Two Rebt Therapists and One Client: Windy Dryden Transcript

In the summer of 1994, two of the most published authors in the field of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Albert Ellis and Windy Dryden, each saw the same client. The transcript of Windy Dryden is presented with slight modifications to protect the confidentiality of the client and those in the client’s life

Single-Session One-At-A-Time Therapy: A Personal Approach

The terms ‘single session therapy’ (SST) and ‘one‐at‐a‐time’ (OAAT) therapy are used to indicate a situation where the therapist and client set out with the expressed intention of helping the client in one session while acknowledging that additional sessions are available to the client. Both terms have their advantages and disadvantages and thus the author uses the blended term ‘single session one‐at‐a‐time’ (SST/OAAT) therapy to highlight the advantages of both. It is a core feature of SST/OAAT therapy that it is client‐centred especially where the session’s focus and goal are concerned. However, in an attempt to avoid SST/OAAT therapy being highjacked by therapists who operate from the ‘expert’ source of influence, the field has downplayed the contribution of the therapist’s expertise. In this paper, I make clear that the expertise of the therapist when allied to the expertise of the client can be a potent force for good in SST/OAAT therapy. My main task, however, is to outline my own approach to SST/OAAT therapy which is a blend of general principles that are likely to be held by the majority of SST/OAAT therapists and specific ideas that are derived from working with alliance theory, pluralism, and rational emotive behaviour therapy

Elegance in REBT: Reflections on the Ellis and Dryden Sessions with Jane

In this article, I reflect on the one-off sessions that Albert Ellis and I did with Jane. It is clear that Albert Ellis’s work is an example of inelegant or general REBT, while my session is an example of specific or elegant REBT. First, I speculate on the possible reasons why Ellis practised inelegant REBT is his session. Then, I critique my own work covering both what I like and dislike about my work with Jane. I conclude that while I practised elegant REBT with her, my work was flawed in two major respects: (i) failure to target consistently Jane’s demands for change and (ii) introducing changes at A while disputing irrational beliefs at B

An experimental test of a core REBT hypothesis: evidence that irrational beliefs lead to physiological as well as psychological arousal.

While numerous studies support Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy and Theory (REBT), they tend to be limited by their use of correlational designs, simulated scenarios and self-report measures. This study tested a core REBT hypothesis in an experimental design using multiple pshysiological as well as psychological measures. Ninety patients from a medical practice were placed in a real-life stressful situation while holding either a rational, an irrational, or an indifference belief. Those holding a rational belief reported the greatest increase in anxiety. Of particular significance, those holding a rational belief showed a decrease in systolic blood pressure whereas those holding an irrational belief showed an increase (diastolic blood pressure increased in both conditions). These results not only support the core REBT hypothesis, but also suggest a way to differentiate between beliefs and emotions by measuring physiological as well as psychological changes

A Systematic Review of the Literature on the Use of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy in Criminal Justice Work to Reduce Re-offending

A systematic review of the published literature from 1995 to 2007 considers the published evidence on the use of interventions employing Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy in criminal justice efforts to reduce re-offending. Thirty-six studies are briefly described, summarised and appraised for research quality using a six point scale. Twenty-four studies were excluded from further analysis due to insufficiently rigorous or weak research design and method. Twelve studies were appraised as sufficiently robust to reliably inform the research interest. Further analysis of the studies indicated an association between negative emotional states and offending behaviour, some evidence of REBT effectiveness in treating emotional disturbance in offender populations, and mixed evidence of REBT effectiveness in reducing re-offending. It is concluded that interventions using REBT might be a promising approach for aiding criminal justice aims to reduce re-offending

Comparison between REBT and Visual/Kinaesthetic Dissociation in the Treatment of Panic Disorder: An Empirical Study

The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of two brief treatment methods for panic disorder: Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) and Visual/Kinaesthetic Dissociation (VKD), neither of which have been the object of scientific enquiry. The study is a two-way between-groups pre-test/post-test experimental design with baseline and follow-up measures. An innovative four-session treatment protocol was developed for each treatment method. Eighteen participants in North-East Surrey, England, who responded to media advertisements for cognitive-behavioural treatment for panic disorder and who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia were randomly assigned to either REBT or VKD. Pre-test/post-test changes in panic were measured using the ACQ, PASQ, and HADS scales and a global panic rating measure. At post-test there was a statistically significant improvement on all measures for both groups, which was maintained at one-month follow-up. Taking into consideration limitations such as the small sample size and a short follow-up period, implications of this study and recommendations for future research are discussed