Exploring REBT!!

                  Thinking about therapy every person has a basic idea that you talk and the therapist listens to you and helps you cope with your problems. But have you ever wondered how the therapist do so? Like just magically works with their words or something? Some magic spell? Well no, but therapists sure do have various techniques they use. These techniques have acted none less than magic spells and though they do not work for each and everyone, as every individual is different. Today, we are going to get an insight and  understanding on what are the goals and techniques of REBT. The full form of REBT is Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy. The REBT technique is used with people suffering from anxiety, depression and guilt or aggression to help understand and then rationally figure out solutions for those feelings. It is a technique that helps you focus your present and your current goals and also help understand how all the negative thoughts are affecting their life and goals.

                       The REBT is a popular cognitive behaviour therapy that was created by Albert Ellis and has been used in treatment since the 1950’s. The whole base of REBT is formed on the belief that ‘our emotions are not caused by the events in our life, but instead it are our beliefs that cause the emotional experiences, like anger, depression and anxiety’. It is often see that certain ways of thinking or thinking patterns have been fixed into our brains rooted deeply that might be a reason of our conditioning resulted from the way we have been brought up or because of past traumatic experiences. Such fixated thoughts are often seen to severly affect our perceptions even in adulthood, and it is at times that it is important to get to the roots of something to completely deroot it. This is what REBT helps us with, it helps us in changing and shaping those deep ridden beliefs that are the cause of all the problems a person is facing, related to one’s mental health and thus enables us to live a more fulfilling and satisfying life. For example, we can take, say a person who is suffering from ‘feelings of being left out’ or that of ‘not being enough’ and has continuous thoughts like, ‘I am nothing. No one likes me. I cannot give anyone, anything’. And it is because of such beliefs and thoughts that the person assumes everyone hates them and just looks at things negatively never thinking of the point that there can be an other side to the coin too. So with REBT we can help uncover and look for a justification for such feelings. 

                      In order to achieve all of this, there are various techniques used, so talking about techniques used in REBT, it consists of a model known as the ‘ABC model’. The whole idea which REBT works on has being captured in the model framework,

 A- an event or adversity that can occur in someone’s life.

B-our beliefs about the event, ourselves and the world in general. 

C- what are the consequences bid our emotions and behaviours.

                 Ellis believed when dealing with a situation bone places too much attention on the events taking bplace aeound themselves and not on their beliefs which need to be worked upon. Various techniques used under the REBT correspond with the ABC model given above. There are many techniques one can use and state under REBT, so today we will discuss the three main types under which all techniques can be divided, each of the three types focusing on different components from the ABC model.

1. Problem-Solving Techniques:  These techniques aim to address the ‘A’ part in the ABC model that is the ‘activating event’ part of the model. These particular techniques work on reducing the severance, the impact of a specific event or adversity by facing it head on just as the problem approaches the person. Some methods used under problem-solving include: a.Assertiveness skills. b.Social skills. c.Decision-making skills. d.Conflict resolution skills.
2. CognitiveReconstructing Techniques: These techniques aim and address to work with the ‘B’ part in the ABC model that is the ‘beliefs’ part of the model. These particular techniques work on understanding and finding out about the various beliefs about certain things in our mind related to certain events we are facing. For example, when a person learns to change their way of thinking to get better coping towards the symptoms. Some methods under cognitive-reconstruction are: a.Visual Imagery. b.Logical or Rationalising skills. c.Reframing beliefs about certain events. d.Exposure to stressful situation.
3. Coping techniques: As the name suggests these techniques are made to address the ‘C’ part of the ABC model that is ‘Consequences’ part of the model. These particular techniques work in changing the core beliefs about events, as one though cannot change their evenr can change their mindset about it and thus changing the consequences they might need to face. The methods included under this are: a. Relaxation b.Hypnosis. c.Meditation.

                After learning about various techniques that psychologists use in therapy, let us get an understanding of what the goals of REBT are. Taking in the overall goal of REBT, it would be to help the patients obtain a more positive thinking about themselves and the belifes about events occurring around them, and reconstructing them. This helps the patient experience happiness, love enjoyment and also self-actualisation. REBT helps you in working for better, 

• Self-direction: People who have faith in themselves do not need continuous guidance and support from anyone else. They understand and know when and where they are going wrong and taking complete responsibility for all their actions. Be it the good ones or ghe bad ones, never shrinking away and facing situations head on. Also REBT helps people with keeping ba high self-interest, keeping themselves and their needs above anyone else’s.
• Scientific and Rational Thinking: REBT aims at making people understand the importance of taking things in a positive and rational way. Many a times we have thoughts that can be considered to be completely illogical and at these times we need to change our beliefs and think things our rationally. To do so, one needs to organise their thoughts and emotions and then reflect on them, their consequences and what it might lead to. 
• Risk taking: When one is ready to take on and face any situation that infront of them, thinking logically and working on their beliefs. Such people are emotionally healthy and thus are ready to take fair amount of risk at any time, even though there is a possibility that they might fail.