Albert Ellis
A blunt, provocative psychologist who challenged Freudian dogma, pioneering a practical, confrontational therapy that reshaped modern psychology.
1913–2007 (age 94)·American psychologist·Birthday: September 27·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Albert Ellis entered psychology after a failed attempt at fiction writing, bringing a no-nonsense, philosophical approach that would upend his field. Trained in psychoanalysis, he grew frustrated with its passive, slow-moving nature. In the 1950s, he broke away entirely, formulating Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). His core insight was radical for its time: emotional suffering stems not from events, but from our irrational beliefs about them. In his iconic Friday night workshops in New York, Ellis would directly, even humorously, dispute a client's catastrophic thinking, teaching them to replace 'musts' and 'awfulizings' with more flexible preferences. His style was famously abrasive, but his results were compelling. By placing cognition at the center of change, Ellis laid the essential groundwork for the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) movement that now dominates psychotherapy. He wrote tirelessly, argued fiercely, and lived with a stubborn commitment to rationality, becoming one of the most influential—and controversial—figures in modern mental health.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Albert was born in 1913, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Albert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1913
Albert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1913Born
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Started school
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Became a teenager
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1929Could drive
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1931Could vote
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Turned 21
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1943Turned 30
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 40
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 50
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 60
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 70
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 80
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2007Died at 94
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Founded Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), one of the foundational pillars of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
- Established the nonprofit Albert Ellis Institute in New York City to train therapists and promote REBT.
- Authored over 80 books and 1,200 articles on psychology, sex, and relationships.
- Was one of the first major psychologists to openly challenge and move beyond traditional Freudian psychoanalysis.
Did You Know?
He originally wanted to be a novelist and wrote several unpublished manuscripts before turning to psychology.
Ellis was known for his gruff, confrontational therapeutic style and often used profanity in sessions.
He suffered from severe diabetes and kidney problems in his later years but continued to see clients and give workshops.
He described himself as a 'probabilistic atheist.'
“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.”
