Ask Albert Ellis: Straight Answers and Sound Advice from America's Best-Known Psychologist [Paperback]

Albert Ellis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2003

The most well-known and highly respected psychotherapist of our time responds to reader questions submitted to the "Ask Dr. Ellis" website. The answers present the most concise, "reader-friendly" description yet of the author's Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy method -- REBT -- used by thousands of therapists around the world, to the benefit of hundreds of thousands of grateful clients. Ellis distills fifty years of psychotherapy experience and wisdom in this practical guide for the rest of us. Healthy thinking, healthy emotions, and healthy behavior are explained, with examples and procedures for building lasting emotional well-being.

ASK ALBERT ELLIS is a book for anyone who wants help in dealing with anxiety, depression, anger, psychotherapy clients who want to enhance the effectiveness of therapy, and individuals who want to understand more about REBT. This is also an important resource for the professional (and lending) libraries of psychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and clinics.

Sample questions from the text: What is REBT, and how does it differ from other therapies? Is it really possible to change a long-standing emotional disturbance? Is forgiveness necessary for effective recovery from betrayal? How can we make ourselves happy? How can I help my partner to achieve sexual fulfillment? Are we completely governed by our heredity and environment, or do we have any control? Is it possible to recover from bad therapy? My nine-year-old daughter is suffering from depression; how can I help her? How can I overcome the pain of my lover's unfaithfulness? What are the major irrational beliefs people hold? How does REBT help one overcome guilty feelings? What is "unconditional self acceptance"? Is REBT compatible with religious beliefs?

Editorial Reviews

Review

...Al Ellis at his best -- engaged in lively dialogue about life and how best to approach it... Wonderful! -- Michael J. Mahoney, Author of Human Change Processes

...Ellis is right in the room with you... ready to help... use his wisdom in everything you do. -- William Glasser, M.D., Author of Warning, Psychiatry Can Be Hazardous to Your Mental Health

I consider this as one of Ellis' better books because it covers REBT and its many uses. -- Raymond Corsini, Ph.D., Author of Methods of Group Psychotherapy and Handbook of Innovative Therapies

I very much enjoyed this remarkable book and plan to use it with clients, students and others... a winner. -- Cyril M. Franks, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Rutgers University

Very easy to read... the best crash course in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy to date. -- Arnold A. Lazarus, Ph.D., ABPP, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Rutgers University

About the Author

Albert Ellis is a practicing clinical psychologist and president of the Albert Ellis Institute for Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy in New York. He is author of more than sixty-five books, published in more than a dozen languages. In his ninetieth year, he travels the world presenting lectures and workshops on rational thinking, feeling and action in response to universal emotional and relationship issues.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Impact Publishers (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188623051X
• ISBN-13: 978-1886230514
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,250,400 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

(1913-2007) Albert Ellis held M.A and Ph.D. degrees in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University. He was the founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), the pioneering form of the modern Cognitive Behavior therapies. He was the president of the Albert Ellis Institute in New York, where he practiced individual and group psychotherapy, supervised and trained psychotherapists, and presented many talks and workshops at the Institute and throughout the world. He published over seven hundred articles and more than sixty books on psychotherapy, marital and family therapy, and sex therapy.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Perception is reality -- change how you react!, June 19, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Ask Albert Ellis: Straight Answers and Sound Advice from America's Best-Known Psychologist (Paperback)

When you're trying to change self-defeating attitudes, touchy-feely affirmations or so-called quick fixes aren't likely to add up to lasting change. Ellis is refreshingly up-front about identifying crippling thought patterns for what they are -- nutty ideas -- and cutting straight to the practical steps you can take to begin changing the way you respond to personal adversities. Using an A-B-C structure that's meant to stick readily in your mind, he demonstrates how you can make a situation better or worse depending on how you think, feel, and behave toward it. Point 'A' is a negative event. Point 'B' is your belief system or philosophy of what happens at 'A' (can be rational or irrational). Point 'C' is the consequences you create as a result of 'A' and 'B.' Shifting your perspective to produce an assertive, healthy, disturbance-busting result requires a conscious effort. Ellis's method is a cognitive *process* -- which means you need to incorporate it into your daily life, like a healthy diet and exercise, for long-term benefits. Yes, it takes some time to work at refusing to stress yourself out needlessly over upsets and challenges, but the steps outlined are easy to understand and based on common sense.

The book is as reader-friendly as it gets. Ellis pioneered this mode of therapy decades ago, but doesn't rest on the confidence he's earned with its proven track record. I thoroughly enjoyed the way he keeps it fresh and relevant with timely examples and updated insights, maintaining a gung-ho attitude about it that's entertaining and contagious. I couldn't help wanting to give his sensible suggestions a try. The collection of FAQs from his "Ask Dr. Ellis" Web Site covers a lot of ground, from broad, existential queries about attaining happiness to questions about coping with specific kinds of emotional suffering: anger, anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. His responses are warm and down-to-earth, blending clear explanations with no-nonsense motivation. This is a handy resource for general readers and professional therapists looking for reliable, pro-active ways to counteract irrational beliefs and dysfunctional behavior.

5.0 out of 5 stars Ask Albert Ellis: Straight Answers and Sound Advice from America's Best-Known Psychologist, September 7, 2011

By 

HPL - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ask Albert Ellis: Straight Answers and Sound Advice from America's Best-Known Psychologist (Paperback)

Dr. Ellis was a practical "common sense" kind of Psychologist who had a major influence on psychotherapy by developing his own common sense based theory of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (1955), that actually works.

Whether you are a psychotherapist or not you will find some great answers to several questions posed by real people with real problems. I hope this book remains available to both professional and lay people alike. I purchased my copy through Amazon.

In my opinion, Dr. Ellis was the "Real Deal".

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful Book, June 29, 2010

By 

Scott Chattin - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ask Albert Ellis: Straight Answers and Sound Advice from America's Best-Known Psychologist (Paperback)

The book arrived promptly and was in very good condition. It is a good self-help read and a good refresher course in REBT.