Who can apply? (Criteria of application)

To meet the eligibility criteria to begin Individual Schema Therapy Certification, training a person must fulfill the following two requirements (both of them!) :

i. Academic training: Hold at least a Masters degree in psychology, clinical social work, psychiatric nursing or a counseling area that leads to licensing; or a medical degree with psychiatric residency (or residency equivalent if it is defined differently in that country).

ii.  License or certification for the independent practice of psychotherapy (independent psychotherapy practice): In countries that certify or license the above professions, a person must be certified or licensed by either the government body or professional organization which grants this. If no such control exists in a country, the standard of one of the national or international professional psychotherapy organizations must be met to fulfill this requirement. In a regulatory body where both registered membership and accredited membership exists, accredited membership is mandatory.

The application process will consist of the following:

• Completion of the application form

• Scanned academic degree and proof relating to psychotherapy training – degree or license to practice psychotherapy

Description of the training program courses

40 hours (25 Didactic and 15 Dyadic hours)

I Module: Introduction to schema therapy– 14 hours (9 Didactic and 5 Dyadic hours)

1.1.                  Schema Theory – 8 hours: (6 Didactic and 2 Dyadic hours)

• Schemas, coping styles, and modes

• Assessment: including interviews, imagery, and inventories

• Psycho-education about needs and rights of children

• Temperamental factors

1.2.                   Treatment Formulation & Case Conceptualization

• Clarifying goals & needs in schema terms and/or modes

• Conceptualizing a case in schema terms and/or modes

2. Therapy Relationship– 6 hours (3 Didactic and 3 Dyadic hours)

2.1.         Limited reparenting, Empathic confrontation, Limit setting

2.2 Therapists’ Schemas

• Dealing with obstacles in treatment when therapists’ schemas become activated

• Appropriate use of self-disclosure.

II Module: Schema therapy techniques – 16 hours (10 Didactic and 6 Dyadic hours)

3.1 Cognitive techniques

(E.g., Diaries and Flashcards)

3.2 Experiential techniques

• Imagery & imagery re-scripting

• Linking schemas/modes with early childhood experiences

• Limited reparenting with child modes, especially with the vulnerable and angry child modes

• Dialogues with schemas and modes

• Empathic confrontation / limit setting for maladaptive coping modes

• Confronting and limit setting for punitive and demanding parent modes

3.4 Homework assignments and behavior change strategies

III Module: Specific treatment population – 10 hours (6 Didactic and 4 Dyadic hours)

4.1 Schema Mode Work with personality disorders

Additional – Optional: Schema Therapy with other Axis-I-Disorders

8 hours (5 Didactic and 3 Dyadic hours)

4.4. One day workshops on special topics such as eating disorders, anxiety disorders