ABSTRACT
REBT is one of the cognitive-behavioural therapies and as such is sensitive to the importance of identifying and working with clients’ goals which are, after all, the raison d’être of therapy. However, working with clients’ goals is more complex than may appear at first sight. For example, the goals that clients set may reflect the level of their psychological disturbance. If you take these goals at face value, you may unwittingly be encouraging clients to work towards selfdefeating ends. This explains why Albert Ellis prefers to help clients to overcome their disturbances before helping them to achieve their goals.
