Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is considered as a major form of widely adopted psychotherapy which is coupled with the philosophy of living that has been developed in the 1950’s by Albert Ellis. The rational emotive behavioral therapy video is used even today by several therapists to treat emotional pain issues.
REBT is all about the belief that whenever we tend to be upset, it is actually not those events which upset us but those beliefs that makes us feel enraged, depressed and anxious. This particular idea explaining that it is our beliefs which upset us was first coined by Epictetus way back around 2000 years ago.
For every one of us, our ultimate goal in life is to stay happy. It is our normal mentality whether we are alone or with others, we always want to be with others especially with those near and dear ones whose company we thoroughly enjoy. We usually like to have educated and well-informed people around us from whom we get to know a lot. We also like to get a good job which also pays us pretty well. All of us also like to thoroughly enjoy in our leisure hours and refresh ourselves after our work is over.
This is obvious that life does not at all times give us what we want but despite that our ultimate goal is to remain happy even by ignoring the arrows and slings of our very often outrageous fortune. At times when our goals are being blocked by the hit of fortune or due to some other reasons, we tend to react in unhelpful and unhealthy ways.
Explaining the ABC Model
Albert Ellis and REBT video explain about our reaction of having our goals blocked and instead lead us to determine by our beliefs. In order to illustrate the same, Dr. Albert Ellis had built a simple ABC model which teach people on the process of how beliefs can trigger their behavioral and emotional responses. Following is the illustration of the model:
A. Some event happens
B. An individual has a belief regarding the situation
C. Then the concerned individual has an emotional reaction towards that belief
For example:
A. Your boss falsely accuses you of stealing money from her purse and then threatens to fire you from the job
B. Your belief is that she is doing it wrong. She does not have any right to fire you from your job.
C. You then feel very angry.
Now, if your belief is different, the emotional response would be different as well.
A. Your boss falsely accuses you of stealing money from her purse and then threatens to fire you from the job.
B. You then believe that you must not lose your job under any circumstances as it would be unbearable for you.
C. In such a case, you end up feeling anxious.
Thus, it is clearly noticed that in the ABC model, A does not cause C but it is B which causes C. In the first example we see, that when your boss accused you falsely of stealing, you felt angry as your belief was she did not have any right to do such an unfair thing. In the second example, the event is the same but your belief was different. You believed that you should not lose your job under any circumstances. Here you feel anxious.
Discussing the Three Basic Musts
Although it is a universal truth that all of us are different from each other and express ourselves differently. As per the norms of REBT and Albert Ellis, the beliefs which are responsible to upset us are the variations of three major irrational beliefs. Each of these common irrational belief’s comes with a demand which is either about ourselves or some other people or maybe the world as a whole. As per REBT, these three beliefs are referred to as “The Three Basic Musts”.
1. You should do well and win the confidence of others for your performances or else you are of no good to others.
2. The surrounding people should treat you kindly, fairly and considerately as you expect them to do. In case, they do not do that, they are absolutely of no good to you and you feel that you should punish and condemn them.
3. You must get what you desperately want and you must get that. At the same time, you should not get what you do not want. It is indeed terrible if you fail to get what you want and many a time you cannot stand it.
The first of the above three beliefs causes immense guilt, shame, depression and anxiety. The second belief which is discussed above leads to nothing but acts of violence, rage and passive aggression. Thirdly, this leads to immense procrastination and self-pity. This is a very demanding belief which leads to helpful behaviors and healthy emotions.
As a therapist why should you adopt REBT?
The ultimate goal of REBT shown in the rational emotive behavioral therapy video is to facilitate the people in getting rid of their irrational beliefs and imbibe rational beliefs in them. So, the therapists should embrace the method with open arms. The changing beliefs which is often noticed in the real world of therapies which is being successfully achieved by the several therapists and is majorly disputing the client’s will or belief. For example, the therapist may interrogate the client saying why he has to win everyone’s approval. Also, a question may arise like why must everyone treat the client fairly.
As per REBT, it is true that we all think irrationally at times but we that tendency can be easily eliminated with some effort. This is impossible that we would never think irrationally but we can reduce this to a certain extent. We can reduce the intensity of the irrational beliefs to a great extent by following the below insights:
1. We actually do not get upset but the fact is that we purposely upset ourselves by holding the beliefs which are inflexible.
2. Irrespective of the fact when and how we initiate to upset ourselves we do continue feeling upset as we are very prone to various irrational beliefs.
3. The best way to improve is to put in some hard work and change the ingrained beliefs in you. All it takes is a lot of practice.
This has been observed that normal human beings accept the reality in sometime even if the reality is unpleasant and unfortunate. In the process of REBT therapy, the therapists facilitate the clients to develop three major types of acceptance as mentioned below:
· The unconditional self-acceptance
· The unconditional other-acceptance
· The unconditional life-acceptance
Now each of the above types of acceptance is firmly based on three major core beliefs:
Unconditional self-acceptance:
1. You think that you are a fallible human and it is a normal phenomenon to have both good and bad points.
2. There is absolutely no such reason for you for not possessing any flaws.
3. In spite of having good as well as bad points, you are not less or more worthy than any other human being.
Unconditional other-acceptance:
1. The other people around you will treat you unfairly from time to time and that is not at all surprising.
2. There is absolutely no reason why they will treat you fairly.
3. The surrounding people who treat you unfairly are at all not worthy or even less worthy than all other human beings.
Unconditional life-acceptance:
1. This is obvious that life would not always treat you the way you want it to be.
2. There is absolutely no reason that life would go on as per your wish.
3. Life is not always pleasant but at the same time is never awful as well. Most of the time life is quite bearable.
The progress of REBT in the present times
Clinical trials and experimentation are perpetual and the various experimental evidences reveal that the therapy of REBT is quite effective in treating emotional pain. Way back in the 1950s when Albert Ellis founded REBT, there were a lot of resistance from the field of mental health. Over the years several therapists have used this therapy on their patients and this have shown some wonderful results. By witnessing its effect over the years, it has presently become one of the widely adopted therapies used in elevating emotional pain. In the initial days, Dr. Ellis did not experience the usage of REBT effectively in the philosophical system but it had shown clear cut results in the field of psychotherapy and this has brought in blessings to millions of people you have benefited out of the same.
To conclude, it has to be mentioned that the procedure of REBT is based on Shameless Happiness. This is a concise booklet that very well explains the major basics related to the therapy called REBT. In today’s society where there are millions of victims who are suffering from emotional pain and stress. The therapists should ideally follow the rational emotive behavioral therapy video and practice the techniques on their patients in order to fetch amicable outcome.
