Rational Emotive Therapy

Rational Emotive Therapy

Our thoughts and the way we think influence our feelings. Lets take some examples:

• If you feel you are stupid and incompetent, you grew with the feel of worthlessness and become indecisive and self-critical.
• If you think people doesn't like you, you feel depressed and socially withdrawn. You are disappointed.
• If you think you should have help to do something, you might feel inadequate and become dependent.
• If you feel nothing will work out for you, you feel sad or passive and you stop trying.

No doubt there are connections between thoughts and feelings and/or actions.

Introduction on Rational Emotive Therapy:

Rational-Emotive therapy (RET) is built on the belief that how we respond emotionally at any moment depends on our interpretations, views, beliefs, thoughts, etc. of the situation. To phrase it differently, the things we think and say to ourselves, cause our positive or negative emotions.

The principle of this Rational-Emotional therapy is the relationship between thinking, feeling and action. It is an analysis model: what is going on? It has self-control procedures. This helps you in becoming able to easily influence the situation. You can gain insight in certain way of thinking.

Belief against which Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) works.

Some of the beliefs which cause the trouble are as follows:

• It is necessary for an adult to be loved or approved by everyone for everything he does.
• Certain acts are wrong, wicked and that people who perform them should be severely punished.
• One needs one stronger than oneself on which to rely instead of standing on one's own two feet.
• One should be thoroughly competent, adequate, intelligent, and achieving in all respects instead of looking at oneself as an imperfect being.
• If something once affected one's life it should always affect it instead of learning from experiences.
• It is important to our existence what other people do instead of realizing people's deficiencies are their own problems.
• One has no control over his emotions and can not help feeling certain things instead of accepting the control we can have over our lives.
• Unhappiness is externally caused and forced on one by outside people and events.
• If something is fearsome or dangerous one should be terribly concerned about it instead of facing it head on.
• It is easier to avoid than face life difficulties and self responsibilities instead of looking directly at the problem.

Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) bottomline:

By describing the events, thoughts, feelings, behavior and consequences, we can gain more insight into the possibilities to respond. This way we can learn how to deal differently with the event. By thinking differently about it, you also get a different feeling about it. You often don't know which feelings are present. You also learn how to react to your behavior, by thinking of alternatives and consequences.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) - Its effectiveness, short-term nature, and low cost are major reasons for its wide acceptance and popularity. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) distinguishes between practical problems and emotional problems.

Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) - Rational-Emotional therapy is built on the belief that how we emotionally respond at any moment depends on our interpretations--our views, our beliefs, our thoughts--of the situation.

Psychotherapy other than Rational Emotive Therapy.

Please support this site by sharing this page with others:

  :: :: ::

© 2005, www.depression-guide.com. All rights reserved.

Site last updated: March 4, 2008

Learn about Rational Emotive Therapy

Make us your Homepage