Ellis's ABC model

• Elis proposed that all mental disorders are caused by our irrational ways of interpreting events.

  Interpret rationally= healthy emotions

  Interpret irrationally= unhealthy emotions
• ABC model

  A-activating event = an event that triggers irrational thoughts.

  B-belief: beliefs that we hold following the activating event can have an impact on our emotions.

  Irrational beliefs= 'musturbatory' beliefs which suggest we must succeed and achieve perfection

  C-consequence= e.g. if you fail and something (A) this may trigger the irrational beliefs (B) and then could create depression as an emotion consequence.
• Schemas 


  Schemas are pockets of information/knowledge in our minds. They develop from experience. We have schemas for everthing: people, places and events.

  The more experience we have throughout life, the more schemas we develop and the more detailed they become.