Rational-emotive therapy (RET) is a comprehensive, multimodal, active-directive and relatively brief form of psychotherapy that is particularly suited for use by nurse practitioners. RET theory assumes that people have innate tendencies to think rationally and irrationally; therefore, people have the ability to fulfill and actualize themselves and to easily upset and defeat themselves. The basic tenets of RET help people distinguish between their own rational and irrational beliefs, and their consequent appropriate and inappropriate emotions and behaviors. Many cognitive, emotive and behavioral methods are used to help clients minimize their symptoms of anxiety, depression, self-hatred and rage. Nurse practitioners using RET can help their clients make profound philosophic changes that prevent future emotional problems and encourage maximum health and self-actualization.