Albert Ellis Quotes

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Albert Ellis

Profession : Psychologist

Birth : September 27, 1913

I had a great many sex and love cases where people were absolutely devastated when somebody with whom they were compulsively in love didn't love them back. They were killing themselves with anxiety and depression.

Albert Ellis

I get people to truly accept themselves unconditionally, whether or not their therapist or anyone loves them.

Albert Ellis

You largely constructed your depression. It wasn't given to you. Therefore, you can deconstruct it.

Albert Ellis

Most people would have given up when faced with all the criticism I've received over the years.

Albert Ellis

I thought foolishly that Freudian psychoanalysis was deeper and more intensive than other, more directive forms of therapy, so I was trained in it and practiced it.

Albert Ellis

Many psychoanalysts refused to let me speak at their meetings. They were exceptionally vigorous because I had previously been an analyst and they were very angry at my flying the coop.

Albert Ellis

I had used eclectic therapy and behavior therapy on myself at the age of 19 to get over my fear of public speaking and of approaching young women in public.

Albert Ellis

I wrote several articles criticizing psychoanalysis, but the analysts weren't listening to my objections. So I finally quit after practicing it for six years.

Albert Ellis

If I had been a member of the academic establishment, I could have done other experiments.

Albert Ellis

Freud had a gene for inefficiency, and I think I have a gene for efficiency.

Albert Ellis

I started to call myself a rational therapist in 1955; later I used the term rational emotive. Now I call myself a rational emotive behavior therapist.

Albert Ellis

People got insights into what was bothering them, but they hardly did a damn thing to change.

Albert Ellis

In the old days we used to get more referrals, because people had insurance that paid for therapy. Now they belong to HMOs, and we can only be affiliated with a few HMOs.

Albert Ellis