ABSTRACT
Some clients seek out therapists with national and international reputations. Such people may seek out Albert Ellis purely because he is Albert Ellis. It could be true that if Albert Ellis taught them something anti-rational, then they might well be influenced by him because of his reputation. However, REBT therapists avoid basing their communications on an authoritarian position. We prefer to encourage clients to think for themselves and hopefully would never insist that clients think in a certain way purely because we say so. As Albert Ellis emphasizes, there is a world of difference between being authoritarian and being authoritative. Thus, with clients who are impressed by your reputation as an authority, you will best be able to influence them by emphasizing the trappings of expertise. This quality encourages such clients to pay attention and listen to you. They will be impressed by your writings, your qualifications and other professional accoutrements which demonstrate that you know what you are doing.
