Rational emotive behavioural therapy was developed in 1957 and has been around ever since.
Rational emotive behavioural therapy helps individuals to focus on their beliefs and encourages people to think about how this might affect their actions, thoughts and behaviours [1].
Rational emotive behaviour therapy is very similar to cognitive behavioural therapy. Whilst the two techniques may be very similar, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) focuses on challenging your thoughts and habits in order to change any negative and maladaptive behaviours [1].
When undergoing rational emotive behaviour, it is important to think about how certain situations or traumatic events might influence your thoughts, beliefs and emotions which means that you are more likely to act in a certain way as a result of this [1].
Essentially, what happens in an individual’s life affects the way that they see the world, and in turn, this affects their belief systems.
Rational emotive behaviour aims to help people to identify these unhealthy beliefs and replace them with more healthier and productive beliefs that will change the way that they see the world and their place within that world.
Once you have worked to change and alter your belief system to a more positive one, you will then be in a better place to follow through with actions.
As you can imagine, rational emotive behaviour therapy relies on the premise that your thoughts, feelings and emotions are connected to your actions and behaviour.
They can work together in a really unhealthy and negative way, but can also work together in a positive and productive way. By utilising this, you are able to alter the way you view the world and create healthier habits and behaviours.
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The ABC model is at the core of rational emotive behaviour therapy. This model is mostly used by therapists during rational emotive behaviour therapy so that they are able to assess, identify and ultimately change individuals’ negative belief systems [1,2].
How an individual responds to their therapist during the exploration of the ABC model during rational emotive behaviour therapy will allow them to gain a better insight into their client when it comes to how they might feel and what negative beliefs they might have and be holding on to [1,2].
Below is more information on the ABC model of rational emotive behaviour therapy and how it works in practice:
The activating event is one of the most crucial parts of the ABC model when it comes to rational emotive behavioural therapy and addiction treatment.
The ABC model states that lots of people with unhealthy belief systems have gone through some form of event, which has led them to believe certain things and see the world in a certain way.
Nevertheless, the ABC model states that this activating event is not what causes someone to feel a certain way, it is their belief system that does.
These beliefs are created as a result of the activating event, but there is a way you are able to reframe activating events so that you stop yourself from creating any negative beliefs as a result.
Once you have been able to identify the activating event, you will then be encouraged to think about what your irrational and negative beliefs are and how you might be able to change and replace them with more positive beliefs.
This is often called cognitive reframing and is often used in positive psychology and psychotherapy to help individuals to reframe their thoughts, feelings and emotions [3].
By replacing your negative and unhelpful beliefs with more positive and productive ones, you will be in a much better place to act and behave in a more positive way.
The ‘C’ in the ABC of rational emotive behavioural therapy stands for consequences.
These consequences are often the negative emotions and actions that take place as a result of the negative beliefs that you have created from the activating event.
Usually, this can involve a whole host of negative and irrational emotions such as anger, frustration, sadness, anxiety or even depression.
The consequences of your unhealthy belief systems might also involve acting out in a certain way, by losing your temper and lashing out.
As you can see, every component of the ABC model is connected, and they are all as important as each other when it comes to rational emotive behavioural therapy and overcoming your irrational thoughts and beliefs.
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Rational emotive behaviour therapy is an extremely popular therapy technique, as it is used to treat and help with a whole host of mental health and behavioural issues.
For example, some of these issues are listed below for you:
Whilst rational emotive behaviour therapy is not going to work for everyone, it has been used to treat a range of individuals with the above issues.
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Rational emotive behaviour therapy has been known to help with a range of substance use issues and disorders. This includes issues with addictions to alcohol and other drugs and substances such as cannabis, heroin and cocaine.
Depression and anxiety are very closely linked to substance use disorders, which makes it extremely difficult for sufferers to overcome their addiction issues and create new and healthier habits and beliefs about the world that they live in.
Often, people with substance use disorders have lost all sense of hope, which is why it is incredibly important to reframe their beliefs and get them back on track to living a healthy and happy life.
Usually, someone who is suffering from a substance use disorder has had a traumatic event happen to them, which is often seen as the activating event. This could be a traumatic event such as an attack or losing a close loved one unexpectedly.
As a result, their beliefs about the world change, and they create negative and unhealthy opinions and beliefs. They might then start to behave in a self-destructive way, by self-harming or abusing drugs or other substances.
Once an individual is in this situation, they might start to struggle to deal with everyday life.
In particular, individuals with a substance use disorder might struggle when it comes to dealing with stress or negative emotions, which they then self-medicate for with more substances.
This is why rational emotive behavioural therapy is so effective when it comes to treating substance use and addiction disorders. It tackles your belief systems head-on and helps you to reframe your beliefs and current situation.
If you are suffering from a substance use disorder, then you will most likely need to receive a range of therapy techniques, including cognitive behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing and potentially even family therapy.
If you are suffering from a physically addictive drug or substance, then you will also need to undergo a physical detox, which means that you will need to withdraw from taking the addictive substance in a controlled environment, such as a rehab centre.
The saying goes that nothing changes if nothing changes, which is why taking the first step to your recovery is often the most important.
If you think that you are suffering from substance use or addiction issues, then talk to a member of our team at Rehab 4 Addiction for help and support.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
Lots of people might feel nervous about what a rational emotive behaviour therapy session might involve. However, these sessions are a lot less intimidating than they might sound.
The first thing that your therapist will do during rational emotive behaviour therapy is to ask you why you have sought therapy and what your goals are. They might also ask you if anything has led you to therapy, including a certain traumatic event you might have experienced.
Your therapist will usually try to keep your sessions calm and conversational and might want to get to know you a little bit before they jump straight into going through the ABCs of rational emotive behaviour therapy.
You can either undergo rational emotive behaviour therapy online or in person, although it is usually recommended that you are there in person.
Over time, your rational emotive behaviour therapy sessions will get more and more personal, delving into your feelings and emotions. Your therapist will likely be making notes during your sessions, which is completely normal.
Everything you say to them is completely private and confidential.
It is also normal for your therapist to assign you some work to go away and think about or do in between your therapy sessions, as part of your self-reflection.
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There are many different benefits when it comes to rational emotive behaviour therapy.
The general aim of rational emotive behaviour therapy is to replace your irrational and unhealthy beliefs with more positive and productive ones.
This has been proven to have a huge impact on your life, as listed below [4]:
As you can see, there are many benefits when it comes to this type of therapy.
If you want more information on how rational emotive behaviour therapy might be able to help you, then get in touch with a member of the team at Rehab 4 Addiction.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
Of course, as with any type of therapy, there are a number of potential drawbacks and negatives.
Some of these are listed below for you:
It is important to understand that this type of therapy might not be for everyone, which is why it is important to talk to a therapist or a member of the team at Rehab 4 Addiction to see whether this type of therapy is right for you.
Whilst you will be recommended to spend a set amount of time during many therapy techniques, there is no one set length of time for rational emotive behaviour therapy.
However, most people receive at least 10 sessions of this type of therapy in order for them to get the most out of the therapy process.
Whilst most people might require fewer sessions to see some improvement, others might continue their therapy sessions for a few months in order to get the very most out of their therapy.
Each typical therapy session lasts around 30 – 60 minutes, depending on what you are talking about and how complex the conversation you are having is. You are able to set these time limits with your therapist when you begin.
Depending on how severe your issues are, you might need to schedule your therapy sessions once or twice a week.
However, it is important to take your time during your rational emotive behaviour therapy, as you will be asked to reflect in between sessions and even complete some tasks in between.
After your first couple of sessions, your therapist will usually ask you how many more sessions you want to book, so that she can plan the session schedule with you and will be able to gain a better idea as to the place in which they should work.
If you want to undergo rational emotive behaviour therapy but are worried about how many sessions you might need to take or how much this might cost, then talk to a member of the team at Rehab 4 Addiction.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
If you are struggling with an addiction issue and don’t know where to turn, then talk to a member of the team at Rehab 4 Addiction. Our team is always on hand, and is able to help you gain access to a rehab centre as well as recommend the right therapy techniques for you.
[1] Turner M. J. (2016, September 20). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), irrational and rational beliefs, and the mental health of athletes. Frontiers in psychology, 7.
[2] Şahin, E. S., & Voltan Acar, N. (2019). Rational emotive behavior therapy from a new perspective. Journal of human sciences, 16(4), 894-906.
[3] Clark DA. Cognitive restructuring. In: Hofmann SG, Dozois D, eds. The Wiley Handbook for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, First Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. doi:10.1002/9781118528563.wbcbt02
[4] The Albert Ellis Institute. (n.d.). REBT.
