Contextual Schema Therapy: An Integrative Approach to Personality Disorders, Emotional Dysregulation, and Interpersonal Functioning

by Eckhard Roediger, Bruce A. Stevens, Robert Brockman

In this groundbreaking book, three internationally recognized psychologists present a step-by-step guide outlining the most up-to-date innovations in schema therapy (ST). This important book offers a clear and practical road map for putting the schema mode model into practice, improving clients' interpersonal functioning, and integrates the latest advances in contextual behavioral psychology. 

ST is a powerful, integrative treatment model that combines aspects of cognitive, behavioral, and psychodynamic therapies. It has proven highly effective in treating a number of mental health issues, including difficult-to-treat personality disorders. ST’s main premise is that mental health issues arise as a result of unmet emotional needs in childhood, leading to the development of early maladaptive schemas (EMS). But, more and more, ST has shifted away from EMS to focus on schema content—that is, changing the way clients relate to their experiences and to others.

This book incorporates the latest findings in contextual behavioral science with a focus on clients’ coping styles—or schema modes—and improving interpersonal functioning. The book includes exercises from compassion-focused therapies, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and even functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP) to help your clients become more aware of their own unhealthy coping patterns and behaviors. You’ll also discover a range of emotion-focused and experiential techniques to use in therapy with your client.

Genres: Psychology, Mental Health

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2018

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended by a fellow therapist when I felt stuck by some of my clients, this is a fairly straightforward guide to a theory with lots of diagrams and sample scripts I've been able to adapt for my caseload. It won't work for everyone, but it helps to know there is more to do when stuck in a treatment course.

[Iain McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent detailed practical book.

[Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book convincing and well laid out as far as a therapy module. I did ponder the efficacy and necessity of some of the forms required.

[آية جمال · Rating 4 out of 5]

informative , practical with lots of examples

[Hugh Simonich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and clearly laid out. What I love about Contextual Schema Therapy is that it is a highly useful third wave behavioral therapy and can be integrated quite nicely with other evidence-based interventions, such as ACT, FAP, CFT or others. I found the schemas, modes and the desciptive mode diagram a really practical case conceptualization tool for functional analysis, particularly for those clients with complex traumatic histories and treatment-resistant personality disorders. What's really useful is the multiple chair dialogue arrangements, which essentially are flexible physical arrangements of chairs in the room with each chair representing an important part of the case conceptualization. This physical metaphor of the chair arrangement not only helps the therapist and client both visualize a proper conceptualization of how problem behaviors are maintained through early learned coping mechanisms, but it also becomes a useful tool for intervention as the client and therapist work together. The changes in seating to different types of modes changes perspective and roles. If done with skill, led by the therapist, I can see this being highly effective insight for the client that leads to adaptive behavior change. And the chair arrangements and what the chair represent is highly flexible to meet the idiosyncratic needs of the client. I love it.

Kudos to the authors who just carefully laid this all out, and clearly explained the concepts and the intent. This is a text to hold on to as a continual reference. It also includes a copy of the link for worksheets, assessments, etc so you can apply these tools as you need them.

This is highly recommended for anyone interested.