Albert ellis biography amazon
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In his autobiography, Albert said that his mother was a self-absorbed lady with bipolar disorder. A serious gastrointestinal infection in 2003 almost proved fatal and led to the removal of his colon. He began practicing a more directive form of psychotherapy in which he challenged this form of thinking and by 1953 had completely abandoned psychoanalysis.
Rational Emotive Therapy
In 1955, Ellis began calling his new approach Rational Emotive Therapy and started teaching it to other therapists.
He was determined to overcome his fears, however, and successfully did so by immersing himself in the very things he feared.
For example, at the age of 19, he made regular visits to a nearby park, determined to talk to every female who sat beside him. Instead, they fall under the broader frameworks of cognitive behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, and cognitive restructuring.
According to Ellis, REBT is logical, philosophical, intellectual, and theoretical, so the success of therapy depends on the extent to which clients are able to engage in this type of thought.
One such technique is “disputing.” As the name suggests, the emphasis is on helping clients dispute or question their self-limiting beliefs through the use of logic. 142-159). In 1951, he became the American editor of the International Journal of Sexology, and throughout the 1950’s, he published several books and articles expressing his opinions on the topic.
(n.d.). At the age of five, he developed a serious kidney disorder that required repeated hospitalizations for extended periods of time. By the time he reached junior high, his heart was set on becoming a novelist. Very young children, as well as individuals with severe emotional disorders, cognitive deficiencies, and psychotic behavior, may therefore not be well-suited for this type of therapy.
His father was a great businessman and was in most cases away from his home on different business trips. Though he initially conceived of homosexuality as a psychological disorder, he claimed that he was “one of the most prominent proponents of gay liberation in the 1950s and 1960s.” In the 1970’s, after the American Psychiatric Association declared that homosexuality was no longer considered a mental disorder, Ellis likewise reversed his position.
Applications of REBT
REBT has been applied successfully to individuals, couples, families, and groups, and has been shown to be effective in treating a diverse range of psychological conditions.
In 1952, Albert Ellis published Sex Beliefs and Customs and in 1958, he published Sex Without Guilt. These include:
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Addictions
- Conduct disorder
- Eating disorders
- Adjustment disorder
- Personality disorders
REBT has also been applied extensively to non-clinical populations.
He was 93 years old at the time of his death.
References
About Albert Ellis. In his autobiography, Ellis recalled that she was often asleep when he left for school and was typically absent when he returned.
The young Ellis tried to make the best of his circumstances. Nevertheless, he held an optimistic view of human nature and stressed that individuals have the capacity to change.
A large number of self-help materials have also been developed based on REBT principles, which allows people to independently apply its basic tenets to the challenges of daily living.
REBT Criticisms
Like all other forms of psychotherapy, REBT has been subjected to several criticisms. In just one month, he spoke to 130 different women.
He worked with noted sex researcher Alfred Kinsey and in 1957, was instrumental in founding the first national organization devoted to the study of sexuality.
Ellis advocated a very liberal attitude toward sex and was widely regarded as one of the prime instigators of the 1960’s American sexual revolution. The Journal of Sex Research, 27(4), 645-646.
Ellis, A., Abrams, M., & Abrams, L.
(2012). A brief biography of Dr. Albert Ellis 1913-2007.