REBT
REBT therapy
REBT therapy helps you question the irrational beliefs behind strong distress. We use it alongside CBT in mental health and addiction treatment in Orange County.
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Clinically reviewed by Christina Khouie, MA, LMFT, our founder, on September 30, 2026. Enhance is accredited by The Joint Commission and certified by the California Department of Health Care Services.
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How REBT works
What is rational emotive behavior therapy?
Rational emotive behavior therapy, or REBT, is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that helps you replace irrational beliefs with rational beliefs.
Irrational beliefs are rigid demands, often built on the words must and should, that drive much of your emotional distress.
Your REBT therapist helps you notice these beliefs, question them, and practice more flexible ones in daily life.
The ABC model
A is an activating event, such as running late, and B is your belief about it, such as 'I must never slip.' C is the emotional response that follows, often shame or panic, and the belief is the part you can change.
REBT and CBT
Both look at how thoughts and behaviors connect, and REBT is one of the earliest forms of cognitive therapy. REBT goes straight to the must behind a thought, while CBT works on many kinds of negative thoughts.
Having a rigid belief is not your fault. REBT teaches you to question the belief, not to blame yourself for having it.
Where it is used
REBT therapy in addiction and mental health care
We use rational emotive behavior therapy in individual and group sessions for addiction and mental health treatment, at every level of care.
Inpatient
- Where you sleep
- On site, with clinical staff
- How much of your week
- All of it
- Who it suits
- Needs more than a day program
- What usually comes next
- PHP
Partial hospitalization (PHP)
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Most of each day
- Who it suits
- Can sleep at home safely
- What usually comes next
- IOP
Intensive outpatient (IOP)
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Part of the week
- Who it suits
- Keeping up work or school
- What usually comes next
- Outpatient
Outpatient
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Regular sessions
- Who it suits
- Doing well with therapy
- What usually comes next
- Ongoing care
Your therapist may give you practice between sessions, such as questioning a belief when it comes up during your week.
In session
Irrational beliefs REBT often questions
REBT often questions irrational beliefs about yourself, other people, and discomfort, and your therapist works on the ones you actually hold.
- I must be liked, or the day is a failure.
- I should be over this by now.
- A mistake means I am a failure as a person.
- Other people must treat me fairly, or I cannot cope.
- I cannot stand feeling anxious for an hour.
REBT may not be the right fit if
- Questions about your beliefs feel like too much right now.
- You need to feel stable before working on beliefs.
- Your assessment points to a different method.
If there is immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988.
What an REBT therapy session looks like
Rational emotive behavior therapy sessions follow a clear order, and your therapist explains each step before you start.
Naming the activating event
You describe a recent moment that led to strong emotions and behaviors, such as a drink or an angry text.
Finding the belief
Your therapist helps you find the must or should behind your emotional response, which is often an irrational belief.
Disputing irrational beliefs
You question the belief out loud by asking whether it is true, whether it helps, and whether it has to be that way.
Practicing a rational belief
You rehearse a more flexible belief, then try it between sessions as homework and report back on how it went.
Unconditional acceptance
REBT teaches unconditional acceptance of yourself, other people and life, so one mistake does not decide your worth as a person.
Individual and group settings
A licensed therapist uses REBT techniques in individual therapy and in groups, where you practice coping strategies with others.
What it treats
Conditions REBT is used for
We use REBT for depression and anxiety, addiction and other mental health conditions, where irrational beliefs can keep symptoms going.
What happens when you call
See what happens when you call admissions or send us the form.
You call, or send the form
You tell admissions what is happening and whether you think REBT might fit.
We check your benefits
With your permission, we contact your insurer and find out what your plan covers.
You hear what it means
Admissions explains your deductible, your copay and which level of care your plan supports, in plain terms.
You decide
If you want to go ahead, admissions walks you through what happens next.
Benefits vary from plan to plan, and checking them does not guarantee coverage.
(714) 862-1907Cost and coverage
Does insurance cover REBT therapy?
What you pay depends on your deductible, your copay and the level your insurer approves. Admissions checks your benefits with the insurer and tells you the figures before you decide anything.
We're in network with most insurance plans. If your plan isn't listed, call us and we'll check it for you.
Some plans we accept
- Ambetter
- MHN
- CalPERS
- Covered California
Common questions about rational emotive behavior therapy
If your question is not answered here, call admissions at (714) 862-1907.
What does the ABC model stand for?
It stands for activating event, belief and consequence. It shows how your belief about an event, rather than the event itself, shapes how you feel.
What are the five stages of REBT?
Many sources describe five steps, A to E: the activating event, the belief, the consequence, disputing the belief, and a new effective belief.
Is REBT the same as CBT?
REBT is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy, and its disputing step is a kind of cognitive restructuring. REBT puts more weight on rigid demands and on accepting yourself.
What are irrational beliefs, with examples?
They are rigid demands about yourself, other people or life, such as 'I must never fail' or 'I cannot stand this feeling.'
What is unconditional self-acceptance?
It means accepting yourself as a person even when you fail or act badly. You can still judge a behavior without judging your whole self.
What is the goal of REBT?
The goal of REBT is to feel healthy negative emotions, such as concern instead of panic, and to act on your goals rather than your demands.
What homework do REBT therapists give?
Common homework includes writing down a belief and disputing it, or practicing a new belief in a situation you usually avoid.
Can REBT be used with medication?
Yes. A licensed psychiatrist manages any medication you take, and your therapist uses REBT in your sessions. The two often happen in the same week.
Is REBT used for addiction?
Yes. For example, you might believe you cannot get through the night without using. Questioning that belief is part of the work, alongside the rest of your level of care.
Can REBT therapy be done in a group?
Yes. We use REBT in group sessions, where you hear how others question their beliefs and practice your own out loud.
Who developed rational emotive behavior therapy?
Albert Ellis, a psychologist, developed REBT in the 1950s as a more active form of psychotherapy than the talk therapy of his time. CBT later borrowed some of its ideas.
Does insurance cover REBT?
REBT is billed as therapy within your level of care, such as outpatient mental health treatment. Admissions checks your plan and explains your deductible and copay.
Ask admissions about rational emotive behavior therapy
If words like must or should keep showing up in your thinking, mention that on the call. Admissions can tell you whether REBT fits your plan.
Enhance Health Group14742 Newport Ave STE 208, Tustin, CA 92780