Table Of ContentOvercoming
Resistance
A Rational Emotive
Behavior Therapy
Integrated Approach
2nd Edition
Albert Ellis, PhD, is the founder and president of the
Albert Ellis Institute in New York City. He received
his MA and PhD degrees in clinical psychology from
Columbia University. A former Adjunct Professor of
Psychology at Rutgers University and Pittsburgh
State College, Dr. Ellis has also been Distinguished
Professor of Psychology at the Professional School
of Psychological Studies in San Diego. He served as
Chief Psychologist of the New Jersey State Diagnostic
Center and Chief Psychologist of the New Jersey Department of Institutions
and Agencies. He has been a Consultant in Clinical Psychology to the New
York City Board of Education and the Veterans Administration, and he has
practiced psychotherapy, marriage and family counseling, as well as sex thera-
py, for almost 60 years. He continues this practice at the Psychological Clinic
of the Albert Ellis Institute.
AFellow of the American Psychological Association, Dr.Ellis has served as
President of its Division of Consulting Psychology and as a member of its
Council of Representatives. He is a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology of the
American Board of Professional Psychology, and a Diplomate of the American
Board of Psychotherapy.
Dr.Ellis has published over 700 articles and 65 books, among them Reason
and Emotion in Psychotherapy, A Guide to Rational Living, and The Practice
of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. He has also served as Consulting or
Associate Editor of many publications, including the Journal of Marriage and
Family Therapy, the Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, Journal of
Individual Psychology,Cognitive Therapy and Research, Psychological Reports,
and The Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy.
Overcoming
Resistance
A Rational Emotive
Behavior Therapy
Integrated Approach
2nd Edition
Albert Ellis
New York
Copyright © 2002 by Albert Ellis Institute
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Springer Publishing
Company, LLC.
Springer Publishing Company, LLC
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Acquisitions Editor: Sheri W. Sussman
Production Editor: Jean Hurkin-Torres
Cover design: Mimi Flow
Composition: International Graphic Services
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13-digit ISBN: 978-0-8261-2214-8 © 2007 Springer Publishing Company, LLC
Libraryof Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ellis, Albert.
Overcoming resistance : a rational emotive behavior therapy integrated
approach / AlbertEllis. — 2nd ed.
p. ; cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8261-4912-X (alk. paper)
1. Resistance (Psychoanalysis). 2. Rational-emotive psychotherapy.
3. Psychotherapist and patient. I.Title.
[DNLM: 1. Psychotherapy,Rational-Emotive—methods. 2. Cognitive
therapy—methods. 3. Therapist-Client. WM 420.5.P8 E47o 2002]
RC489.R49 E43 2002
616.89’142—dc21
2002021034
Printed in the United States of America by Berryville Graphics.
For Janet L. Wolfe
Still my best friend, critic,
and invaluable helper after 38 years!
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Contents
Foreword ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xv
1 Updating the Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy 1
Approach to Overcoming Resistance
2 Some of the Basic Principles of Rational Emotive 9
Behavior Therapy (REBT) and Cognitive Behavior
Therapy (CBT)
3 Common Forms of Resistance 25
4 Disputing Core Irrational Beliefs that Underlie Resistance 48
5 Some Other Methods of Contradicting Irrational Beliefs 58
that Encourage Resistance
6 More Methods of Contradicting Irrational Beliefs 74
that Encourage Resistance
7 Methods of Overcoming Resisting that Emphasize 103
Emotive-Evocative, Experiential Methods
8 Force and Energy in Overcoming Resistance 133
9 The Value of Efficiency in Helping Resisting Clients 139
10 Methods of Overcoming Resistance that Emphasize 152
Behavioral Techniques
11 Overcoming Resistance with Clients Who Have 176
Severe Personality Disorders
vii
viii Contents
12 Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy 194
and Multicultural Counseling
13 How to Deal with the Resistance of Your Most 204
Difficult Client—You
14 Some Remarks on “The Best” Techniques 215
for Coping with Resisting Clients
15 How to Choose Special Styles of Therapy 229
for Different Clients
16 How to Integrate REBT and CBT Theoryand Practice 242
with the Useful Aspects of Other Leading Schools
of Therapy
Appendix: How to Maintain and Enhance Your Rational 259
Emotive Behavior Therapy Gains
References 267
Index 279
Foreword
A
lbertEllishaswrittenmanybooksonhisfavoritetopicRational
EmotiveBehaviorTherapy(REBT).Althoughhewritesonthat
topicverywell,heoftendoesnotwriteaboutgenericpsychother-
apy. REBT is an integrative form of psychotherapy. Following this
model,psychotherapistscanincorporatemanydiversetechniquesand
strategies to change clients’ dysfunctional behaviors and emotions. Al
loved to integrate ideas into therapy. Just look at Al’s attempts to use
humorous songs as a therapeutic technique. The use of humor helps
clientsrememberwhatAlisteachingregardlessofthelesson.Muchof
whatAlidentifiesasgoodREBTinthisbookisjustgoodpsychotherapy.
BecausepeoplesouniversallyidentifyAlwithREBT,peoplemaygener-
allyoverlookhiswisdomasaclinician.HavingworkedwithAlformore
than 30 years, I have been fortunate enough to learn from him. Much
oftheknowledgeIlearnedfromAlandcherishthemostisnotnecessar-
ilyaboutREBTtheory.Theyconcernwisewaysofthinkingaboutclini-
calproblems. Thatis why,of allAl’sbooks, thisis myfavorite.This is
AlEllis,theclinician. Muchofwhathesayscomesthroughthelanguage
of REBT, but it is just good clinical judgment from a very smart man
with a great deal of experience.
In 1985, Al Ellis received the distinguished contribution to profes-
sional practice award from the American Psychological Association.
The staff of the Albert Ellis Institute calculated that up to that time, Al
had completed more than 300,000 psychotherapy sessions. To our
knowledge,thisis morethananyotherpsychotherapist thatweknow.
Al led eight groups a week and saw clients from about 9:30 a.m. to
10:00p.m.Inaddition,heworkedweekends.Noothertherapistseems
tohavedevotedhimselforherselftothepracticeofthiscraftasintensely
as Al. From that award forward, he had 17 more years of experience
before he completed the latest edition of this book. As a result, this
volumereflectsthecondensedwisdomofoneofthemostexperienced
psychotherapists of all times. We can assume that during those many
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