Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

The need to solve problems
Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) was initially introduced by the American psychotherapist Albert Ellis in the 1950’s. It is a structured and time limited comprehensive psychotherapy that focuses on resolving emotional and behavioral turbulence in the human mind. The outcome, like all forms of psychotherapy is an enriched and fulfilling existence. As the name suggests it focuses on the rational (reasoning), emotive (feelings and emotions), and behavioral (actions) components to gain a complete understanding of the nature of one’s problems and thereby take appropriate steps to solve them.

Cognitive Therapy of Aaron Beck

Origin

Cognitive therapy (CT) is a type of psychotherapy that was developed by American psychiatrist Aaron T. Beck in the 1960’s. Cognitive therapy seeks to help the patient overcome emotional difficulties by identifying and changing dysfunctional thinking, negative emotional responses and the subsequent unfavorable behavior stemming from them. This process involves helping patients develop skills for modifying their beliefs, identifying distorted thinking and relating to people in newer and different ways, owing to the change in behavior patterns.

I need to be perfect

Perfectionism

Meticulousness is no sin; it is a rather coveted trait. The definition and boundaries of perfectionism however are often bleak; what appears enough to one seems way too inadequate to another. Verdicts given by the world indeed count; but what matters most is what we think of ourselves and where we place our self-regard centered on our personal appraisals of us. The ladder of individual growth typically directs upwards, life is about evolution and success concerns bettering ourselves with each passing day. Nonetheless, accepting the self with potencies and inadequacies is the selection of the wise...

Challenge…yourself

Arguments come easy to humankind. And it seems that man enjoys it (women too). It’s common to dispute the opinions of others (that is bound to happen when one has to stand for oneself and safeguard self worth). But apart from arguing with others, there’s a good deal of quarrel put forth by the alter ego within one’s own self in all doings. The difference exists for sure because the self will lose (so what if it’s against ones own self) and no one likes losing. Consequentially, the commonality is that the alter ego stays dormant and the argument fails to occur at all.

Quantifying irrationality

Life isn’t perfect. Things don't go the way they were ‘supposed’ to or ‘destined’ to or the way you ‘expected’ or ‘wanted’ them to. Not even the way they ‘should’ have been. Life is full of expectations and desires and wants that occasionally stay unfulfilled and unconsummated. And truly, it’s not unjust to want to relish the pleasures this world has to offer us. After all we work so hard for them. Everyone works and toils for peace and joy. Asceticism or self-denial is not the route to nirvana. But rationality is a must. Living within rational limits of expectations allows one to have them fulfilled more frequently. And that fetches contentment without doubt.