Another question -Anyone heard of Schema Therapy

[Steely]

My friend who was a counselor for many years in England is opening clinics up in America now using a new alternative to cognitive behavorial therapy, called schema therapy. I guess it is prevalent and popular in Europe, but just making it's entrance in the States.

Has anyone heard of it, or used it? My friend swears it is the most promising therapy for personality disorders or trauma disorder out of all the therapy that is out there.

 

[klmno]

Interesting- I don't think I've heard of it, but in a way I'm thinking maybe I did run across it. I've been doing a lot of research on therapies lately (for trauma, depression, anxiety, etc). Have you tried a google search yet? I find some pretty good articles from psychiatrist and apa magazines that way.

 

[totoro]

I don't know? There 4 centers here in the US and a Jeffrey Young developed it? It integrates other therapies, Cognative, behaviour and some others... it sounds pretty interesting!
There was an article in Oprah...
http://www.schematherapy.com/
It is worth looking into. For all of us! I would be interested in how it works. Especially for kids like ours

 

[Jena]

yea Toto that's it. I have this website also
http://www.schematherapy.com/id30.htm

i'm not sure if that's the same website toto gave you.

sounds interesting i read a little of it.

 

[Steely]

Yep, that is the one. Jeffrey Young developed it. I am intrigued after talking to my LPC friend. It sounds amazingly beneficial and innovative. I need to find out who is practicing it and where.

 

[klmno]

I thought M was bipolar- I looked that up and I'm wondering if that's appropriate for bipolar?? I guess it might depend on where the therapist thinks the major problem areas and triggers are. With my son, we're looking more toward processing emotions and coping skills. Even though my difficult child has never suffered a physical trauma, his therapy is supposed to be geared more toward cognitive processing. But, you know M better than anyone and you'll probably have a pretty good "gut feeling" about what might help him most.

 

[Steely]

Yea, M is BiPolar (BP), but he also has had major trauma, which is why I thought about Schema. I guess, now, more than anything, he needs immediate coping skills. Which CBT would address. I guess I was just curious to see if anyone had used it, and what results they had.

 

[Jena]

i think it's a good idea. maybe those websites would give info with doctors who are trained in it or better yet maybe you can just call them and hopefully they can give you info for their state. i wish you luck, it does sound interesting.

 

[klmno]

I can't offer an opinion on the schema because I simply don't know. But, have you googled and read about "cognitive processing therapy"? If he's had trauma, Personally, I'd go for a trauma specialist first.

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

Steely,

I know nothing about this type of therapy. in my humble opinion, it is worth looking into everything and anything that you think might be able to help M. When I have time, hopefully this evening, I want to google it and read the info others have already given you links for too.

With our kids, it is so difficult finding appropriate help. You never know what might prove to be beneficial. WFEN

 

[Nancy423]

I did an alternative therapy for difficult child (Dore program, also from England) and had some good results. Personally, if I thought it sounded like it might do some good, and there's really no other options, I'd do it.

 

[goldenguru]

I know a little bit about this Tx.

A 'schema' is a set representation in the brain. A 'mental structure' that represents the world. It is the framework that we use to interpret our lives.

So in this type of therapy (usually used for borderlines) the therapist has to 'deconstruct' faulty schemas and reconstruct new functional ones.

For instance, if a child is traumatized by a parent, the child builds a schema that says 'adults are not trustworthy'. Later in life, that child may have global issues regarding relationships. Schema therapy would help the adult patient deconstruct their faulty belief patterns regarding the trustworthiness of people.

From what I have read it is more effective in dealing with personality disorders than it is mood disorders.