Biography
Albert Ellis could not achieve success in business, but decided to devote the life of psychology. His efforts, the world learned about cognitive approach and rational-emotive therapy.Childhood and youth
Albert Ellis was born on September 27, 1913 in Pittsburgh, USA. He grew up in a Jewish family, which emigrated from Russia. Parents divorced when the boy was a teenager, which became a difficult point in his biography. He stayed to live with her mother, like the younger brother and sister.
The upbringing imposed a fingerprint to the views of Little Albert and his further fate. Already as a child, he was a tendency to analyze the behavior of his loved ones and considered the parents too cold and detached. Therefore, the boy was forced to take care of the younger, he woke and dress them at school, and when problems with money began, looking for ways to make money.
The cases were complicated by the painfulness of the future psychologist. In 5 years he was diagnosed with kidney pathology, then the boy suffered a tonsillitis and streptococcal infection. Ellis often lay in the hospital and during the next illness spent there for almost a year. At that time, parents rarely visited the Son, because of what he felt alone. But the adult, the young man studied to cope with the experiences.
Already at 19, Albert began to show the ability of a cognitive therapist. When he discovered the fear of communicating with women, it forced himself to get acquainted with the hundreds of representatives of the opposite sex during the month. It helped the guy to feel more confident.
Despite the psychologist's deputy, after school, Ellis wanted to realize himself in the field of business. He entered the city college located in the center of New York, and soon received a bachelor's degree. The young man opened his little business and engaged in writing artistic books. But it was not possible to become a successful entrepreneur, and Albert's literary swells were failing. Then he revealed a talent for writing scientific texts and interest in clinical psychology. After that, the guy graduated from Columbia University, where he studied psychoanalysis.
Personal life
The psychologist had an active personal life and many mistresses, but he did not get children. Two of his marriage ended in a divorce, with the third wife of Debby Jofphi, he lived in marriage for the last 3 years before his death.Psychology
Ellis began to conduct private practice before receiving a doctoral degree. In parallel, he wrote articles and engaged in criticism of psychological tests and questionnaires. Being a follower of Sigmund Freud, a man used classic psychoanalysis. But as you get acquainted with the works of Alfred Adler, Karen Horney and Erich Fromma His interest in the ideas of psychoanalyst Ugasal.
The psychologist engaged in the development of rational-emotive behavioral therapy. The approach is based on the so-called ABC model, according to which the investigations (C) arise not under the influence of activators (a), but on the basis of the beliefs (c) of the client. Speaking easier, negative experiences appear not due to events that occur with man, but on the basis of his personal beliefs. Already in 1954, other therapists became interested in the ideas of Ellis.
Soon, a man founded the institution named after himself, which conducted a new approach and the basics of psychotraining aimed at resolving emotional problems. Together with Robert A. Harper, he issued a book "Guide to rational life", which described the principles of rational and emotive therapy. Along with Aaron Beck Albert is considered a pioneer and popularizer of a cognitive approach.
Ellis succeeded at least working as a sexologist. He devoted a number of articles to the study of human sexuality and love, becoming the founder of the American sexual revolution. The man was a supporter of a liberal attitude towards sex and expressed his point of view on homosexuality as an innate phenomenon.
Death
Ellis, many years suffered from diabetes and intestinal problems, but the cause of his death was pneumonia. A man died in New York on July 24, 2007. In memory of him, books, scientific works and photos remained.Bibliography
- 1961 - "Guidelines for Rational Life"
- 1997 - "Do not press me on the psyche!"
- 1999 - "Psychotraining on the method of Albert Ellis"
- 2002 - "Humanistic psychotherapy: rational-emotional approach"
- 2002 - "Practice of rational-emotional behavioral therapy"
- 2004 - "Who wants a woman? Practical manual for erotic seduction "
- 2008 - "Rational and emotional behavioral therapy"