The psychologist Albert Ellis created the first cognitive-behavioral therapy when he concluded that our thoughts and beliefs are decisive in our interpretation of reality.
This therapy has been expanded and supplemented over the years and is currently being used with great results. In addition, it is considered a short and effective therapy that achieves deep and lasting changes. For all this, in Psychology-Online, we want to explain what it consists of and in which cases it is usually applied. We'll see now what is rational emotional behavioral therapy, what features has so what techniques used with examples.
Albert Ellis's Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy is a therapy that works with thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy. It proposes to evaluate our belief system to identify those irrational beliefs that we adopt as certain and that lead us to make an unrealistic interpretation of events, causing a discomfort unnecessary. Once these beliefs have been identified and through the techniques that we will see later, we can replace them with more realistic ones, thus managing to change our emotions. Let's see it in more detail:
The first thing we need to know is what causes our emotions. The TREC explains that:
- a event (A)
- activates the thoughts or beliefs (B)
- what cause our emotions (C).
That is, the events are not those that cause emotions directly, but the interpretation we make of them. That is why the same event can affect two people very differently. Therefore, by changing our beliefs or thoughts, we change the emotions and that is the goal of Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy.
The most frequent irrational beliefs They are:
- I need to be loved by certain people.
- I need to be perfectly competent.
- Certain people must be punished.
- It is terrible that certain things do not go as I need.
- I do not have the ability to control my disturbances.
- Only by continually worrying can I solve my problems.
- It is easier to avoid than to face difficulties.
- I need the others.
- The past determines me and will always affect me.
- One must care a lot for the others.
- There is a perfect solution to problems.
In Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy, a variety of cognitive, emotional and behavioral techniques. Next, we are going to see some of those techniques with examples.
- Cognitive techniques: ABC and ABCDE method, downward arrow and cost-benefit analysis.
- Emotional techniques: experience shame, affirmations and humor.
- Behavioral techniques: reinforcement, social skills training, and live desensitization.
ABC method
It is the technique par excellence of the TREC. It is a training to identify the erroneous beliefs that lead to experiencing the emotions that we want to avoid. Event (A), thought or belief (B) and emotion (C).
Example. While painting at home, you accidentally drop the paint can when you turn (A). You think that you are useless and that you always do similar things (B). You feel anger, rage, frustration (C). In this example the irrational belief is "I need to be perfectly competent."
ABCDE extension
We add the debate on belief (D) and a new rational belief (E).
Example. Why do I have to make everything perfect? Can I never be wrong? Do I know someone who doesn't make mistakes? Did I mean to spill the paint or was it a little oversight? (D). Now we are looking for a rational belief: we all make mistakes and it does not matter, it can happen to anyone, I am not perfect nor do I have to be (E).
Down arrow
It is about asking questions that allow you to get to the true meaning of your thoughts.
Example. Your daughter forgot her jacket at home.
- What's the worst that could happen?
- She could get sick from being cold.
- What if she got sick?
- I would feel very bad.
- Why?
- Because I would feel that I have not taken good care of her.
- What would that mean?
- That I am a bad mother (irrational belief disproportionate to the situation).
Cost benefit analysis
It's about analyzing the pros and cons of holding a maladaptive belief.
Example. Belief "I must worry a lot about others"
- Benefit: others will see me as a good and dedicated person.
- Costs: it is a great investment of time and energy, it will take away time to worry about my own problems, the problems of others do not depend on me so it will not help to worry, it will not allow me to live quietly, it will cause me anguish, anxiety, frustration and sadness.
Experience shame
It is used to work the absolute beliefs related to that you should not do things in which you could be wrong, be ridiculous or seem stupid.
Example. Strolling down the street with a shirt on backwards and experiencing the emotions that appear.
Affirmations
Prepare affirmations about the new rational and adaptive beliefs to internalize and include them in your belief system.
Example. "Certain people must be punished" (irrational belief).
- I do not have to judge the behavior of others because it is neither up to me nor can I change it (rational belief).
- Affirmations: as people have the right to make mistakes, making mistakes is something that can happen, I will live better if I stop worrying about the behaviors of others.
Humor
It is about analyzing the circumstances from the humor to minimize importance.
Example. "I must be very careful to avoid tripping because I would die of shame." We use humor: It would be funny if that happened, if I saw it in a humorous movie I would probably be very funny.
Reinforcement
Use positive reinforcement after homework has been done.
Example. I have identified and changed 2 irrational beliefs by myself, I have done very well.
Social skills training
This training will help you deal with problems with appropriate tools and provide you with security.
Example. Assertiveness training to communicate correctly and get what you want without damaging the feelings of others.
Live desensitization
It is about exposing yourself to situations that cause you discomfort. At first it is uncomfortable, but as time passes the habituation takes place and they stop bothering you.
- Example. Public speaking.
The different techniques can have cognitive, emotional or behavioral components. In addition to these, there are other techniques that are used in TREC that offer good results.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Rational emotive behavioral therapy: what it is, characteristics, techniques and examples, we recommend that you enter our category of Therapies and intervention techniques of Psychology.
Rational emotive behavioral therapy: what it is, characteristics, techniques and examples
Rational emotive behavioral therapy: what it is, characteristics, techniques and examples
