The document outlines characteristics of rational and irrational beliefs. Rational beliefs are flexible, logical, move one toward goals and have positive consequences. They include non-dogmatic preferences, non-awfulizing beliefs, beliefs that promote frustration tolerance, and self/other/life acceptance. Irrational beliefs are rigid, illogical, move one away from goals and have negative consequences. They include demands, awfulizing beliefs, beliefs of low frustration tolerance, and self/other/life depreciation. The document provides examples and definitions for understanding each type of rational and irrational belief.
The document outlines characteristics of rational and irrational beliefs. Rational beliefs are flexible, logical, move one toward goals and have positive consequences. They include non-dogmatic preferences, non-awfulizing beliefs, beliefs that promote frustration tolerance, and self/other/life acceptance. Irrational beliefs are rigid, illogical, move one away from goals and have negative consequences. They include demands, awfulizing beliefs, beliefs of low frustration tolerance, and self/other/life depreciation. The document provides examples and definitions for understanding each type of rational and irrational belief.
Original Description:
facilitator's notes to REBT lesson on rational and irrational beliefs
The document outlines characteristics of rational and irrational beliefs. Rational beliefs are flexible, logical, move one toward goals and have positive consequences. They include non-dogmatic preferences, non-awfulizing beliefs, beliefs that promote frustration tolerance, and self/other/life acceptance. Irrational beliefs are rigid, illogical, move one away from goals and have negative consequences. They include demands, awfulizing beliefs, beliefs of low frustration tolerance, and self/other/life depreciation. The document provides examples and definitions for understanding each type of rational and irrational belief.
The document outlines characteristics of rational and irrational beliefs. Rational beliefs are flexible, logical, move one toward goals and have positive consequences. They include non-dogmatic preferences, non-awfulizing beliefs, beliefs that promote frustration tolerance, and self/other/life acceptance. Irrational beliefs are rigid, illogical, move one away from goals and have negative consequences. They include demands, awfulizing beliefs, beliefs of low frustration tolerance, and self/other/life depreciation. The document provides examples and definitions for understanding each type of rational and irrational belief.
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Rational Belief Characteristics
Flexible or nonextreme a. Leave room for what you don’t know or what could be Logical/consistent with reality a. Can use socratic ?s to ask if the thought is logical Move you closer to your long-term goals a. Ex: feeling good about completing tx vs feeling good about yelling at your counselor Lead to positive and functional emotional, behavioral, and cognitive consequences a. Actions are consistent with your values b. You experience healthy emotions c. You are able to function d. You connect with others
Four key types of RBs
1. Non-dogmatic preferences a. Dogmatic definition: expressing personal opinions or beliefs as if they are certainly correct and cannot be doubted b. Asserted preference + Negated Demand i. Asserted preference: state what you want 1. “I want to,” “I’d like to,” “I prefer to” ii. Negated demand: 1. “I do not have to,” “I will live if it doesn’t happen,” “It’s not necessary to my survival” iii. __________________________, but ____________________________. 2. Non-awfulizing beliefs a. Acknowledges the unfortunate and practices gratitude. b. Does not get stuck in the “everything is awful” thought spirals. i. Asserted badness: Validate your fears/feelings 1. “This is bad,” “I will feel disappointed,” “It is stressful” ii. Negated awfulizing: “It is not the end of the world,” “I won’t burst into flames,” “It will not break me” iii. __________________________, but ____________________________. 3. HFT Beliefs a. Frustration tolerance def: ability to tolerate frustration b. Asserted struggle + Negated unbearability + Worth tolerating = HFT Belief i. Asserted struggle: Validate your feelings 1. “This is difficult to get through,” “This feels like a lot,” “I am overwhelmed” ii. Negated unbearability: acknowledge that you can do this/it is bearable 1. “I am capable,” “This is not more than I can handle,” “I do not have to do it all at once” iii. Worth tolerating: Focus on the motivation 1. “It is important to me,” “The discomfort is worth it” iv. _____________________________, but _________________________ and _____________________________. 4. Self/Other/Life Acceptance a. Life has value, no matter what. b. Every human life is worthy of love. c. Life is complicated. d. You win some you lose some. e. People are complicated. We can’t be summed up by a few situations. We aren’t all good or all bad. f. Negatively evaluated aspect + negated global negative evaluation + Asserted complex fallibility i. Negatively evaluated aspect: validate what you don’t like 1. “That was a mean thing to say,” “It’s disappointing that I failed that exam,” “What I did was wrong” ii. Negated global negative evaluation: acknowledge this doesn’t mean it’s true in all cases or at all times 1. “Failing an exam has nothing to do with my worth as a person,” “I am still worthy of love” iii. Asserted complex fallibility: realize life/love/people are complicated 1. “All relationships are difficult in some ways,” “People are smart and dumb —we all have different gifts” iv. _____________________________, but _________________________ and _____________________________.
Irrational Belief Characteristics
Rigid or extreme a. All-or-nothing Illogical/inconsistent with reality a. Can use socratic ?s to ask if the thought is logical Move you away from your long-term goals a. Ex: feeling good about completing tx vs feeling good about yelling at your counselor Lead to negative and functional emotional, behavioral, and cognitive consequences a. Cognitive dissonance b. Fractured relationships c. Substance abuse d. Employment issues e. Money problems f. “Acting out” in anger g. Avoidance Levels of IRBs 1. Situation Specific a. Ex: “He did that because he doesn’t care about me” 2. Generalized a. Ex: “All girls are the same” 3. Globalized a. Ex: “There’s no hope for humanity”
Four key types of IRBs
4. Demands a. Have/must/should/need/got to b. “must monsters” c. “Shoulding all over yourself” d. Leaves no room for choice e. Isolates you from meaningful relationships 5. Awfulizing Beliefs a. Same as catastrophizing b. It’s as bad as it gets and in fact it will only get worse from here c. Assuming the worst, jumping to conclusions d. Provides you with no opportunities to tolerate or problem solve the situation e. Removes blame or responsibility i. Responsibility: the ability to respond 6. LFT Beliefs a. Giving up when faced with challenge b. Believing discomfort is unreasonable and unnecessary c. Unwillingness to try new things d. There is an underlying assumption that you’re entitled to an easy life or not capable of change or facing hardship 7. Self/Other/Life-Depreciation Beliefs a. Apathy b. Not giving the benefit of the doubt c. Negative Nancy d. No hope in anyone or anything
