Cognitive approach to treating depression

• Ellis’ rational emotive behaviour therapy, a type of cognitive behavioural therapy, aims to turn irrational thoughts into rational thoughts, and resolve emotional and behaviour problems
• Ellis’ model was expanded to ABCDEF:

  D: disputing irrational thoughts and beliefs

  E: effects of disputing and effective attitude to life

  F: the new feelings that are produced
• REBT focuses on challenging or disputing irrational, self-defeating thoughts and replacing them with effective, rational beliefs. Logical disputing, empirical disputing and pragmatic disputing can be used
• Clients complete homework assignments between therapy sessions such as asking someone out on a date when they had feared rejection. Homework enables irrational beliefs to be tested against reality
• Behavioural activation encourages clients to engage in pleasurable activities that they used to enjoy
• Therapists provide clients with unconditional positive regard, to convince clients of their value as humans. Another feature is for the client to become more active, since being active leads to rewards that are an antidote to depression