Contextual Schema Therapy

In this groundbreaking book, three internationally recognized psychologists present a step-by-step guide outlining the most up-to-date innovations in schema therapy (ST). This important book offers a clear and practical road map for putting the schema mode model into practice, improving clients' interpersonal functioning, and integrates the latest advances in contextual behavioral psychology. ST is a powerful, integrative treatment model that combines aspects of cognitive, behavioral, and psychodynamic therapies. It has proven highly effective in treating a number of mental health issues, including difficult-to-treat personality disorders. ST’s main premise is that mental health issues arise as a result of unmet emotional needs in childhood, leading to the development of early maladaptive schemas (EMS). But, more and more, ST has shifted away from EMS to focus on schema content—that is, changing the way clients relate to their experiences and to others. This book incorporates the latest findings in contextual behavioral science with a focus on clients’ coping styles—or schema modes—and improving interpersonal functioning. The book includes exercises from compassion-focused therapies, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and even functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP) to help your clients become more aware of their own unhealthy coping patterns and behaviors. You’ll also discover a range of emotion-focused and experiential techniques to use in therapy with your client.

ST is a powerful, integrative treatment model that combines aspects of cognitive, behavioral, and psychodynamic therapies. It has proven highly effective in treating a number of mental health issues, including difficult-to-treat personality disorders. ST’s main premise is that mental health issues arise as a result of unmet emotional needs in childhood, leading to the development of early maladaptive schemas (EMS). But, more and more, ST has shifted away from EMS to focus on schema content—that is, changing the way clients relate to their experiences and to others.

Schema Therapy in Practice presents a comprehensive introduction to schema therapy for non-specialist practitioners wishing to incorporate it into their clinical practice. Focuses on the current schema mode model, within which cases can be more easily conceptualized and emotional interventions more smoothly introduced Extends the practice of schema therapy beyond borderline personality disorder to other personality disorders and Axis I disorders such as anxiety, depression and OCD Presented by authors who are world-respected as leaders in the schema therapy field, and have pioneered the development of the schema mode approach

Breaking Negative Thinking Patterns is the first schema-mode focused resource guide aimed at schema therapy patients and self-help readers seeking to understand and overcome negative patterns of thinking and behaviour. Represents the first resource for general readers on the mode approach to schema therapy Features a wealth of case studies that serve to clarify schemas and modes and illustrate techniques for overcoming dysfunctional modes and behavior patterns Offers a series of exercises that readers can immediately apply to real-world challenges and emotional problems as well as the complex difficulties typically tackled with schema therapy Includes original illustrations that demonstrate the modes and approaches in action, along with 20 self-help mode materials which are also available online Written by authors closely associated with the development of schema therapy and the schema mode approach

Schema Therapy for Couples represents the first practitioner guide to detail effective Schema Therapy techniques in couple and relationship therapy. Shows how the distinctive features of ST make it ideal for addressing the cognitive and emotion-focused problems typical in couple relationships Presents and integrates a series of innovative tools and interventions such as Schema Therapy with Needs versus Wants, Mode Cycle Clash Cards, limited re-parenting visualization, and chair work Authored by an international team of experts in couples therapy and Schema Therapy

This book presents the first English language guide to adapting schema therapy (ST) for children and adolescents. Written by the developers of the approach, it presents a wide range of innovative child- and parent-specific techniques, with detailed guidance on how to apply them across five key developmental stages from infancy to young adulthood. With detailed guidance on how to enact age-appropriate schema dialogues and imaginative use of play to reinforce or replace imagery rescripting, Schema Therapy for Children and Adolescents allows therapists to help young people put difficult events behind them and choose new, healthier ways forward.

This book presents innovative tools for helping patients to understand their emotional schemas--such as the conviction that painful feelings are unbearable, shameful, or will last indefinitely--and develop new ways of accepting and coping with affective experience. Therapists can integrate emotional schema therapy into the treatment approaches they already use to add a vital new dimension to their work. Rich case material illustrates applications for a wide range of clinical problems; assessment guidelines and sample worksheets and forms further enhance the book's utility.

This is the second edition of the book that sparked the current wave of interest in schema therapy. Although schema therapy was originally developed by Jeff Young in the USA, it was not until unprecedented outcome data was published from pioneering Dutch clinical trials with BPD patients that the clinical CBT community took serious notice. Schema therapy has now become one of the most popular forms of contemporary CBT. It has parallels to the ‘third wave’ of contextual behavioural science in that it develops traditional CBT in new directions, but while contextual behavioural science priorities behavioural techniques based on acceptance and mindfulness, schema therapy is more cognitive and draws on elements of experiential learning, object relations and psychodynamic therapy in addition to traditional CBT. The first edition of this book has sold more than 3,000 copies at a steady rate of around 500 units per year since 2009.