[circles5]

Hi,
I've been diagnosed as having SCHEMA level issues. I haven't received a diagnosis for a personality disorder however.
I've been recommended SCHEMA therapy as the thing that'll help..
Problem is - it isn't available... it's currently 'in trial'
So i can't access the treatment that'll help me as it isn't widely available yet.

Does anyone know of a way to track the progress of this new psychotherapy?
I'm struggling with this and there's currently no where i can get help for it.

thanks,
C5

Hi, you might find Reinventing Your Life, the self-help book written by the founder of Schema Therapy useful. I have attached it to my post in a zip file.

[Ms.Lizette]

Originally Posted by circles5

Hi,
I've been diagnosed as having SCHEMA level issues. I haven't received a diagnosis for a personality disorder however.
I've been recommended SCHEMA therapy as the thing that'll help..
Problem is - it isn't available... it's currently 'in trial'
So i can't access the treatment that'll help me as it isn't widely available yet.

Does anyone know of a way to track the progress of this new psychotherapy?
I'm struggling with this and there's currently no where i can get help for it.

thanks,
C5

Hi

I am sorry, I can't answer your question exactly, but I am currently doing schema therapy for my BPD diagnosis, in Scandinavia, where it is the standard treatment, along with DBT, for treating personality disorders. It seems to be quite common in Germany as well. I have done it for about 2 months now.

There is a lot of trial about this therapy going on. Here in Scandinavia they do both group and individual schema therapy, I am doing the individual to begin with and will then try the group approach when I am more stable.

I can say something about schema therapy and that is that it makes a lot of sense logically, and at the same time it moves very deep feelings and emotions. It is therefore important to do it with a therapist. It is however possible to read a book on schema therapy and learn a lot, A LOT about oneself, but it is more like knowledge, and maybe not life changing in itself, but I do recommend to read about the different schemas and coping modes. You can also do a test to see which schemas and coping modes are mostly active in your case.

I am currently reading Schema Therapy: A Practitioner's Guide
by Janet S. Klosko, Jeffrey Young, and Marjorie E. Weishaar.

It is an eye opener indeed. I have to read it slowly because it affects me so much.

I am sure most psychologists will be able to discuss some of the ideas in schema therapy even if they aren't schema therapists per se., however they might not be able to do the re-parenting thing which is a part of schema therapy.

But my point is, until schema therapy is more available in the UK I would say it is a good idea to read such a book, it will help somewhat and kind of make you see yourself in new ways

PM me if you want, I will be glad to share my experience with this therapy.

Best,

Ms.Lizette

[junkDNA]

Try to find a therapist trained in it. There are some. My therapist is

[satsuma]

Are you being treated in the NHS?
I've been doing schema therapy for several years, and I'm in the UK, but I see my T privately. I've made big financial sacrifices to do this and in my opinion it has been worth every penny. I've found it to be very helpful and in fact life changing for me.
I know there are therapists in the U.K. trained in schema therapy, but I don't know about if it's available in the NHS. It's a long term therapy (I think a year minimum and often several years).
I'm wondering who it was who shared with you the schemas they think you have? Because they would be working within a schema therapy framework. It's not actually a diagnosis like a medical diagnosis, but rather a useful way of understanding certain problems in order to address them within schema therapy.

[Loco4]

My T is a trained schema therapist, there are some out there practicing this therapy. I suggest you go to the international society of schema therapy website and try to find someone in your area.

Good luck

[circles5]

Thankyou for all the replies.

I've so far been treated entirely by the NHS, I looked into going privately but i can't afford that sadly, - It does seem like such a promising treatment i would if i could.

My previous therapist who was treating my anxiety disorders with CBT told me she believed i had Schema level issues but that we didn't have the time to address them and she would try and refer me on to somewhere that i could recieve long term schema therapy. Sadly we found out that it's currently not widely available.
In the mean time she lent me a copy of 'Reinventing Your Life' which i found incredibly mind-blowing... i actually had to stop reading it as i found it very upsetting, so very informative; it's very strange to see so much of yourself there on paper..
I am going to resume reading that book as soon as i'm in a better place.. i'm going to be starting some new meds which hopefully will help me out.

Since reading what i have of that book i'm beginning to notice my behaviors and how they fit into the Schemas... i'll be honest it's actually a relief to know what it is, and that there is a way to address it.
Just like before i got diagnosed with BDD - i had thought i was the only one in the world who felt like that.. my own personal 'fault' that no-one would ever understand.

Thanks for all the advise, and i wish you well in your recoveries.
Regards,
C5

[satsuma]

Just one more thought - it may be worth speaking to your GP about this, to draw their attention to your therapist's recommendation for schema therapy and let them know that you would like to do this therapy. So in case it becomes available in the NHS, or if in future there is the opportunity of a trial or something like that, your GP would be able to put you forward.

I understand what you mean about the book being upsetting. It's quite a powerful therapy and I think it can be upsetting for that reason. So I think it's so important to go at your own pace and to be supported.

I wish you all the best.