The Road to Tolerance: The Philosophy of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

by Albert Ellis

In this overview of one of the most successful forms of psychotherapy ― Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) ― its creator and chief advocate, Albert Ellis, explains at length the principles underlying this therapeutic approach and shows how beneficial it can be, not only for therapy but also as a basic philosophy of life. As the title indicates, REBT promotes an attitude of tolerance, an open-minded willingness to accept the frailties, less-than-ideal behaviors, and unique characteristics of both others and ourselves. Ellis persuasively demonstrates that lack of tolerance of our own imperfections can easily lead to emotional disturbances and unhappiness. And intolerance of others, which fails to account for the great diversity of human personalities and behaviors, can become a serious disruptive force in today's highly diverse, multicultural global society.To counter such negative tendencies, Ellis advocates the adoption and practice of three basic attitudes of (1) Unconditional Self-Acceptance (USA); (2) Unconditional Other-Acceptance (UOA); and (3) Unconditional Life-Acceptance (ULA). He discusses the philosophical foundations of these principles and then devotes a number of chapters to comparing REBT to spiritual and religious philosophies. He points out the dangers of fanatical tendencies in religion while also showing how the basic principles of REBT are similar to some ancient religious philosophies such as Zen Buddhism and the Judeo-Christian Golden Rule. In addition, he criticizes certain secular philosophies for their extremism, including Fascism and Ayn Rand's Objectivism, and he also discusses the ramifications of applying REBT in the social, political, and economic sphere.In emphasizing how easy it is for all of us to think, feel, and act intolerantly, Ellis brilliantly shows that tolerance is a deliberate, rational choice that we can all make, both for the good of ourselves and for the good of the world.

Genres: Psychology, Philosophy

271 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 2004

About the author

Albert Ellis was an American psychologist who in 1955 developed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). He held M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in clinical psychology from Columbia University and American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). He also founded and was the President of the New York City-based Albert Ellis Institute for decades.
He is generally considered to be one of the originators of the cognitive revolutionary paradigm shift in psychotherapy and the founder of cognitive-behavioral therapies. Based on a 1982 professional survey of USA and Canadian psychologists, he was considered as the second most influential psychotherapist in history (Carl Rogers ranked first in the survey; Sigmund Freud was ranked third).

Reviews

[Jerometed]

I guess if there is any philosophy I subscribe to, Ellis filled it out with this book. It was like he thought out a lot of the ideas I've already had, and made them much fuller.

I really liked his essay on "Intellectual Fascism" and I really don't understand why it isn't quoted more often.

However, the book has noticeable imperfections and you can sort of tell that an 88 year old wrote it. Still terrific though

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the insight, but the writing is difficult to stay engaged with. A lot of clunky, invented adjectives and a stream-of-conscious delivery that sometimes distracts from the points he's making. REBT is enormously helpful to me and my approach to coping with life's challenges, but this may not have been the best introduction to Ellis' ideas.

[Cory Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first specifically "psychology" book in years. Easy to understand. While some of it seems commonsense, so does every good piece of advice. I come from a philosophy background so this was a great introduction. I got a recommendation from the askpsychology reddit. Going to try something in CBT next. I will say I appreciate REBT and will keep it in mind moving forward.

[Kevin M. Labadessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Albert Ellis tell it like it is no nonsense approach to mental health has been invaluable to me. I highly recommend this book but beware, Ellis is not friendly towards religiosity.

[Melsene G · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of those psycho babble books that I came across in my medical reading. The first chapter of about 80 pages was filled with F bombs and bad language that I always find unnecessary. To me, it's like a bad comedy act, live or on cable TV. If you can tell your story without cursing, you've got something! The principles here as laid out were somewhat convoluted, but if you press on you can get to the Appendix and figure it out.

The conclusion is helpful-it explains what REBT is about. I guess there are some good tips and principles. Appendix A is about Intellectual Fascism which I found quite revealing and recognize it among liberal elites in our society. Very interesting section and so true. The author is a self professed atheist although he does permit religious based principles in his therapy sessions. Whatever helps is helpful!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book that reveals many details about Dr Albert Ellis and his life. I particularly found his struggles with the Ayn Rand supporters and his criticisms of bigotive views of liberals particularly enjoyable reads. His humor made the read fun at certain parts. Very people will find this book interesting but if you study REBT this is a good book to read.

[Gloria Elena . · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este es un buen libro para personas interesadas en la filosofía que subyace a la Terapia Racional Emotivo Conductual.
Unos capítulos mejores que otros.
Me quedo con sus definiciones de Fascismo Intelectual, ateísmo probabilistico, y espiritualidad racional.
No es un libro para todo el mundo.
Calificación: 3,8

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for research during grad school and found it very interesting. I would recommend it if you are interested in counseling theories or even just for personal growth.

[Clivemichael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accessible and entertaining