Customer Reviews

It's Not As Bad As It Seems

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This is a self help book written for the general public, which introduces basic concepts of REBT to the reader. Nottingham presents these concepts in a straight forward, easy to understand manner. He shows how to apply these principles to depression, relationship problems, anxiety, and low frustration. He gives transcripts of (fictional) therapy therapy sessions and shows how REBT may be applied in therapy. He encourages the reader to "be the therapist" and consider what the reader would do in the session. At the end of each chapter he gives "homework assignments".

I only have a few minor criticisms of the book. I believe that, when explaining Unconditional Acceptance, Nottingham could have been more elegant in his explanation. In my opinion, he used primarily an inferential argument. Second, I would have preferred that he stuck with Ellis' traditional ABC model. Nottingham chose to add two additional letters- F for Feeling and G for New Goal. Although this may be helpful, I believe that it may be confusing for the new REBTer who is learning the ABC model for the first time and notices the discrepancy with other sources. Last, some may criticize this book for being too easy of a read. But, for me, it is nice to see a book that one can read relaxingly. If Ellis' books are just too overwhelming, then this is the book for you.

Albert Ellis reviewed this book and stated
"This book presents the main principles and practices of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) in an unusually clear and understandable manner. It can be quite helpful to a great many psychotherapy clients and to other readers."

If I could, I would buy 50,000 copies of this book and give them to every single person I met.