When people talk about Schema Therapy, they usually have in mind the desire to reduce the devastating impact of maladaptive schemas and find effective ways to disempower dysfunctional coping modes. In this workshop, we would like to extend the meaning of “Schema Therapy” to strengthen and foster the acquisition of “positive schemas”, and give practical examples of how to do that. The goal is to reinforce the patient’s positive experiences and bring them into their awareness and to connect them (internally) with significant others in their lives. We invite the patient in an imagery exercise to “travel back” in their life history and imagine a socio-emotional key moment in which they have had an experience that helped them to build up this particular positive schema. For example, we find symbols for positive situations (e.g. stones), and gather them, for example in a hand sized treasure bag, that the patient may take home in their pocket. Having done so, we then fill the treasure bag week per week with a new stone or another small symbol, facilitating a new positive recollection, and thus connecting it with another good person and moment.

Learning objectives include: Meaning/Importance of positive schemas (early adaptive schemas) - Meaning/Importance of basic needs, functional modes and coping strategies - Psychoeducation through playful material - Limited re-parenting with child modes, especially with the vulnerable and angry child modes

This workshop is intended for: 

Everyone

About the Presenters:

Christof Loose

Christof Loose, PhD, is affiliated with Heinrich Heine University at the Institute of Experimental Psychology in the Department of Clinical Psychology, and has a private practice in Dusseldorf, Germany. He is an Advanced Certified Schema Therapist, Supervisor and Trainer in Individual and Children and Adolescents Schema Therapy. Christof was the chair of the Workgroup for Schema Therapy for Children and Adolescents (ST-CA) for several years, and is the editor and author of several ST-CA books and videos (DVDs) in Germany. He conducts workshops and seminars in ST-CA worldwide.

Maria Galimzyanova

Maria Galimzyanova is an Advanced Schema Therapist and Trainer Supervisor in Individual, Group, and Child-Adolescent Schema therapy. Being an expert and an author in the area of Child-Adolescent ST, she has developed the Group model for Children and Adolescents, consistent with the GST concept by J.Farrell and I.Shaw and C-A ST approach by C.Loose. As a professor of St. Petersburg University she lectures on schema therapy both nationally and internationally to students and professionals. Her extensive private practice is primarily focused on treating children and their parents.