Ellis’ Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy

• Disputing


  Challenging irrational thoughts
• Effective disputing


  1. Changes self-defeating beliefs into more rational beliefs

  2. Helps the depressed client feel more positive and become more self-accepting
• Methods of disputing


  • Empirical disputing
  • Logical disputing
  • Pragmatic disputing
• Empirical disputing


  Depressed client asks themselves if beliefs are consistent with reality and where is the evidence that the negative thoughts are true
• Logical disputing


  Therapist questions whether the irrational beliefs follow on coherently (logically) from the information available and whether the negative thoughts make common sense
• Pragmatic disputing


  Depressed client questions the usefulness of the negative thoughts and considers how the thoughts help them feel better or worse