REBT treatment method as a psychotherapy option was conceived and theorized by Albert Ellis. In cognitive-behavioral treatment methodologies, REBT holds a special place as it deals with a person’s behavioral patterns that emanate from beliefs and convictions of the person. This therapy is structured upon the axiom that cognitive, emotive, and behavioral factors are inter-dependent and mutually inclusive human characteristics.

The Nature of REBT

Rational emotive behavior therapy is a pragmatic and probing methodology to make people face the problems squarely and to realize fulfillment in life. It lays emphasis on existing mindset, emotional hurt, and irrational behaviors that will hamper realization of self worth. This therapy also makes available to people a personalized array of established methodologies for assisting them in problem resolution.

Ellis suggested that people become sad and distressed, and develop negative attitude because of idealistic and impractical convictions that they harbor. Ellis advanced a theory that most illogical and unreasonable convictions in a person spring from three unjust and impracticable notions. Such a person thinks the following way:

i). I must excel and be appreciated and acknowledged by people who are considered important.

ii) I must be considered and cared for properly, failing which I can not tolerate it.

iii) Situations and circumstances should be in conformity of my way of thinking, otherwise the conditions become awful and horrible and I can not face such situations.

These illogical thoughts will eventually lead a person to misery and mental suffering. Many people long for happiness and contentment. They want pleasant experiences in life and with others. They want to be better informed and knowledgeable. They expect to be appreciated for good things which they feel the things are. But, in normal circumstances, everything does not occur as planned. People may not always get what they aspired for. Things may not happen or fructify in time or may not fructify at all. External circumstances will influence situations and happenings. It is easy to get frustrated and disillusioned. Failure in achieving set targets may result in irrational convictions that the targets can never be achieved. This becomes a set pattern of thinking for any future attempts.

The ABC Model to REBT

REBT is like a veritable tool-kit that provides various methodologies to help people to re-invent themselves and ‘contest’ their own set beliefs which are irrational and dysfunctional. The contesting of ill-conceived beliefs will eventually make them realize the meaning of reasonable, rational, and logical convictions and behavior. REBT assists people in adapting a positive philosophy that helps them realize their true life ambitions and happiness. The positive philosophy will enhance their efficiency and contentment at work place, helps them in co-existence with others, and improves their physical and mental health.

Rational emotive behavioral therapy suggests life changing events are the causes for a belief or conviction in a person. Any failures or setbacks in life make a person believe that the circumstances for such failures will not change and same setbacks occur in any future attempts. So, a firm belief sets in and the person becomes dogmatic about such convictions. The consequence of such belief reflects in the behavior of the person. So, the A-B-C model consists of activating events, beliefs that originate from them, and the consequences of such beliefs and convictions.

REBT espouses the theory that rationality or otherwise of a person’s behavior is a consequence of the person’s beliefs only. The behavioral pattern does not depend on activating events per se. The causative factor for any irrational behavior is not the life changing event, nor any serious setbacks suffered in life. It is the perception of belief that affects behavior. Any wrong and erroneous interpretation of the set belief results in irrational behavior.

It is the task of a therapist trained in REBT to talk and try to get a person come out with a narration of past disturbing events and the resultant beliefs and convictions. The therapist acts like an educator and will teach people to contest their long held irrational beliefs. The therapist’s goal is to make people realize their flaws and shortcomings in their thinking which will enable them achieve higher satisfaction and fulfillment in life. With regular sessions with affected people, the therapist will gain their confidence and trust and guides them to self-realization.