Rational Emotive Therapy (RET)

Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) was created by Albert Ellis. RET focuses on helping clients use both inductive and deductive logic. Inductive logic involves gathering and analyzing facts to challenge irrational beliefs. For instance, someone might start with a factual statement like, “I failed that exam,” and through logical analysis, work to avoid jumping to irrational conclusions like, “Therefore, I am a failure.” Deductive logic, on the other hand, involves tracing these superficial thoughts to their logical conclusions, helping to dismantle the negative impact of these beliefs.

Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) are deeply rooted in philosophical traditions, particularly the Stoic philosophy. The core idea, famously summarized by the Stoic philosopher Epictetus, is that “People are disturbed not by things, but by the views they take of them.” This principle forms the foundation of RET, where logical reasoning is employed to help individuals identify and challenge not only their superficial thoughts but also the deeper, often irrational beliefs that underpin these thoughts.

REBT, which evolved from RET, integrates behavioral aspects into the model, making it more practical and accessible for individuals seeking to change their thought patterns. One of the central components of REBT is the ABCDE model, which provides a structured approach to understanding and altering emotional disturbances:

• A (Activating Event) refers to the factual event that occurs, similar to the “situation” in CBT.
• B (Belief) involves the irrational belief about the event.
• C (Consequence) includes the emotional and behavioral outcomes resulting from the irrational belief.
• D (Dispute) is the process of challenging and disputing the irrational beliefs.
• E (Effect) represents the new, more effective emotions and behaviors that arise from more rational thinking about the original event.

REBT emphasizes several core irrational beliefs that are common sources of emotional distress, such as the tendency to demand success, love, and approval, as well as the inclination to view situations in extreme terms, often leading to catastrophic thinking. By systematically challenging these beliefs, REBT helps individuals develop a healthier, more flexible approach to life, reducing emotional disturbances and promoting psychological well-being.

This evolution from RET to REBT reflects a broader trend in cognitive-behavioral therapies to not only address cognitive distortions but also to incorporate behavioral strategies, making the approach more holistic and effective for long-term change.

Rational Emotive Therapy in many ways follows methodologically on from CBT in that as one analyses superficial thoughts, these tend to naturally lead into a more detailed analysis not only of these automatic thoughts but also of the beliefs underpinning them. RET is also more present focused (although it obviously also explores where the beliefs came from), and is also more change focused.