by Mark Schiffman, M.S.
REBT doesn’t focus too much on happiness. In theory, someone who lives life guided by rational principles should lead a generally happy life. However, in clinical practice we usually work on changing unhealthy negative emotions to healthy negative emotions, not to positive emotions like happiness. Yet, tucked away in the back of A Practitioner’s Guide to Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy are three short paragraphs on Happiness Assignments.
Shifting from a problematic perspective to a more positive one could be beneficial even in a clinical setting. The Practitioner’s Guide gives three examples of happiness homework assignments that could be used with clients. The first is to write down a list of things that you enjoy during the day. This could include simple pleasures like good food or positive interpersonal interactions. The second is to encourage fantasies about past or upcoming positive events. This imagery could be enjoyable on its own and may also help dispute unhelpful thinking habits. The third is to develop the habit of doing nice things for others. This kindness exercise is popular in the positive psychology literature. In 2004, Lyubomirsky and colleagues conducted a kindness intervention in which university students were asked to complete five acts of kindness weekly for six weeks. Results indicated that doing acts of kindness led to greater well-being. Summarizing the benefits of acts of kindness, Kerr, O’Donovan, and Pepping (2015) wrote “Acts of kindness can build trust and acceptance between people, encourage social bonds, provide givers and receivers with the benefits of positive social interaction, and enable helpers to use and develop personal skills and thus themselves.”
These three exercises are helpful whether someone is looking for some positive homework assignments in clinical practice or if someone is just looking for a little boost of happiness. So next time you are feeling a little down, try incorporating a Happiness Assignment into your routine to help lift your spirits.
DiGiuseppe, R., Doyle, K., Dryden, W., and Backx, W. (2014). A practitioner’s guide to rational-emotive behavior therapy (Third ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kerr, S. L., O’Donovan, A., and Pepping, C. A. (2014). Can Gratitude and Kindness Interventions Enhance Well-Being in a Clinical Sample?. Journal of Happiness Studies, 16(1), 17-36.
Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005a). The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin, 131(6), 803–855. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.131.6.803
