situations): "Life MUST be fair,

easy, and hassle-free, or else it's awful." This thinking is
associated with hopelessness, procrastination, and
addictions.

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3. DISPUTE/
CHALLENGE your
MUSTS
Begin by asking yourself: "What's
the evidence for my 'must?
"How is it true?"

4. REINFORCE your
preferences
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Steps to Counselling Process
1.Explain underlying basic principle of
REBT
2.Describe each step of the REBT
model, steps A through E.
3.Identify clients activating events
and emotional / behavioural
consequences
4.Uncover clients negative core irrational
beliefs
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Steps to Counselling Process
5. Use REBT to explore the links between
clients disturbed emotions, low frustration
tolerance, and addictive behaviour: the
cycle of self-defeat
6. Dispute clients irrational beliefs and help
client form rational coping statements
7. Note change in clients affective experience
and help client establish healthy new
behaviours
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 TECHNIQUES

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 These techniques are important
as they help clients
Replace musts and shoulds, with more
flexible ones;
Learn to accept that all human beings
(including themselves) are fallible
Learn to increase their tolerance for
frustration while aiming to achieve their
goals.
Identify irrational beliefs and challenging
(dispute) them
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 REBT Techniques
Homework: Clients are asked to complete
homework assignments, keeping track of ABC
connections.

Emotive Techniques: try out techniques

through role playing, group sessions, using
emotive imagery, laughter.

Behavioural Techniques: relaxation exercise,

distraction, rewards.
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 Doing the D
Distraction: think about something else.
Think, Stop, Sign or Snap wrist band

Dispution: argument with self.

Remember negative consequences
Find good evidence
Come up with alternatives
Consider the implications
Decatastrophize
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 Core Irrational Beliefs
Demandingness or Absolutism inflexible,
dogmatic, extreme beliefs signaled by
words such as should, must, have to, and
need to (e.g., I should not be in pain or I
should be able to do what I used to do).
Demand for Love and Approval
from nearly
everyone one finds important
Demand for Success or Achievement in things one
finds important
Demand for Comfort or nearly no frustration or
discomfort.
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When someone holds one of these irrational beliefs,
they also tend to hold one or a combination of the
following irrational beliefs:
Awfulization refers to 100% disasterising beliefs signalled
by such words as disaster, horrible or awful, and
catastrophe.

Low Frustration Tolerance beliefs signalled by words

such as intolerable, cant stand it, and too hard.

Global-Rating beliefs in which you condemn or blame

your entire selfhood or someone elses basic value in some
important way. Global rating is signalled by such words as
loser, worthless, useless, idiot, stupid.
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 Disputing Irrational Beliefs
After identifying A, B and C, we
move on to D.

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 A
Activating event

D B E
Dispute BELIEF New Effects
F
New
C Feeling
Consequences
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 Disputing Irrational Beliefs
D = Disputing Irrational Beliefs (iBs)
Where is holding this belief getting me? Is
it helpful or self-defeating?
Where is the evidence to support my belief?
It is consistent with reality?
Is my belief logical? Does it follow from
my preferences?
Is it really awful (as bad as it could be)?
Can I really not stand it?
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 Example: At a Party
D = Dispute Irrational Beliefs (iBs)
Why is this so terrible?
Wheres the proof that I cant handle it?
What does it mean when I say I cant handle it?
Will I actually explode?
Must I always get what I want?
Is it in my long-term best interest to believe that I
must have a drink?
Is this belief going to lead to my desired behaviour?

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 Example: At a Party
E = New Effect (New Rational Beliefs)
This is difficult, but I can have fun without drinking.
This is uncomfortable, but I can handle being here.
It is in my long-term interest to abstain from using. I
want to be a clean and sober person.
While it may be upsetting, its not life-threatening.
I may strongly desire a drink, but I can survive
without one.
While drinking may bring short-term relaxation, I
know from my past that it leads to trouble.
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 Example: At a Party
E = New Effect (New
constructive behaviors)
I remain abstinent.
I stay at the party and have fun.
I move closer to my goal of being clean
and sober.

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 Irrational vs. Rational Beliefs
Irrational beliefs are the result of irrational
thoughts.
Irrational beliefs lead to unhealthy feelings and
behaviors.
Rational beliefs are reasonable, objective,
flexible and constructive.
Rational beliefs lead to survival, happiness and
healthy feelings and behaviors.

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 Homework ( own work)
Client is given homework to practice new learnings outside
the therapeutic setting.

Assignments may include becoming more assertive by asking

someone out on a date, or looking for a new job or career, or
resolving a relationship that was previously conflicted.

The therapist actively encourages the client to undertake such

assignments as an integral part of the therapeutic process as well
as rate their level of satisfaction at accomplishing
assignments by rating them on a scale from 1 to 10 (1=low,
10=high).

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 Example
Susan was reprimanded for not completing her
homework ( A event ). So she felt sad and
ashamed. (C- Emotionally upset )

This caused Susan to hate teachers and assume

all teachers are evil (B-system of beliefs)

Step: D and E

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 Watch the video clip on
REBT
Albert Ellis's Rational Emotive Behavior
Therapy (REBT).mp4

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 References
http://dupagetherapy.com/REBT_Handouts.ht
ml
http://counsellingresource.com/lib/therapy/typ
es/rational-emotive/
http://www.rebtnetwork.org/whatis.html

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Tutorial Task for Topic 4 (1 hour)
En. Kumar finds his pupil, Peter often disturbing
others in his class. Peter often picks on the other
pupils and makes them cry just to get the attention
of his teachers and classmates.
As the school guidance and counselling teacher,
discuss how you can help Peter change his
behaviour using the Humanistic Theory (Client-
centred Theory).
Simulate a session between the counselling teacher
and Peter.
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 Tutorial Task for Topic 4 (1 hour)
Discuss these questions with a partner:

1. Explain how Rational Emotive BehaviourTherapy

(REBT) helps students/clients deal with their problems.
Give relevant examples.
2. The Behaviourist Counselling Theory is the most
effective theory to address students behavioural
problems.
Give your arguments to support the statement above.
3. Compare and contrast Behaviourist Theory and
Client-centred Theory (Humanistic Theory)

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