If you are unsure whether the way you think about things is part of what keeps you stuck, Rational Emotive Therapy offers a structured, collaborative way to look at that question at a pace you set. Psychologists registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCCs) certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. In person in Edmonton and St. Albert, or virtually across Alberta.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Rational Emotive Therapy Is Right for You

You may be asking yourself whether your thinking is really the problem. Part of you might worry that a therapy focused on beliefs will feel like being told your feelings are wrong, or that you just need to "think positive." You might also wonder whether what you are dealing with is serious enough to bring to a therapist at all.

Maybe you replay one comment from a coworker for hours after the conversation has ended. A small mistake turns into "I always mess this up," or one rejection starts to feel like proof of something final about you. Some people notice they hold themselves to rules they would never apply to a friend.

These patterns make sense. Rules about how things "should" go often form for good reasons, like staying safe, being accepted, or coping with pressure. When they become rigid, they can add weight to situations that are already hard. That is a common human response, not a flaw in your character.

If you are curious whether looking at these patterns with a trained clinician could help, the sections below explain what this approach involves, who it may suit, and what the evidence does and does not show. You can read at your own pace and take what feels relevant.

Who We Help

Rational Emotive Therapy may be a good fit if you:

• notice harsh self-talk, perfectionism, or pressure to "get things right"
• react strongly to criticism, conflict, disappointment, or uncertainty and want to understand why
• like a structured approach with practical things to try between sessions
• are dealing with stress connected to work, school, family, or a life transition
• want to respond more intentionally when emotions feel intense
• are reading on behalf of a partner, parent, child, or friend and want to understand what this kind of counselling involves

This service may not be the right fit if you:

• are in immediate danger or thinking about ending your life. Please use the crisis resources below.
• are living somewhere you do not feel safe. Your safety comes first. The resources below can help right away, and our family violence counselling page describes other support.
• need a court-ordered evaluation, a custody or legal report, or other forensic services. These needs are outside this therapy service.
• are looking for a diagnosis or formal testing. Psychological assessments are a separate service with their own process and fees. You can read about mental health assessments separately.
• would prefer an approach that does not focus on examining thoughts and beliefs. Person-centred therapy or acceptance and commitment therapy may suit you better, and a clinician can talk through the options with you.

If You Need Help Right Now

Counselling is not built for emergencies. If you are in danger or worried about your safety or someone else's, please contact one of these services:

• Call 911 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 9-8-8 (24/7)
• Crisis Text Line: text CONNECT to 686868 (24/7)

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Rational Emotive Therapy Is

Rational Emotive Therapy is often discussed alongside Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). It is a structured counselling approach that may help you explore how a situation, the way you interpret it, the beliefs you hold about it, and your emotions and actions all connect.

A common focus is noticing rigid, demanding, or self-critical beliefs, such as "I must never let anyone down," and asking whether a more flexible view would serve you better. This is not about forcing positive thoughts or deciding your feelings are invalid. It is about looking closely at the meaning you give an experience, the expectations you carry, and the responses you would like to practise.

Rational Emotive Therapy shares some features with cognitive behavioural therapy, while its emphasis and methods may differ. Different clinicians may combine approaches in different ways, and whether this one fits is something you decide together.

It also helps to know what this service is not:

• It is not a legal service, an investigation, or crisis intervention.
• It does not include psychological assessment or diagnosis. Assessments are a separate service.
• It does not move faster than you want. You set the pace and choose what to talk about.
• It is confidential, within limits set by law and professional standards. These are explained in your first session and in the confidentiality section below.
• Your clinician works within their training and professional scope, and will talk with you about other options or referrals if your needs fall outside it.

This page offers general information only. It does not provide a diagnosis or individual clinical advice.

Signs Rigid or Demanding Beliefs May Be Affecting You

You do not need a diagnosis to look at these patterns. People who explore this approach sometimes describe experiences like these:

• An inner voice that is far harsher with you than you would ever be with someone else
• All-or-nothing thinking, where a task either went perfectly or was a disaster
• Guilt or shame after small mistakes that lingers for days
• Anger or frustration that flares when people or situations do not go the way they "should"
• Putting off tasks because doing them less than perfectly feels unbearable
• Pulling back from friends, partners, or coworkers after conflict or criticism
• Trouble switching off at night because your mind keeps reviewing what went wrong
• Tension in your shoulders, jaw, or stomach when you feel judged or under pressure

Having some of these experiences does not mean something is permanently wrong with you. They are common reactions to pressure, high expectations, and difficult experiences. Structured support may help you notice them sooner and choose how you want to respond.

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. Use our Match with a Therapist tool or browse our therapist profiles. If you would rather talk it through, our admin team can help at 780-904-4880. Approaches vary by clinician, so if REBT matters to you, ask the team who currently offers it.
• Book your first session. You can book online or by phone. Your first session includes a conversation about consent, confidentiality and its limits, and the goals you want to explore. You can ask questions before sharing anything personal.
• Build your plan together. If Rational Emotive Therapy seems relevant, you and your clinician decide how it fits into a broader plan. Your preferences and goals shape that plan as much as the clinician's training does.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes. Follow-ups are often weekly or bi-weekly, then adjusted together as needed. A session might involve looking at a recent situation, the beliefs connected to it, other ways of seeing it, and practical ideas to try between appointments if that feels useful.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist reviews progress with you regularly. The plan changes as your needs change.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Therapy here is collaborative, and your voice matters at every stage, including decisions about pace, focus, and when to pause. For more on how the clinic works, see Our Unique Approach and Getting Started with Therapy.

Evidence and Approaches

The sources reviewed for this page are limited. This section describes each approach and what our current sources say, without claims about how well it works for any particular concern.

Rational Emotive Therapy (REBT)

What it helps with: Rigid, demanding, or self-critical beliefs that may add to distress during conflict, criticism, or high pressure.

Evidence summary: Our current sources do not include a study or guideline specific to Rational Emotive Therapy, so no effectiveness claims are made here. A Canadian public education resource lists cognitive-behavioural therapy, the broader family of approaches this one is often discussed with, among common psychotherapies that research shows to be effective (Canadian Mental Health Association [CMHA], 2017).

Limitations: That resource does not address Rational Emotive Therapy directly, so it should not be read as evidence for this approach on its own. Responses to any therapy vary from person to person.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

What it helps with: Patterns where thoughts and behaviours feed difficult feelings, which some people work on alongside or instead of REBT.

Evidence summary: CMHA describes CBT as an approach that teaches skills for shifting thoughts and behaviours, with the aim of improving how a person feels and functions (CMHA, 2017). It notes that CBT is a common treatment for depression and anxiety disorders and has been adapted for other mental health and substance use concerns (CMHA, 2017).

Limitations: This is a public education brochure, not a systematic review, and it does not report how large or consistent the benefits are. Individual results vary.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

What it helps with: Difficult thoughts and feelings that a person would rather learn to make room for than argue with.

Evidence summary: CMHA describes ACT as similar to CBT but focused on accepting difficult experiences rather than changing thoughts or behaviours to avoid uncomfortable feelings (CMHA, 2017). It notes that ACT may be helpful for depression and anxiety disorders (CMHA, 2017).

Limitations: The source is brief and gives no detail on study quality. ACT differs from REBT, and which one suits you is worth discussing with your clinician or reading about on our acceptance and commitment therapy page.

What Results to Expect

No therapy can guarantee a particular result, and that includes this one. Change is rarely a straight line. You may have weeks where old patterns feel loud again, and that is a normal part of the process rather than a sign of failure.

Some people notice shifts within a few months. Others find that longer-term work suits them better. Outcomes vary with what you are dealing with, what is happening in your life right now, and how well the approach and the therapist fit you.

Fit matters. Canadian public education guidance encourages people to be upfront with a professional when the fit does not feel right (CMHA, 2017). Changing therapists or trying a different approach is always an option, and it says nothing bad about you.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in therapy is confidential. Psychologists at Wholesome Psychology are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and follow the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. Both set clear expectations for protecting personal information.

Two Alberta privacy laws may apply to your information: the Health Information Act (HIA) and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). For psychologists in private practice, PIPA generally governs how personal information is collected, used, and disclosed. The HIA can apply when care is provided by or on behalf of a health custodian, such as Alberta Health Services. Under these laws, consent is central, and information is generally used only for reasonable purposes such as providing your care.

There are a few situations where a clinician may be required to share information without your consent:

• when there is a risk of serious harm to you or someone else
• when there is reason to believe a child is being abused or neglected, which must be reported under Alberta's Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act
• when a court order or subpoena requires records to be produced

Your clinician will explain these limits clearly in your first session. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy before you share anything personal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to describe what happened to me in detail?

No. You decide what to share and when. Sessions may start with recent, everyday situations, like an argument last week or a deadline that left you tense for days. That means you can work with present-day patterns without going back through painful history in detail. If you want to talk about the past, your clinician can follow your lead.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, within limits. Your clinician follows CAP standards and Alberta privacy law, including PIPA and, in some settings, the HIA. Information may be shared without consent only in specific situations, such as a risk of serious harm, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, or a court order. The confidentiality section above explains this in more detail.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no set number. It depends on your goals, what you are dealing with, and how the work feels as it goes. Some people prefer shorter, focused work, and others benefit from longer-term support. You and your therapist review progress regularly and adjust the plan together.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is okay to say when something is not working. Our admin team can help you find a different clinician or a different approach, and you do not need to give a long explanation. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I access therapy online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available across Alberta, and the same confidentiality standards apply as in person. If you want REBT specifically, the admin team can tell you which clinicians currently offer it virtually. Whether virtual sessions suit your goals is something you can talk about when you book or in your first session.

Is Rational Emotive Therapy the same as CBT?

Not exactly. It shares features with cognitive behavioural therapy, including attention to how thoughts, emotions, and behaviour connect. Rational Emotive Therapy may place more emphasis on examining rigid or absolute beliefs and building more flexible responses. Different clinicians may combine the two in different ways.

Will my therapist tell me my feelings are irrational?

No. The word "rational" can sound cold, but the work is not about judging your emotions or telling you to stop having them. The focus is on beliefs that may be adding to your distress and whether a more flexible view might help. If anything in a session feels dismissive, you can say so, and your clinician should welcome that.

I am reading this for someone I care about. What can I do?

You can share this page with them, or look at the Match tool together. It can help to offer information and leave the decision with them. If you are a parent asking about a child or teen, the Children and Youth section below may help. If you are worried about their immediate safety, use the crisis resources earlier on this page.

Meet Your Clinicians

Our team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Canadian Certified Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Provisional psychologists are regulated members who practise under the supervision of a fully registered psychologist while they complete their registration requirements. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), and Student Therapists are master's level practicum students who see clients under supervision.

Clinicians differ in their training and the approaches they use. If Rational Emotive Therapy or REBT matters to you, browse Our Therapists or use the Match with a Therapist tool. Our admin team at 780-904-4880 can also confirm who currently works this way.

Children and Youth

Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for children, adolescents, and young people. Therapists who work with younger clients use age-appropriate approaches, and any ideas drawn from Rational Emotive Therapy are adapted to a young person's age and stage. Clinicians also work with parents and caregivers so that home can support what a child is practising in sessions. You can learn more on our child and youth counselling page.

Taking a Next Step

If you would like to learn more, you can take the next step in whatever way feels easiest:

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist
• Call 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy

You do not need the right words or a clear goal before reaching out. Starting the conversation is enough.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• Canadian Mental Health Association. (2017). Psychotherapy [Brochure]. https://cmha.ca