Augmentation Through Self-Help
As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) was formed by the late psychologist Albert Ellis, who reportedly developed the first cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) psychotherapeutic modality in 1955, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding his book, Ask Albert Ellis?: Straight Answers and Sound Advice from America’s Best-Known Psychologist.
Now, I consider that I have over 2,400 blog entries in the Blog portion of my professional website. Therein, I offer examples of how REBT is conducted (e.g., Disputation), share an assortment of useful techniques (e.g., Tools), and offer other sources to supplement REBT.
When offering my views on personal and professional care for mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”), I share with people in my private and occupational capacities knowledge of my blog. However, not a single individual routinely uses this resource.
I’m not griping, whining, bitching, moaning, complaining, whinging, venting, etc. about this matter, as I unconditionally accept life as it is. Still, I argue that people are missing out on mental health augmentation, which the American Psychological Association (APA) thusly defines:
1. an increase in the amplitude of average evoked potential, either above background noise in the average-evoked-response technique or by more than would be expected from the increase in the stimulus.
2. more generally, any increase, enlargement, growth, or intensification.
Augmenting mental health techniques on one’s own time, outside of a psychotherapeutic environment (e.g., mental health and life coaching sessions, as I conduct these appointments), is a matter of self-help, as the APA thusly defines this term:
[A] focus on self-guided, in contrast to professionally guided, efforts to cope with life problems. Self-help can involve self-reliance, in which one addresses such problems on one’s own (e.g., by reading self-help books), or it can involve joining with others to address shared concerns together, as in self-help groups.
Augmentation through self-help is precisely how REBT functions, as a matter of helping you to actually get better, not to merely feel better. Regarding this matter, Ellis stated (page 9):
Self-help books and audio-visual materials that teach people REBT methods have been found to be quite effective when used in conjunction with live sessions of therapy – as several research studies have shown. This is because good materials of this kind are not merely read or listened to by people with problems, but because they show these people how to use thinking, feeling, and behavioral homework assignments to change themselves. Thus, David Burns’ Feeling Good, my own Guide to Rational Living, and Alberti & Emmons’ Your Perfect Right have significantly helped thousands of readers who actively and forcefully apply the techniques in these books.
I’ll now draw your attention to Ellis’ advocacy for “actively and forcefully” applying techniques. Unfavorably, if one isn’t even willing to read a blog entry or two, then one likely isn’t ready to actively and forcefully apply techniques, as a matter of augmentation through self-help. Oh well!
If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
AEI. (n.d.). About Albert Ellis, Ph.D. Albert Ellis Institute. Retrieved from https://albertellis.org/about-albert-ellis-phd/
Alberti, R. and Emmons, M. (2017, March). Your Perfect Right. New Harbinger Publications. Retrieved from https://www.newharbinger.com/9781626259607/your-perfect-right/
APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Augmentation. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/augmentation
APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Average evoked potential (AEP). American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/average-evoked-potential
APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Coping. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/coping
APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Self-help. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/self-help
APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2023, November 15). Self-help group. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/self-help-group
APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Stimulus. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/stimulus
Ellis, A. (2003). Ask Albert Ellis?: Straight Answers and Sound Advice from America’s Best-Known Psychologist. Impact Publishers, Incorporated. Retrieved from https://www.welib.st/md5/acac369a25390ac87c98b93b00e3f33e
Halasz, G. (2004, December). In Conversation with Dr Albert Ellis. Australian Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.reasearchgate.net/publication/227984238_In_Conversation_with_Dr_Albert_Ellis
Hollings, D. (2026, July 1). A forceful version of active-directive REBT. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/a-forceful-version-of-active-directive-rebt
Hollings, D. (2026, June 16). A fountain of goodness: Subjective and objective views. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/a-fountain-of-goodness-subjective-and-objective-views
Hollings, D. (2026, April 23). Ain’t that a shame? Oh well, goodbye. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/ain-t-that-a-shame-oh-well-goodbye
Hollings, D. (2026, September 8). Attention: Changing the way you respond to a situation makes a difference. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/attention-changing-the-way-you-respond-to-a-situation-makes-a-difference
Hollings, D. (2024, May 15). Behavioral experiments. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/behavioral-experiments
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Blog. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/blog/
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Blog – Categories: Disputation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/blog/categories/disputation
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Blog – Categories: Tools. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/blog/categories/tools
Hollings, D. (2024, May 19). Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/cognitive-behavior-therapy-cbt
Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer
Hollings, D. (2024, May 17). Feeling better vs. getting better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/feeling-better-vs-getting-better-1
Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better
Hollings, D. (2025, June 15). Griping, whining, bitching, moaning, complaining, whinging, venting, etc. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/ griping-whining-bitching-moaning-complaining-whinging,-venting-etc
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/
Hollings, D. (2025, October 13). Knowledge, wisdom, understanding. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/knowledge-wisdom-understanding
Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching
Hollings, D. (2026, May 17). Listening to reason through argument: Is the rhetoric of whataboutism persuasive? Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/listening-to-reason-through-argument-is-the-rhetoric-of-whataboutism-persuasive
Hollings, D. (2024, March 4). Mental, emotional, and behavioral health. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/mental-emotional-and-behavioral-health
Hollings, D. (2025, November 16). Mental health, mental illness, and mental disorder. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/mental-health-mental-illness-and-mental-disorder
Hollings, D. (2026, September 18). On feelings… again. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-feelings-again
Hollings, D. (2023, November 23). Problems. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/problems
Hollings, D. (2023, September 15). Psychotherapeutic modalities. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapeutic-modalities
Hollings, D. (2024, May 5). Psychotherapist. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapist
Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt
Hollings, D. (2024, June 5). Self-help. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-help
Hollings, D. (2025, October 29). Self-reliance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-reliance
Hollings, D. (2025, December 24). Some people advocate walking. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/some-people-advocate-walking
Hollings, D. (2022, December 14). The is-ought problem. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-is-ought-problem
Hollings, D. (2026, February 21). The preferences versus expectations paradigm: Love is not enough, though virtue is. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-preferences-versus-expectations-paradigm-love-is-not-enough-though-virtue-is
Hollings, D. (2026, May 15). The speed of thoughts and beliefs: Flipping the bird. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-speed-of-thoughts-and-beliefs-flipping-the-bird
Hollings, D. (2025, February 28). To try is my goal. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/to-try-is-my-goal
Hollings, D. (2023, March 11). Unconditional life-acceptance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-life-acceptance
Wikipedia. (n.d.). David D. Burns. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_D._Burns
