Ellis' ABC model

• Ellis suggested activating events (A) lead to certain beliefs (B) about event and results in emotional response, the consequence (C)
• Ellis suggested people can have rational beliefs concerning event and will act rationally leading to desirable emotions
• in comparison abnormality and depression is due to irrational thoughts which can lead to psychological disturbance and behaviour
• therefore it is not event itself causing consequence of depression but irrational beliefs
• ellis suggested irrational beliefs are due to mustabatory thinking which is thinking ideas must be true in order to be happy. people with this kind of thinking will be depressed and disappointed as life does not always go smoothly.
• three important irrational beliefs are

  'i must be accepted or i am not good'

  'life must be easy'

  'other people must treat me kindly and the way i expect'