A reader recently commented on my you tube Cognitive-Therapy Video that Dr.Albert Ellis is considered the “grandfather” of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy and not Dr. Aaron Beck. Actually, Dr.Ellis is the founder of Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) a similar approach with some important differences in both principles and practice. REBT tries to get people to change their fundamental “beliefs” rather just their negative self-talk. Also, in REBT the therapist is often more vigorous, forceful and confrontational is getting clients to change their way of thinking than is typically done through Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.
There are two separate major training Centers for these approaches, the Albert Ellis Institute, based in New York and the Cognitive Therapy Center based in Philadelphia.