--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started to call myself a rational…" description: "\"I started to call myself a rational therapist in 1955; later I used the term rational emotive. Now I call myself a rational emotive behavior therapist...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/albert-ellis-3379_behavior_i-started-to-call-myself-a-rational-ther_1929445.jpg" --- # I started to call myself a rational therapist in 1955… ![“I started to call myself a rational therapist in 1955; later I used the term rational emotive. Now I call myself a rational emotive behavior therapist.” quote by Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/albert-ellis-3379_behavior_i-started-to-call-myself-a-rational-ther_1929445.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/albert-ellis-3379_behavior_i-started-to-call-myself-a-rational-ther_1929445.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/albert-ellis-3379_behavior_i-started-to-call-myself-a-rational-ther_1929445.jpg) > “I started to call myself a rational therapist in 1955; later I used the term rational emotive. Now I call myself a rational emotive behavior therapist.” [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes the evolution of his therapeutic approach, emphasizing rational analysis of emotions and behavior. **In simple terms:** He refined his therapy name over time. Key Takeaway Adopt rational analysis of thoughts and actions. Themes psychotherapy selfhelp personalgrowth Mood reflective analytical Type therapeutic educational When to use this quote - counseling sessions - selfreflection - stress management - conflict resolution Key Concepts cognitivebehavioraltherapy rationalemotivebehaviortherapy Questions to Reflect On - How does labeling a method affect its practice? - What benefits arise from rationally examining emotions? A Different Perspective Names alone don’t guarantee effectiveness; skillful application matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Emotive Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotive-rational-3010707/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational/) [Rational Emotive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational-emotive-2606390/) [Rational Therapist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational-therapist-3010705/) [Started Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-rational-3010706/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Therapists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapists/) [Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) ## Related quotes > [I started to call myself a "rational therapist" in January 1955; later I used the term "rational emotive." Now I call myself a "rational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/i-started-to-call-myself-a-rational-therapist-in-january-1955-later-i/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [My rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) was one of the very few therapies that was originated partly or largely because I wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/my-rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt-was-one-of-the-very-few/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [When you are motivating people to do amazing things, you have to win over both their rational side and their emotive side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/when-you-are-motivating-people-to-do-amazing-things-you-have-to-win/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [Throughout my childhood, my parents dropped me off at a multitude of therapists' offices in hopes that I'd avoid growing up to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mollen/throughout-my-childhood-my-parents-dropped-me-off-at-a-multitude-of/) [Jenny Mollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mollen/) > [Where I come from these days, anybody who isn't seeing a therapist needs to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-buchanan/where-i-come-from-these-days-anybody-who-isn-t-seeing-a-therapist/) [Edna Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-buchanan/) > [Frank Farrelly. . .must be thought of with respect (perhaps even delight?) by his clients who have so far played the game of therapy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watzlawick/frank-farrelly-must-be-thought-of-with-respect-perhaps-even-delight/) [Paul Watzlawick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watzlawick/) > [I have respect for therapists in general, because they hear so many stories. 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The authors certainly have to face a community of therapists who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-david-wall/hopefully-we-are-emerging-from-an-era-of-fantasy-explanations-for/) [Patrick David Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-david-wall/) > [“Therapists. Always asking the same questions over and over in slightly different ways. They are, like, the Ultimate Thesauruses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-ann-haydu/therapists-always-asking-the-same-questions-over-and-over-in-slightly/) [Corey Ann Haydu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-ann-haydu/) > [Therapists need to have a long experience in personal therapy to see what it's like to be on the other side of the couch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/therapists-need-to-have-a-long-experience-in-personal-therapy-to-see/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) ## More by Albert Ellis > [The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/the-best-years-of-your-life-are-the-ones-in-which-you-decide-your/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [“REBT’s Insight No. 1 holds that you have both healthy and unhealthy emotions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/rebt-s-insight-no-1-holds-that-you-have-both-healthy-and-unhealthy/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [Failure doesn't have anything to do with your intrinsic value as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/failure-doesn-t-have-anything-to-do-with-your-intrinsic-value-as-a/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [So I'd better stop my whining and help myself cope better with even the worst Adversities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/so-i-d-better-stop-my-whining-and-help-myself-cope-better-with-even/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [I'm one of the best-loved psychologists in the United States, but I'm also probably the most hated one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/i-m-one-of-the-best-loved-psychologists-in-the-united-states-but-i-m/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [I thought foolishly that Freudian psychoanalysis was deeper and more intensive than other, more directive forms of therapy, so I was trained in it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/i-thought-foolishly-that-freudian-psychoanalysis-was-deeper-and-more/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [I'm very happy. I like my work and I like the various aspects of it - going around the world, teaching the gospel according…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/i-m-very-happy-i-like-my-work-and-i-like-the-various-aspects-of-it/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [Let's suppose somebody abused you sexually. You still had a choice, though not a good one, about what to tell yourself about the abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/let-s-suppose-somebody-abused-you-sexually-you-still-had-a-choice/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [People don't just get upset. They contribute to their upsetness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/people-don-t-just-get-upset-they-contribute-to-their-upsetness/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [“The concept of deservingness for one’s “sins” implies that certain acts are unquestionably under all conditions “sinful.” And this is impossible to prove.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/the-concept-of-deservingness-for-one-s-sins-implies-that-certain-acts/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [The art of love is largely the art of persistence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/the-art-of-love-is-largely-the-art-of-persistence/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [I teach people to be flexible, scientific and logical in their thinking and therefore to be less prone to brainwashing by the therapist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/i-teach-people-to-be-flexible-scientific-and-logical-in-their/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [For that again, is what all manner of religion essentially is: childish dependency. 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