There is a form of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) that‘s a great psychotherapy tool and an excellent coaching modality. It’s also a philosophy for everyday life. It can help with almost anything including anxiety and stress management, burnout recovery and more . . .
The author and motivational speaker Wayne W. Dyer has a famous quote. “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” From stress management to mindset change, many approaches attempt exactly that. Across CBT for anxiety programmes in both therapy and coaching, as well as burnout prevention, and other problems, nearly every model aims to alter perception. However, none do this more effectively, in my view, than rational emotive behaviour therapy, or REBT.
Developed during the mid-1950s by psychologist Albert Ellis, REBT became the first form of cognitive behaviour therapy. It actually predates the more familiar CBT model by almost a decade. However, both REBT and CBT for anxiety are considered gold-standard levels of treatment
Yet few people have heard of it, even those who have had it as their main form of therapy. This is a shame: in a poll of peers, professionals rated Ellis as more influential than Freud.
When I received my Mental Health First Aid England training, a misattributed version of REBT had even made it into the training manuals.
Not Only
Importantly, REBT works both therapeutically and within coaching contexts. When applied in coaching, it becomes rational emotive behaviour coaching, known as REBC. This framework supports life coaching, executive development, and performance work. Interestingly, many anxiety and stress management programmes reference it unknowingly. Similarly, several anxiety training courses unknowingly rely on its principles. Crucially, REBT also functions as a practical philosophy for everyday living. It is considered a school of thought for everyday life.
At its core, REBT suggests events themselves do not disturb you. Instead, your interpretations of experiences create distress or limitation. Life includes difficulty and challenge, which naturally influence emotion. However, inner dialogue about those challenges more directly determines suffering. This notion is based on the teachings of Stoic philosophy.
Consider an upcoming exam, whether professional or academic. Assume passing matters deeply to you. Now imagine holding this belief system: “I must pass. Failure would be awful. I couldn’t cope. Not passing proves I’m useless.”
Clearly, that belief structure creates unnecessary pressure. Rather than reducing stress, it amplifies it. Consequently, anxiety rises and sleep deteriorates. Revision quality declines, while memory performance weakens. Ultimately, these effects reduce the likelihood of success. Now, let’s adjust that mindset a little.
Instead, try this alternative belief system. “I want to pass, though I don’t have to. Failure would disappoint me, yet it wouldn’t destroy me. Coping would be hard, but manageable. Even then, I remain a worthwhile, fallible human being.”
Which do you prefer?
Compared with the earlier mindset, the contrast becomes obvious. This approach feels calmer and more compassionate. Motivation remains, because preference still exists. Meanwhile, pressure eases and stress levels drop. Anxiety shifts into healthy concern. Sleep improves, revision strengthens, and recall sharpens. Together, these changes increase the chance of achievement. It’s not guaranteed. But it does become more likely.
REBT and REBC specialise in guiding this exact shift. As a philosophy, it aligns with what I call the Four Thoughts approach. If you’re curious, my book explores that idea in depth.
Practically, REBT follows the ABCDE resilience model. First, adversities (A) occur. Next, beliefs (B) form about those situations. Those beliefs create emotional and behavioural consequences (C). Through disputation (D), beliefs become challenged and examined. Finally, an effective and rational outlook emerges (E).
Unsurprisingly, this framework builds resilience by design. That makes it especially effective for anxiety and stress management. It also plays a powerful role in burnout recovery. Even better, it supports proactive burnout prevention.
For therapy, for coaching, and for life, REBT is the philosophy that will change the way you look at things.