The theory of Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) starts with the position that people have two biological tendencies. The “rational” or “self-helping” tendency expresses itself with flexible and non-extreme attitudes, allowing us to solve problems using logic and scientific reasoning. REBT therapy builds, strengthens, and looks to expand this side of us. Unfortunately, we also have … Read more

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it. – Pablo Picasso  REBT teaches healthy attitudes toward yourself, others, and life to minimize pain and maximize pleasure. REBT promotes long-term hedonism. From the REBT perspective, life has no inherent meaning. We give life meaning by … Read more

As a former athlete, I wish I had known about REBT when competing in high school and college varsity sports. Had I been skilled in the use of REBT, I would have suffered less emotional pain, performed at an even higher level, and experienced greater enjoyment during the many hours I spent in athletic training … Read more

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy aims to enhance a person’s ability to adapt to and learn from adversity. I have found that cultivating the capacity to take the good from the bad exemplifies adaptation and is essential to making the most of life. In life, bad things will happen. We will perform poorly, suffer losses and … Read more

Emotional pain is an inevitable part of life, but REBT can effectively treat self-defeating emotional disturbance. Strive to adopt the profound philosophical idea of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT): no matter how much you desire something or how important it is to you, you never absolutely have to get your wishes fulfilled. When you understand … Read more

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy teaches you to identify the rigid and extreme attitudes that underpin your unhealthy emotional disturbance in the face of adversity. For example, let us assume you disturb yourself because you hold the attitude: “Because this is an important matter in my life, therefore I have to do perfectly well.” Some people wrongly … Read more

People often tell you to accept what you cannot change. In doing so, others prescribe acceptance and assume you can heed their wisdom, concluding that this is the process. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) can teach acceptance as a life skill necessary for coping with life’s most significant challenges and losses. However, although people may … Read more

Most people will agree that patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue because life works out on its schedule, not ours. Good things take time and effort to come to fruition. Human nature finds it challenging to display patience while exerting effort until all the conditions for a favored outcome occur. Adding to the … Read more

REBT is a relatively straightforward model for analyzing and remedying self-defeating emotional and behavioral responses to adversity. People quickly learn the language of REBT, which is a strength, but it can also hinder the effective implementation of this powerful system of ideas. People often say REBT teaches that there are healthy negative emotions and will … Read more

I listened to a thought-provoking podcast about solitude while walking to my office on a cold Saturday morning at 6:45 AM. Increasing solitude has become a common aspect of people’s lives. Americans have reduced face-to-face socializing by 20%. (This trend may also apply outside the United States, but I cannot say for sure.) We are voluntarily increasing our isolation, … Read more