Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy

Description of the Strategy

In 1956, Albert Ellis presented his new approach to psychological treatment at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association. He called it “rational therapy.” Immediately attacked as rationalistic and unconcerned with the emotional aspect of human life, he soon changed the name to “rationalemotive therapy.” After many years of being urged to take official note of the clearly behavioral aspects of the theory and practice, Ellis renamed his approach “rational-emotive behavior therapy” (REBT) in the early 1990s.

Ellis did not set out to be a psychological practitioner. He was driven in that direction by one of his long-standing interests: human sexuality and human sexual behavior. His development of REBT was greatly shaped by another of his long-standing passions: ...