Albert Ellis proposed that the key to mental disorders such as depression lay in irrational beliefs
Model
- Activating Event
- Belief - may be rational or irrational
‘The company was over-staffed’ vs. ‘I was sacked because they’ve had it in for me’
- Consequence - rational beliefs lead to healthy emotions whereas irrational beliefs lead to unhealth emotions
Musturbatory Thinking
The source of irrational beliefs is due to mustabatory thinking, the thinking that certain ideas or assumptions must be true in order for an individual to be happy.
- ‘I must be approved by people I find important’
- ‘I must do well or I am worthless’
- ‘The world must give me happiness’