The Contributions of Albert Ellis and William Glasser in the field of counseling
...do.”( Froggatt,2004). This suggests that a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors are involved. “Almost all human emotions and behaviors are the result of what people think, assume or believe (about themselves, other people, and the world in general).”(Froggatt, 2004). It is what people believe about situations they face, not the situations themselves, which determines how they feel and behave. However, REBT argues that a person’s biology also affects their feelings and behaviors. This is important, as it is a reminder that there are some limitations on how far a person can change. Another factor is also the world around them and circumstances they go through in the course of their everyday lives. Ellis wrote his first book on REBT in 1957 titled How to Live with a Neurotic. His first really successful book, The Art and Science of Love, appeared in 1960, and he has now published 54 books and over 600 articles on REBT, sex and marriage. “REBT is a therapy growing in popularity (thousands now practice it), but also a very old one. It owes at least as much to the Stoic philosopher, Epictetus, as to Sigmund Freud. Yet REBT's origin is not to be found simply in the logical temperament Ellis shares with a long line of rational philosophers. But he loathes inefficiency and will not tolerate passivity, and these traits were important forces in REBT's evolution.” (Gregg, 2004). Ellis expresses his feelings towards his work like this. “I love my work and work at my loving, that is the secret of my present unusually happy state." William Glasser originally developed his Reality Therapy in 1965. He has since continued to expand his counseling approach. Currently, all of his counseling is based on the Choice Theory he explained in his 1998 book, Choice Theory. His reality therapy has been upgraded in his 2001 book, Counseling with Choice Theory, the New Reality Therapy. Glasser worked in his private practice of psychiatry in West Los Angeles from 1956-1986 while lecturing and writing on a concurrent basis. Since closing his office, he has devoted himself completely to writing, lecturing and intensively training people in his ideas. He has worked and consulted in every area of psychiatry and has taught and lectured at universities in many countries of the world. His major effort is to teach the world Choice Theory, a new psychology aimed at replacing the present psychology of the world. “He believes that external control psychology is a plague on humanity because it destroys human relationships.”(Clark, 2003). One major thing that Choice Theory and his newest book Warning: Psychiatry Can Be Hazardous to Your Mental Health have in common is Glasser’s belief that there is no such thing as mental illness. He is quoted saying, “The DSM-IV is where psychiatrists claim mental illness is defined. Since my residency 50 years ago, I have rejected that claim. To call it mental illness, people assume there's something wrong with the person's brain. I don't believe there's anything wrong with the brain.” (Clark, 2003). He even goes on to say that everyone suffers from the same affliction. “I believe that all human beings, who aren't absolutely poverty-stricken or sitting in Iraq waiting for the war to end, suffer from one problem: unhappiness. Every person who sees a counselor is unhappy.”(Clark, 2003). “There are three hazards to your mental health described in my book: 1) Diagnosing mental illness that doesn't exist. 2) Treating someone with drugs that could be potentially harmful. 3) A psychiatrist telling you that you can do nothing to help yourself. I believe that you can do a lot to help yourself. Psychiatrists don't need to tell people they're mentally ill when they're not.” (Glasser, 2001). Dr. Glasser also has come up with “The Seven Deadly Habits of External Control” These are the Seven Habits that destroy relationships. These are criticizing, blaming, complaining, nagging, threatening, punishing or bribing or rewarding to control. Part of counseling with Choice Theory, the New Reality Therapy is teaching you how to stop using external control psychology in yo...