I have viewed the family of rational therapies with some scepticism after unsuccessfully using such therapies in my own life. Yet, I know numbers of people find such procedures helpful.
I even know of those who have been helped by me using rational-cognitive methods even though I do not believe the theory that what we believe/think creates disabling moods! Yet, some clients are helped by this approach but not all.
Interestingly, even Albert Ellis at 90 years of age disagreed with the adage that one could use any technique as long as it was consistent with his rational-emotive behaviour therapy (REBT). In fact, he contended that one could use any technique even if it was inconsistent with REBT because the client's well-being had to come before any theory!! (See Ellis' Foreword to The Rational Emotive Behavior Therapist's Pocket Companion at http://xrl.in/85u.)
Others may put these puzzling effects down to the placebo effect (http://xrl.in/85u). However, I am more impressed with the 40-30-15-15 therapy component rule (see http://www.brieftherapysolutions.com.au/BSFTWhatWorks.html). According to this rule, 40% of therapeutic effectiveness is apportioned to extra-therapeutic factors such the strengths of clients and 30% to the therapeutic alliance. Techniques are said to contribute 15% with the placebo effect also contributing another 15%.
Hence, when we revisit the above apparent anomaly, it makes sense that REBT may fail to help me in my own life but still work with one of my clients. With a client, she is getting the benefit of the therapeutic alliance, which doubtless enhances the effects of the other three sets of factors.
