Rational Emotive

Behavior Therapy
REBT
Dr. Halima S. Qureshi
Assistant Professor | Clinical Psychologist
National University of Modern Languages (NUML)
Introduction to REBT
• Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is a cognitive-behavioral
approach developed by Albert Ellis.
• It is based on the premise that our thoughts (beliefs) influence our
emotions and behaviors.
• REBT helps individuals identify, challenge, and replace irrational
beliefs with rational, self-helping beliefs.
• The core philosophy of REBT is that people can control their
emotional reactions by changing the way they think.
View of Emotional Disturbance
in REBT
• Origins of Irrational Beliefs:
• According to Ellis, irrational beliefs are learned from significant others in
childhood.
• These beliefs are reinforced over time through self-repetition and
autosuggestion.
• Emotional disturbances are not caused by external events, but rather by how
individuals interpret these events.
• Self-blame and Blaming Others: A major cause of psychological distress is the
tendency to blame oneself or others.
• To achieve mental well-being, people must accept themselves
unconditionally, despite imperfections.
Common Irrational Beliefs in
REBT
• Ellis identified three core irrational beliefs (also known as the Three Basic Musts)
that lead to emotional distress:
• "I must do well and be loved and approved by others."
• Leads to anxiety, fear of rejection, and low self-worth.
• "Other people must treat me fairly, kindly, and well."
• Results in frustration, anger, and resentment when others do not behave as expected.
• "The world and my living conditions must be comfortable, gratifying, and just,
providing me with all that I want in life."
• Leads to feelings of helplessness, self-pity, and depression.
• People keep themselves emotionally disturbed by holding onto these irrational
beliefs.
• Overcoming these beliefs is essential for achieving psychological resilience.
The A-B-C Model of REBT
• One of the fundamental concepts of REBT is the A-B-C framework, which explains how
emotional disturbances develop:
• A (Activating Event): A situation or event that occurs (e.g., failing an exam, losing a job,
experiencing rejection).
• B (Beliefs about the event): The individual's interpretation of the event (rational or irrational).
• C (Consequences): The emotional and behavioral reaction to the belief (e.g., depression,
anxiety, anger).
• Example:
• A (Event): A person gets divorced.
• B (Belief): "This means I am a complete failure and unworthy of love."
• C (Consequence): The person experiences depression and self-doubt.
• Ellis emphasized that A does not directly cause C; rather, B is what influences C.
The Disputing Process (D)
• After identifying irrational beliefs, the next step is D (Disputing the
Beliefs).
• Clients learn to challenge their irrational beliefs through three key
strategies:
• Detecting: Recognizing irrational thoughts, especially absolutist statements
(e.g., "musts," "shoulds").
• Debating: Examining irrational beliefs logically and empirically (e.g., "Is this
belief based on facts?").
• Discriminating: Differentiating between rational and irrational beliefs.
Developing an Effective New
Belief System (E)
• After disputing irrational beliefs, clients replace them with rational,
self-helping beliefs.
• The new belief system leads to healthier emotional responses and
behaviors.
• This process is reinforced through homework assignments and
practical exercises.
• The goal is to internalize new beliefs and apply them in real-life
situations.
Concept Explanation
Learned in childhood, reinforced through self-
Irrational Beliefs
repetition, cause emotional distress.
Unrealistic demands that lead to self-defeating
Three Basic Musts
behaviors.
Activating event → Belief → Consequence (emotional
A-B-C Model
reaction).
Challenge irrational thoughts logically, empirically, and
Disputing (D)
pragmatically.
Replace unhealthy beliefs with rational ones for
New Belief System (E)
better emotional regulation.
Application of REBT in Daily Life
• Identify irrational beliefs that cause emotional distress.
• Challenge and replace them with rational, self-helping beliefs.
• Practice self-acceptance and stop blaming oneself or others.
• Develop a new mindset that leads to emotional resilience and well-
being.
• Engage in self-reflection, journaling, and role-playing to reinforce
REBT techniques.
Core Principles of REBT
1. Cognitive Basis of Emotions
• Emotions are largely influenced by our thoughts and beliefs rather
than external circumstances.
• Negative emotions often result from irrational beliefs rather than
actual events.
Core Principles of REBT
2. ABC Model
• A (Activating Event): The event or situation that triggers a response.
• B (Beliefs): The individual's interpretation or belief about the event.
• C (Consequence): The emotional and behavioral outcome resulting
from the belief.
• D (Disputing Irrational Beliefs): Challenging and questioning irrational
beliefs.
• E (Effective New Beliefs): Replacing irrational beliefs with rational
alternatives.
Types of Beliefs & Goals in REBT
• Irrational Beliefs: Rigid, extreme, and unrealistic beliefs leading to
unhealthy emotions and behaviors.
• Rational Beliefs: Flexible, logical, and realistic beliefs that lead to
healthy emotional outcomes.
• Goal of REBT is to assist clients in the process of achieving
unconditional self-acceptance (USA), unconditional other-
acceptance (UOA), and unconditional life-acceptance (ULA).
Techniques Used in REBT
• Cognitive Techniques:
• Identifying and challenging irrational beliefs.
• Reframing negative thoughts.
• Using logical reasoning to dispute distorted thinking.
• Emotive Techniques:
• Rational-emotive imagery (visualizing different reactions to the same situation).
• Role-playing to explore alternative ways of thinking.
• Humor to reduce the intensity of irrational thoughts.
• Behavioral Techniques:
• Gradual exposure to feared situations.
• Assigning homework exercises to practice rational thinking.
• Behavioral experiments to test the validity of beliefs.
• 5 REBT Behavioral Interventions/Techniques

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7mCRltTfPg

• Demonstration
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaAykcfhdNk