Rational Emotive Behavior Techniques - Assignment Example

The common technique in REBT is the A-B-C theory technique. In REBT, clients normally learn and begin to apply the premise that humans do not merely get upset by unfortunate circumstances, but also through the way they construct their opinions through, evaluative beliefs, language, philosophies, and meanings about themselves, the world, and others (Albert Ellis, 2007). Through proper application of the A-B-C model of psychological disturbances and change, clients can apply this premise. The ABC model states that; it is not a particular Adversity (A) that makes our emotional Consequences (C). Adversity precedes the Consequence; however, though it is a vital condition, it is not a sufficient condition. Our Beliefs (B) about Adversity is the chief determinant of our emotional Consequence (Albert Ellis, 2007).

ADLERIAN COUNSELING

Adlerian counseling focuses on a person’s ability to adapt to feelings of inferiority and inadequacy relative to others. It was developed by Alfred Alder (1870-1937) through his belief that it was essential to become intimately familiar with a person’s social context by exploring factors such as parental education, lifestyle, and birth order (Oberst, 2003). This Psychotherapy method pays particular attention to belief systems and behavior patterns that were developed during childhood period. Psychotherapists who use this form of therapy strongly acknowledges that these strategies are the predecessor for later behaviors and self-awareness and are directly responsible for how an individual perceives themselves and others in life.

Techniques of Adlerian
Several practical procedures are used in Adlerian therapy. The technique of encouragement helps to develop the relationship between the client and therapist. Counselors also apply encouragement to assess clients' lifestyles to provide tools for overcoming low self-concept and inferiority complex. Another method, spitting in the client's soup, demands that the counselor makes some behaviors less attractive to the client (Oberst, 2003). Once a particular behavior is considered revolting, it is less likely to occur. The immediacy technique simply asks the question that helps to communicate events at the present moment. This will allow clients to reorientation into a position necessary for a greater understanding of their situation. The question technique tests the clients to identify the existence of a psychological problem through the deliberate utilization of constructed questions by the physiotherapists (Oberst, 2003).

Comparison of, Rational Emotive Behavior technique, Adlerian counseling
The “who told you” technique:
The “who told you” technique is a form of Psychotherapy that emphasizes on the importance of story and language in the expression and development of intrapersonal and interpersonal problems. It stresses the importance of language in shaping peoples’ realities. 

This basis contradicts that of REBT and Adlerian therapy which mainly focuses on a person’s ability to adapt to feelings of inferiority and inadequacy relative to others and resolve behavioral and emotional disturbances respectively. Technical medical language stresses pathological processes and limitations and often makes it uneasy for clients to accept more desirable stories that they have been told. Physicians that use this technique use questions to identify the main cause of the problems. The format of the questioning tends to inform the doctor compared to the client.

One major premise in the “who told you” technique is that the person is not the problem or rather the problem is the problem. It promotes the externalization of the problem by locating the problem outside and within the culture (Albert Ellis, 2007). Both Adlerian counseling and REBT identifies the sources of the problem from within the individual as opposed to the “who told you technique”. However, both techniques emphasize the use of language and aim at helping clients achieve a more fulfilling and happy life.

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