In-Depth Study Notes for REBT and DBT Concepts

Rational Thinking vs. Irrational Thinking

• Rational thinking leads to:

• Healthy ways of living

• Unconditional acceptance of others and self

• Irrational thinking leads to:

• Self-defeating emotions

• Dysfunctional behaviors

Development of Rational or Irrational Thinking

• Influenced by several factors:

1. Early child-rearing practices

2. Societal influences

3. Family dynamics

4. Innate biology

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

• Views humans as fallible beings capable of both rational and irrational thinking.

• ABCD Model:

• A: Activating event

• B: Belief about the activating event

  • iB (irrational belief): Leads to negative feelings, rooted in twelve core irrational beliefs.

  • rB (rational belief)

• C: Consequential feeling or behavior

• D: Dispute the irrational belief

• E: Develop new effective responses

• Albert Ellis's assertion: It's not the event that causes emotional distress, but how it is interpreted through cognitive distortions.

Disputation Techniques

• Types of disputation:

• Cognitive

• Behavioral

• Emotive

• Purpose: To challenge and replace unhealthy cognitions, behaviors, or emotions with healthier alternatives.

Goals of REBT

• Replace irrational thinking with rational thinking.

• Shame-attacking exercise: Encourages clients to understand the necessity of not seeking external approval, and challenges distressing beliefs.

• Unconditional acceptance:

• Allows clients to openly discuss thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.

• Recognizes clients as fallible human beings.

Acronym DIBS in REBT

• D: Dispute

• I: Irrational beliefs

• B: Beliefs

• S: Stop

Cognitive Distortions

• Key to understanding irrational thinking:

• Absolutist thinking (musts and shoulds)

• Awfulizing

• Catastrophic thinking (i-can’t-stand-it-itis)

• Demands and ratings (expectations of oneself and others)

Beck's Major Categories of Negative Core Beliefs

• Helpless core beliefs

• Unlovable core beliefs

• Worthless core beliefs

Core Beliefs and Their Interactions

• Core beliefs: Fundamental views on oneself and the world.

• Intermediate beliefs:

• Attitudes, rules, expectations, and assumptions stemming from core beliefs.

• Automatic thoughts:

• Emerge from intermediate beliefs and influence behaviors, feelings, and responses.

• Schema: Cognitive structures that influence thought processes.

Therapy Order and Coping Strategies

• Addressed in therapy:

1. Automatic thoughts

2. Intermediate beliefs

3. Core beliefs

• Coping strategies arise early in life to deal with negative feelings from core beliefs.

Beck's View of Human Nature

• Genetic and evolutionary predispositions influence attitudes and temperaments.

• Utilizes Diathesis-Stress Model: Suggests certain disorders develop under stress.

Socratic Dialogue and Homework Importance

• Socratic Dialogue: Engage clients in questioning to encourage rational thought.

• Homework: Reinforces new beliefs and promotes self-management.

Automatic Thought-Stopping and Reframing

• Automatic thought-stopping: Identify and redirect negative automatic thoughts.

• Reframing: Shift client’s perspective from a negative self-image to a more positive one.

Diathesis-Stress Model Significance

• Helps identify potential stressors impacting mental health.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) Categories

• Customers: Ready to define outcomes and work on solutions.

• Complainants: Acknowledge issues but struggle to find solutions.

• Visitors: Explore therapy possibilities without commitment.

Expert Position in SFBT

• Client as expert: Counselors adopt a “not-knowing” stance to facilitate clients in formulating their solutions.

• Therapeutic alliance: Built on curiosity, respect, and empathy from the counselor.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

• Key Issues in DBT: Biological vs. social bases, active vs. passive behaviors, emotional vulnerabilities, etc.

• Focus on the process:

1. Safety and stabilization

2. Addressing past trauma

3. Everyday living problems

4. Spiritual and personal fulfillment

• Seven assumptions of DBT:

1. People are doing their best.

2. Desire for improvement exists.

3. Learning new behaviors is necessary.

4. Not every problem is self-caused but must be addressed.

5. No absolute truths.

6. Clients cannot fail in therapy.

7. All behaviors are causally linked.

DBT Treatment Methods

• Structuring Therapy: Consistent session routines and addressing clients' emotional states.

• Diary Card: Weekly logs tracking strong feelings and behaviors for discussion.

• Chain Analysis: Detailed breakdown of problematic behaviors.

• These elements work together to foster understanding and facilitate change in clients' emotional responses and behaviors.