Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPersonal LifeCareerContributions to PsychologySelected Publications

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Albert Ellis was an influential psychologist who developed rational emotive behavior therapy.He played a vital role in the cognitive revolution that took place in the field of psychotherapy, influencing the rise of cognitive-behavioral approaches as a treatment. According to one survey of professional psychologists, Ellis was ranked as the second most influential psychotherapist, behindCarl Rogersand just ahead ofSigmund Freud.

Albert Ellis is best known for:Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)Writings on human sexualityThe ABC ModelContribution to creation of cognitive behavior therapy

Albert Ellis is best known for:

Albert Ellis' Personal Life

Albert Ellis was born on September 27, 1913, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the oldest of three children. He later described his father as unaffectionate and his mother as emotionally distant. Since his parents were rarely around, he often found himself in the position of caring for his younger siblings. Ellis was often sick throughout his childhood. Between the ages of 5 and 7, he was reportedly hospitalized eight different times. One of these hospitalizations lasted about 10 months, during which time his parents rarely visited or offered comfort and support.

While he was often known for his outspokenness and was even described as the “Lenny Bruce of psychotherapy,” Ellis recalled being quite shy when he was young. At 19, he set out to change his behavior and forced himself to speak to every woman he encountered at a park bench near his home. One month, he spoke to over 130 women and while only one agreed to go out with him and then she didn’t show up for the date, he found that he had desensitized himself and was no longer afraid of speaking to women. He utilized the same approach to get over his fear of public speaking.

His first and second marriages ended in annulment and divorce. His 37-year relationship with a director of the Albert Ellis Institute ended in 2002. In 2004, he married Australian psychologist Debbie Joffe. Ellis died July 24, 2007, following a long illness.

After graduating high school, Ellis earned a B.A. in Business from the City College of Downtown New York in 1934. He spent some time pursuing a business career, and later attempted a career as a fiction writer. After struggling with both, he decided to switch gears to study psychology and began his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Columbia University in 1942. He earned his M.A. degree in clinical psychology in 1943 and his Ph.D. in 1947.

By 1956, he presented his approach that he first referred to as Rational Psychotherapy.This method stressed a more direct and active approach to treatment in which the therapist helped the client understand the underlying irrational beliefs that lead to emotional and psychological distress. Today, the method is known asrational emotive behavior therapyor REBT.

Ellis also wrote a great deal about human sexuality. He began seeing clients before he had even completed his Ph.D. At the time, there was no formal licensing of psychologists required in New York state.

Ellis maintained a rigorous work schedule through the end of his life. He continued to work even in the face of multiple health problems, reportedly seeing as many as 70 patients a week in his late 80s and up to 10 patients a week in his last years.

While REBT is often described as an off-shoot of CBT, Ellis’s work was truly part of the cognitive revolution and he helped found and pioneer the cognitive-behavioral therapies. He is often described as one of the most eminent thinkers in the history of psychology.

Ellis also authored more than 80 books, many of which became best-sellers. Of his influence in the field of psychotherapy,Psychology Todaysuggested that “No individual—not even Freud himself—has had a greater impact on modern psychotherapy.”

Ellis. A. (1957).How To Live with a Neurotic. Oxford, England: Crown Publishers.

Ellis, A. (1958).Sex Without Guilt. NY: Hillman.

Ellis, A., Harper, R. (1961).A Guide to Rational Living. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Ellis, A., Greiger, R. (1977).Handbook of Rational-Emotive Therapy. NY: Springer Publishing Company.

Ellis, A. (1985).Overcoming Resistance: Rational-Emotive Therapy With Difficult Clients. NY: Springer Publishing Company.

Ellis, A., Tafrate, R. C. (1997).How to Control Your Anger Before It Controls You. Citadel Press.

Ellis, A. (2003).Sex Without Guilt in the 21st Century. Barricade Books.

Ellis, A., Abrams, M., Abrams, L. (2008).Personality Theories: Critical Perspectives.NY: Sage Press.

6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Farley F.Albert Ellis (1913–2007).Am Psychol. 2009;64(3):215–216. doi:10.1037/a0015441Smith D.Trends in counseling and psychotherapy.Am Psychol. 1982;37(7):802–809. doi:10.1037//0003-066x.37.7.802Ellis DJ.Rational emotive behavior therapy and individual psychology.J Individ Psychol.2017;73(4):272-282. doi:10.1353/jip.2017.0023Ellis, A.The revised ABC’s of rational-emotive therapy (RET).J Rational-Emot Cognitive-Behav Ther. 1991;9:139–172. doi:10.1007/BF01061227David D.Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). In: Cautin RL, Lilenfeld SO, eds.,The Encyclopedia of Clinical Psychology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2015. doi:10.1002/9781118625392.wbecp077Psychology Today.The prince of reason.Additional ReadingKaufman, M. T.Albert Ellis, 93, Influential Psychologist, Dies.The New York Times.

6 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Farley F.Albert Ellis (1913–2007).Am Psychol. 2009;64(3):215–216. doi:10.1037/a0015441Smith D.Trends in counseling and psychotherapy.Am Psychol. 1982;37(7):802–809. doi:10.1037//0003-066x.37.7.802Ellis DJ.Rational emotive behavior therapy and individual psychology.J Individ Psychol.2017;73(4):272-282. doi:10.1353/jip.2017.0023Ellis, A.The revised ABC’s of rational-emotive therapy (RET).J Rational-Emot Cognitive-Behav Ther. 1991;9:139–172. doi:10.1007/BF01061227David D.Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). In: Cautin RL, Lilenfeld SO, eds.,The Encyclopedia of Clinical Psychology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2015. doi:10.1002/9781118625392.wbecp077Psychology Today.The prince of reason.Additional ReadingKaufman, M. T.Albert Ellis, 93, Influential Psychologist, Dies.The New York Times.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Farley F.Albert Ellis (1913–2007).Am Psychol. 2009;64(3):215–216. doi:10.1037/a0015441Smith D.Trends in counseling and psychotherapy.Am Psychol. 1982;37(7):802–809. doi:10.1037//0003-066x.37.7.802Ellis DJ.Rational emotive behavior therapy and individual psychology.J Individ Psychol.2017;73(4):272-282. doi:10.1353/jip.2017.0023Ellis, A.The revised ABC’s of rational-emotive therapy (RET).J Rational-Emot Cognitive-Behav Ther. 1991;9:139–172. doi:10.1007/BF01061227David D.Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). In: Cautin RL, Lilenfeld SO, eds.,The Encyclopedia of Clinical Psychology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2015. doi:10.1002/9781118625392.wbecp077Psychology Today.The prince of reason.

Farley F.Albert Ellis (1913–2007).Am Psychol. 2009;64(3):215–216. doi:10.1037/a0015441

Smith D.Trends in counseling and psychotherapy.Am Psychol. 1982;37(7):802–809. doi:10.1037//0003-066x.37.7.802

Ellis DJ.Rational emotive behavior therapy and individual psychology.J Individ Psychol.2017;73(4):272-282. doi:10.1353/jip.2017.0023

Ellis, A.The revised ABC’s of rational-emotive therapy (RET).J Rational-Emot Cognitive-Behav Ther. 1991;9:139–172. doi:10.1007/BF01061227

David D.Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). In: Cautin RL, Lilenfeld SO, eds.,The Encyclopedia of Clinical Psychology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2015. doi:10.1002/9781118625392.wbecp077

Psychology Today.The prince of reason.

Kaufman, M. T.Albert Ellis, 93, Influential Psychologist, Dies.The New York Times.

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