Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy W/Dr Debbie Joffe Ellis

The Origins of REBT and CBT

REBT was created by Dr. Albert Ellis, who was trained in psychoanalysis (think Sigmund Freud) but found that in practice, while Freudian analysis helped patients gain some insights, often analysis patients never really got better or felt better on a consistent basis. In response, REBT was born!

There are times when people wonder if REBT is a form of CBT. Well, not only is a form of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) but REBT was the forerunner and what most recognize as CBT today.  Dr. Albert Ellis was highly supportive of Dr. Aaron Beck as a teacher and mentor while Dr Beck was developing modern CBT.

REBT pre-dates “Beckian” CBT by roughly ten years!

Its Not The Anxiety … Its How We View The Anxiety!

REBT is based squarely on the idea that it’s not circumstances that create our emotions, but the way we perceive the circumstances, how we think about them, and our beliefs about them (sound familiar?).

In REBT terms when we think in irrational ways about happenings and experiences that we don’t want and find difficult or distasteful, we create unhealthy, negative emotions. These emotions are not negative because they are absolutely bad, but rather because they negatively impact our ability to function and navigate in life.

Concern is a healthy emotion. We might call anxiety a healthy emotion. At face value they can inform healthy, productive action. But when we resist and think irrationally about these difficult experiences, we can create unhealthy emotions like extreme fear, panic, hopelessness, despondency, depression, rage, guilt and shame

We Still Have Choice and Control

REBT acknowledges our values and morals. It encourages us to seek justice and speak up for what we believe is right.  REBT does not each us to passively accept injustice or harm. At the same time, however, REBT is focused on acting rationally and productive in the face of challenge or difficulty to avoid being swept away by powerful negative unhealthy emotions that then stand between us and our values and ability to make good choices.

Challenging Extreme Beliefs!

REBT is about identifying extreme irrational beliefs, especially when those beliefs are unkind toward yourself or make unreasonable demands like always being calm, never being anxious, or never failing or making mistakes. REBT looks at beliefs based on words like “should” or “must” and works on challenging those beliefs to produce greater acceptance of our human nature and ability to navigate through difficult situations.

The Philosophy of REBT

REBT is widely regarded as one of the most philosophically based therapies. Dr. Albert Ellis gave full credit to the Taoists, the Buddhists and the great Stoic philosophers for influencing and informing the basic concepts upon which REBT was constructed. Even in a brief conversation with Dr. Debbie, we can easily see the lines drawn directly from Epictetus or Lao Tzu (as examples) to the core concepts of REBT.

Self-Acceptance and Other-Acceptance

REBT often frames rigid, irrational, negatively impacting beliefs as being based on a stubborn refusal to accept ourselves – and all of humanity – as we are. Humans are fallible. We will fail. We will make mistakes. We will make choices we regret. We will have conflict with others. We will simply not live a life that is happy and joyful during ever moment from start to finish. This is not realistic. This is not our reality.

When we resist ourself and the true nature of human beings, we form irrational, rigid beliefs that drive unhealthy emotions and behavioral patterns. We suffer sometimes because life is like that … then we suffer even more because we resist this reality and make impossible demands upon ourselves and others.

Looking through the REBT lens, many wonderful opportunities for personal growth, improvement, wellness, and happiness are available to us, provided we can find kindness and self-compassion and learn to accept ourselves and others even while we might not like or even accept our actions or the actions of others.

In the REBT universe, we might make bad choices and do bad things, but that does not automatically make us bad people worthy of harsh judgment and treatment.

Leveraging Neuroplasticity

When we can open up, recognize our rigid, irrational beliefs, and experiment with challenging them cognitively and behaviorally, we open the door to the wonders of neuroplasticity. Even old brains can learn new tricks. It’s never too late to build new neuropathways, build new habits, and build new behavioral and thinking patterns and more closely align with our values and who we really are.

Thank You To Dr Joffe Ellis!

Dr Debbie Joffe Ellis is a licensed psychologist (Australia) and mental health counselor (New York), adjunct professor at Columbia University TC, and is affiliated with several major psychological associations and societies − including being a Member of the Australian Psychological Society, and an International Affiliate Member of the American Psychological Association. She has a doctorate in alternative medicine (MDAM) from the Indian Board of Alternative Medicine in affiliation with the World Health Organization, from whom she also received a gold medal (1993) in recognition of her service to the field of alternative and holistic medicine.

Dedicated to her husband, the great pioneering and remarkable psychologist Albert Ellis PhD, they worked together for several years giving public presentations and professional trainings on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), as well as collaborating on writing and research projects, until his death in 2007. She continues to present, practice and write about his groundbreaking approach of REBT.

She currently has a private practice in New York City, and also delivers lectures, workshops and seminars throughout the U.S.A. and across the globe.

For more on REBT and Dr. Debbie Joffe Ellis:
https://debbiejoffeellis.com/

Links Of Interest

• Dr Debbie Joffe Ellis
• My Panic Attacks Explained Workshop
• My Agoraphobia Explained Workshop
• My Panic and Agoraphobia Recovery Guidebook
• Follow me on Instagram
• My YouTube Channel
• Disordered – With Josh Fletcher

Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.