Schema Therapy

I read a book about Schema Therapy, and absolutely loved it. It just makes sense to me. It seems to address things in ways that the more common CBT misses or glosses over.

I took the battery of tests in the book, and they revealed I have "moderate" schemas of Ostracism, Defectiveness, Subjugation, and Incompetency. Assuming that is accurate, it would explain a LOT for me. It would neatly explain why I feel such an affinity with descriptions of Avoidant Personality Disorder, when I have had a professional therapist tell me I just don't meet the criteria for that. I thought a lot about it, and am beginning to see how these schemas operate and where they most likely come from. I wish I had a therapist who is extremely well versed in schema therapy techniques (or for that matter any therapist at all right now, lol).

Have you tried this form of therapy? What did you think of it?

I've been in Schema therapy for 1 year + now and I really like how it blends cognitive therapy (Jeffery Young was initially trained in CBT) with elements of exploring the past (linking your present issues to your Early Maladaptive Schemas) and gestalt techniques (Empty Chairs etc).

Schema therapy supposedly requires a therapist who "genuinely cares" for the client, who is willing to be "more flexible" boundaries wise than "most modalities". A "willingness to touch" is supposedly necessary, although touch might not be used (eg with clients who have committed offences) as the unwillingness to touch might signal an "Emotional Inhibition" schema in the therapist (Source - Schema Therapy - A Practitioner's Guide).

Hence, warmth, flexibility (Source - the above book and a scale assessing therapists) is supposedly required as these are the requirements for "Limited reparenting".

I feel that the framework is easy to understand and quite non-shaming. The concept of "limited reparenting" is considered to be the "core" of the therapy something I quite like. I do have many moments of telling my T to "stop all this limited reparenting BS!!!" when I feel pain over the contrast between my upbringing and therapy.

While I do not have borderline personality disorder, the view is "needy, not greedy" and the therapist is encouraged to view a client who is being hostile as a vulnerable child lashing out. I do think some clients might find it infantilizing, but I feel it is much more non-pathologising than viewing someone as "manipulative".

I'm a fan, haha. One thing about it makes me incredibly sad though...because the therapist is basically trying to meet "some" of the client's emotional needs within the boundaries of the therapeutic relationship... It sure brings out the contrast with a painful upbringing.

Some good books:

• Schema Therapy - A Practitioner's Guide
• Schema Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder
• The Schema Therapy Clinician's Guide

Same! Although I have not been diagnosed as AvPD, Social Anxiety Disorder alone does not explain the deep sense of worthlessness and inadequacy I feel, hence me relating very much to APD.

I haven't done actual schema therapy, but my marriage counselor has talked about schemas a few times in session as a way of explaining why I react a certain way to things my husband says or does. It made a lot of sense to me. Can I ask what the title of the book was? Might be interested in checking it out.

I read (an older version of) Reinventing Your Life, by Jeffrey Young, Ph.D. and Janet Klosko, Ph.D.

Thanks, just ordered it! Was able to see the questions and take quiz on Amazon's preview--ended up with high scores in Abandonment, Vulnerability, and Defectiveness, with moderate in a couple other areas. So figured it would be worthwhile to read the whole thing...

my T is a schema therapist and i've been doing schema therapy with him for years. i've found it extremely helpful. he is reparenting me. i do a schema inventory test every few months to show my progress.

I have been doing schema therapy with my T for just over 12 months. I've found schema therapy to be really beneficial. We initially did CBT but it just didn't do it for me. I really need the limited reparenting aspects of schema therapy due to my history. I'd recommended it to anyone looking to do 'deeper' work

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My new (replacement) T is also a schema therapist and we started about two months ago. I had to take two test to see on what I score high. We just have started to get me more aware of my vulnerable child. T said I have to get more aware of it first (when it happens, what I feel/think etc) and then I cant get to learn how to care for my ''vulnerable child''. And we will also do that for my ''angry child'', etc. I have to learn to care for myself and to become more of a ''healthy adult''.

This T is so different from other T's I have seen. She's more open. I like that, it feels like she's more honest. She tells stuff about herself and I'm allowed to ask her anything. But she does know the boundaries, so it won't feel like she's a friend, so that's good. She said she thinks it's weird for T's to not tell a little bit about themselves. She wouldn't feel like talking to a T who tells nothing about him or herself.
Last session I actually took some more efford on my appearance and she told me I looked beautiful. No T has ever complimented on my appearance (not that I want that, but it's nice to get a compliment when you reakky put an efford). We also talked about my ''progress'' and she told me she's proud of me.
I think that because she's more open caused me to open up to her faster than I did with any other T.

I hope this schema therapy will help me to get ''better''.