Cognitive therapies, such as Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) and Aaron Beck's Cognitive Therapy, are psychological approaches that focus on understanding and modifying dysfunctional thought patterns to alleviate psychological distress. RET, developed by Albert Ellis, emphasizes identifying and challenging irrational beliefs that contribute to emotional and behavioral problems. For example, a person experiencing excessive anxiety about public speaking may hold the irrational belief that "I must always perform perfectly, or I am a complete failure." Through RET, they would work to replace this belief with a more rational and realistic one, such as "I can make mistakes and still be competent." Similarly, Beck's Cognitive Therapy aims to identify and modify negative automatic thoughts that contribute to depression, anxiety, and other disorders. For instance, a person with depression may have automatic thoughts like "I'm worthless" or "Nothing ever goes right." Through cognitive therapy, they would learn to question and reframe these thoughts, fostering more positive and accurate thinking patterns.

Which technique is used in Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) to refute irrational beliefs?

Non-directive questioning. Psychoanalysis. Cognitive restructuring. Systematic desensitization

Non-directive questioning.

In RET, the therapist refutes irrational beliefs through a process of non-directive questioning. The nature of questioning is gentle and aims to make the client think deeper about their assumptions and beliefs.