[therapyishelping777]

Wondering if anyone does this, how it has helped.? how would you explain Schema/scripts? I've been watching this video on amazon about it , seems interesting but the guy is kind of boring.. my T does psychodyamic and I love him/his style of therapy, but might be interesting to study this by myself on the side.? does your T use this?

[LonesomeTonight]

My marriage counselor doesn't do schema therapy, but he has talked about how some of why I feel and act the way I do is because of schemas, generally from childhood. It's helpful within marriage counseling because it can help explain why I'm reacting a certain way to my husband, like why I'm expecting him to be mad at me for something, would reject me for something, etc. (because of how my parents reacted when I was a kid--or even now, etc.). So it helps both me and my H understand more. I'd like the idea of trying schema therapy, though don't think my T is trained in that.

[junkDNA]

Yes. Don't feel like writing about it right now. There's lots of info online

[bounceback]

I actually have done quite a bit of schema work mostly in group therapy. It is pretty intense especially when you get down to your core schemas. We had people who were very triggered by some of the stuff we were talking about including me. It is also very helpful to look at your schemas and what ones are causing you problems in the world.

[therapyishelping777]

Sounds like a great group therapy Bounceback!

[bounceback]

It was a good group. We spent about a year working on Brene Brown's book on shame and schemas. It was hard work but I learned a lot. It was a trying time for me because the group was intense and my mom was dying. I was in that group a long time until it ended. I was sad to see it end even though at times like I said it was difficult.

My T uses schema therapy with me. I think I've posted before in a thread asking about it, with book links. I'll see if I can dig it up when I'm done with work.

[therapyishelping777]

That would be great!! I was reading and took an online test and I was like all points for defectiveness /shame schema which completely fits me... I'd really like to learn more I read all of Brenes books too.. My T is working with me on the whole rejection/shame/insecurity thing as kind of my main theme pretty much . He has SUPER helped me , but its SO INGRAINED..... I hate it!!

Okay, I'm not sure where to start, because I'm a huge fan for how Schema Therapy is working for me and have done quite a bit of personal research into how Schema Therapy has been used for dissociative disorders for friends.

That's not saying I believe it's the best therapy for every single thing though. And...um...a lot of it will sound oogly woogly warm and mushy and attachmenty (I identify a lot as an avoidant client in Trauma and the Avoidant Client)...and I totally see how a therapist can really really **** up and harm clients.

Some posts I've written on it:

Originally Posted by QuietMind

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 offenses) 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

Originally Posted by QuietMind

I've asked my psychologist this question "WHY?" repeatedly.

She says that as she grows to know each client, caring naturally develops.

She says that it's because she can see the good in me - in each client before her.

She says she believes schema therapy won't work without genuine caring on her part as for each of her clients as the unique persons they are.

I still want to know WHY she cares about me. I used to say she just cared for me as "Just a job" but she has always asked me to Feel her care, that she believes her job is not "just a job", that she believes strongly in a dynamic, healing, "genuine" relationship between both members of the dyad.

I'm not fully convinced but after more then a year of seeing her once every two weeks and testing her and being met with compassion and acceptance and warmth and care, I believe she does care for me as a client.

WHY she cares for a worthless thing like me though? I'm still asking. She says I'm not the awful creature I believe myself to be.

I feel a few posters here also have therapists who do forms of "limited reparenting", eg BayBrony, Waterbear, Starry Night (off the top of my head). JunkDNA's T is also a schema therapist.

On group schema therapy, I've read from clinical books that the group functions kinda like a "family" with 2 co-therapists serving as limited "parents" for the duration of the group. Supposedly the books say that they won't get mad at patients who have to return to group therapy (ideally with the same therapists) again.

I like this blog PersonalityBPD whose author blogged about her experiences in group schema therapy and individual therapy.
I found this blogger's posts incredibly useful as well.
Another blogger in schema therapy.

[bounceback]

Originally Posted by therapyishelping777

That would be great!! I was reading and took an online test and I was like all points for defectiveness /shame schema which completely fits me... I'd really like to learn more I read all of Brenes books too.. My T is working with me on the whole rejection/shame/insecurity thing as kind of my main theme pretty much . He has SUPER helped me , but its SO INGRAINED..... I hate it!!

I hate it too. It is pretty ingrained in me also. The defectiveness schema was the most hardest one to work on for me in therapy. I have told you I spent years in therapy. I am doing much better now and only see a therapist as needed not regularly like it was.

[therapyishelping777]

Thank you all so much!! You are awesome.. Its so nice to know you are not alone and others are struggling in the same way , or have went through the same but are doing better.. this helps ALOT....! I'm going to look up all that stuff quietmind!!

[therapyishelping777]

Bounceback.. wow.. that group just sounds like it was amazing.. I love groups.. I've been in brene brown groups/shame, anger allies group, depression/anxiety groups, boundaries groups.. I'd love to find one like that..