Ch. 14 Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy – Flashcards

Albert Ellis (1950's)

father of REBT and the grandfather of CBT

We are not disturbed solely by our environments but that we have strong inclinations to disturb ourselves

absolute "shoulds", "oughts", and "musts"

taking action on one's insights gained in therapy

the way to bring about lasting emotional and behavioral change is for members to change their thinking

- we are born with a potential for rational and irrational thinking - we have the tendency to needlessly disturb ourselves cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally - we invent disturbing beliefs characterized by dogmatic and absolutist thinking and keep ourselves disturbed through our self-talk - we need to acknowledge that WE ARE MAINLY RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN DISTURBED THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS, AND ACTIONS - we have the capacity to change by using a combination of cognitive, emotive, and behavioral methods

parents and society may play a role in contributing to our emotional disturbance, but we do not need to be victims of this indoctrination that takes place in our early ears

"I MUST have love or approval from all the significant people in my life." "I MUST perform important tasks competently and perfectly." "If I don't get what I want, it's terrible, and I can't stand it."

A (activating event) B (belief) C (consequence - emotional and behavioral)

D (disputing intervention) E (effect - an effective philosophy is developed) F (new feeling)

we are largely responsible for creating our own emotional disturbances through the beliefs we associate with the events of our lives

- Cognitive restructuring is a central technique - Group members learn how to identify and dispute their faulty ways of thinking - The process of disputing faulty thinking involves the 3 D's (detecting, debating, and discriminating)

- To help clients replace rigid demands with flexible preferences (achieving unconditional self-acceptance and unconditional other acceptance) - Help members differentiate between realistic and unrealistic goals and self-defeating and self-enhancing goals - Provide members with tools for experiencing healthy emotions about negative activating events rather than unhealthy emotions - Teach members that they are largely responsible for their own emotional reactions

- Challenges members' faulty thinking and teaches them how to apply realistic and constructive thinking to cope with problems - Uses a variety of cognitive, behavioral, and emotive methods to assist members in modifying their dysfunctional patterns - Employs a directive role in getting members to commit themselves to practicing in daily life what they learn in group

Psychological Educator

- Demonstrates to members that their beliefs and self-talk keep them disturbed - There is an emphasis on thinking, disputing, debating, persuading, interpreting, explaining, and teaching

Teaching the ABC's of REBT Active disputation of faulty beliefs Teaching coping self-statements Psychoeducational Methods Cognitive Homework

unconditonal acceptance rational-emotive imagery use of humor shame-attacking exercises

work best when they are combined with emotive and cognitive methods: - behavioral role playing and role rehearsal - homework assignments - reinforcement and penalties - skills training

- Can be aimed at the prevention of emotional and behavioral problems - Members who take the blame for family problems can learn new self-talk in REBT groups and acquire practical coping skills - Ideal place for teenagers to work on self-acceptance and the acceptance of others - Applied to children with lots of problems, including anxiety, anger, depression, school phobia, acting out, perfectionism, and underachievement

- Sensitive leader can challenge members to examine self-defeating cultural messages and understand their consequences - Members can learn new ways of thinking and behaving

- Leader needs to use caution when confronting members too forcefully about their beliefs and behaviors - Leaders must understand and respect cultural differences and not judge these differences - Leaders need to be careful to avoid imposing their beliefs and values on clients

- Effective with a wide range of problems in groups - Helps members learn about their self-defeating beliefs and how this influences their current way of acting and feeling - Encourages putting newly acquired insights into action - Useful as a basis for psychoeducational groups

- Dangers related to the leader being inappropriately confrontational - Leader may decide for members what is "faulty thinking" - Misuse of the leader's power to pressure members and persuade them to adopt his or her views and values