Albert Ellis

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Albert Ellis (born September 27, 1913 in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , USA , † July 24, 2007 in New York ) was an American psychologist and psychotherapist .

Life

Albert Ellis studied business administration and worked in commercial positions before he began studying psychology at the age of 29. In 1947 he received his doctorate from Columbia University in New York. He then worked as a senior psychologist in the clinical and diagnostic field. In 1952 he opened his own practice in New York. In July 2007, he died of kidney and heart failure at the age of 93.

Services

At first Ellis worked in depth psychology, but increasingly questioned the positions of psychoanalysis. Then he developed his own psychotherapeutic approach, Rational-Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REVT) (before 1994 Rational-Emotive Therapy), which he presented in 1955 and has continuously developed since then. In 1961 he founded the Institute for Rational Emotive Therapy in New York.

Rational-Emotive Behavioral Theory

The Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REVT) or in English REBT ( Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy ) is one of the behavior therapies . Albert Ellis is now considered the pioneer of cognitive therapies . Cognitive behavioral therapies according to Ellis or Aaron T. Beck are now among the most scientifically researched therapy methods in terms of their effectiveness. A special characteristic and unique selling point of REVT according to Ellis compared to all other cognitive behavioral therapies is its strong philosophical anchoring.

ABC theory

ABCDE model according to Albert Ellis

Rational-Emotive Behavioral Therapy is based on the so-called ABC theory of mental disorders: A stands for activating event or adversity (adversity, adverse event), B for beliefs or belief systems and C for ( emotional / behavioral ) consequences . These strongly influence each other. An undesirable (external or internal psychological) event (A) is assessed on the basis of certain conscious or unconscious beliefs that are activated in the situation (B). Only these evaluations (so-called hot cognitions ) of the events lead as a consequence (C) to emotional reactions and behaviors.

Irrational Beliefs According to Ellis

According to Ellis, emotional disorders (i.e. intense and / or long-lasting negative feelings that lead to dysfunctional behaviors) are caused by irrational beliefs or evaluation patterns activated in a situation. In REVT, beliefs that are anti-empirical, illogical, sabotaging one's own goals in life, are rigid and extreme are called irrational. The “irrational beliefs” then lead to “unhealthy negative emotions” such as fear, depression, anger, feelings of guilt, shame, hurt, unhealthy jealousy and unhealthy envy. Rational beliefs, on the other hand, lead to emotions and behaviors that are usually also unpleasant, but effective and helpful, such as concern, sadness, annoyance, regret, disappointment, healthy jealousy and healthy envy - that is, "healthy negative emotions" that motivate us to change what can be changed and to accept what cannot be changed, but to seek new positive experiences in the process. The view that unhealthy negative emotions (UNE) can essentially be determined qualitatively and not quantitatively (in terms of intensity) is another unique selling point of REVT (so-called binary emotion theory of REVT). Therapy goal in REVT is therefore not the mere reduction of fear or depression, for example, but the change of these UNEs into the healthy negative emotions (HNE) of concern or grief.

According to Ellis, people are born with a disposition for irrational thinking. Irrational evaluation patterns are then activated in currently stressful life situations, one speaks of cognitive vulnerability . In therapy, for example, the method of Socratic dialogue is used to try to identify, question and change the irrational convictions.

The irrational beliefs described by Ellis are grouped into four basic categories. Rigid thinking is at the center of emotional disorders:

  1. Absolute demands: Wishes become absolute demands ("I have to ...", "The others have to ...", "The world has to ..."). Three other extreme beliefs derived from this:
  2. Global negative self-assessments and external assessments: Instead of individual characteristics and behaviors, the person is devalued as a whole (“I am worthless / a failure…”, “The other is a failure…”).
  3. Catastrophizing : Adverse events are extremely overrated ("It would be absolutely terrible if ...").
  4. Low tolerance for frustration: Belief in not being able to endure negative events (“I couldn't take it if…”).

Fonts (selection)

  • with Daniel David and Steven Lynn: Rational and Irrational Beliefs: Research, Theory, and Clinical Practice . Oxford Univ Pr, 2009, ISBN 978-0-19-518223-1 .
  • All Out !: An Autobiography . Prometheus Books, 2009, ISBN 978-1-59102-452-1 .
  • Training the Emotions: How to Persistently Refuse to Be Unhappy . Modern publishing company Mvg, 2006, ISBN 978-3-636-06283-3 .
  • with Petra Jacobi and Dieter Schwartz: Coach you! Rational effectiveness training to overcome emotional blockages . Hemmer / Wüst, 2004, ISBN 3-89634-439-0 .
  • Basics and methods of rational-emotional behavior therapy . Klett-Cotta / JG Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachflg, 1997, ISBN 3-608-89617-1 .
  • with Roger Conway: How to successfully seduce women. From the first kiss to coitus (original: The art of erotic seduction) . Stephenson, 1968.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Death report from Associated Press (Eng.)
  2. ↑ The ABC Method ( Memento from January 7, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
personal data
SURNAME Ellis, Albert
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American psychologist and cognitive behavioral therapist
DATE OF BIRTH September 27, 1913
PLACE OF BIRTH Pittsburgh
DATE OF DEATH July 24, 2007
Place of death New York City