Mission Statement

The Albert Ellis Institute is a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing emotional growth and well-being through the dissemination of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) as comprehensive educational and preventive theory and practice. In addition to offering mental health education to professionals and the public, the Albert Ellis Institute conducts research and maintains a strong network of REBT trainers and therapists.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

REBT was the first of the cognitive behavior therapy theories and is a humanistic, action-oriented approach to emotional growth. It was first articulated by Dr. Albert Ellis in 1955. REBT emphasizes the individual's capacity for creating emotions, overcoming the past by focusing on the present, and choosing and implementing satisfying alternatives to dysfunctional patterns.

The Institute's Achievements

AEI was the first cognitive behavior therapy facility in the New York metropolitan area. Today, AEI provides over 20,000 moderate-cost individual, family, and group therapy sessions a year.
In addition to professional practica offered on-site, AEI has also conducted trainings at over 900 universities, corporate institutions and social-service agencies over the years. Its faculty members have provided trainings in cognitive behavior therapy, addictions treatment, women's self-empowerment, anger management, and other topics.
Since 1965, AEI has presented over 3,000 self-help workshops to the community. Its 1970's pilot school for children, the Living School, spawned the development of emotional education programs now incorporated into school curricula throughout the U.S.

AEI is a distributor of over 200 books, audio and videotapes, titles for professionals as well as the lay community. Many of these resources are in widespread use in social service agencies, schools and workplace settings around the world.