# Question about Schema Therapy?



## FunBoy (Apr 17, 2008)

I've started some with my therapist and I'm wondering, since it's dealing alot with memories of childhood, isn't it much like doing CBT on past thoughts and memories?? It seems that way to me so far opcorn


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## yeah_yeah_yeah (Mar 27, 2007)

In a way, yes - but that is only one small part of it. The imagery work that you will do targets the core feelings and changes the neural structure of the brain in a different way. For some people it is very hard to generate a sense of self-compassion, and so using the imagery work, where the therapist becomes the Healthy Adult and supports the Vulnerable Child, is more powerful in generating a sense of self love and saftey. You will know it when you experience it. This is superimposed over those past images so that they no longer do the bad work that they have been doing through your life.

Schema goes into far more depth and analyses childhood orogins and how they are kept alive in the present. But yes - a big [art of the therapy is CBT methods - thats because Schema is a development of CBT, pioneered in conjunction with CBT's developer - Aaron Beck.

You will move onto the less pure CBT elements soon. There will be things like writing letters to parents (which you dont post) and the 'empty chair' technique. There are lots of bits from other theraies in there and you will see them soon. By far the best thing about schema is 'empathic confrontation' - basically, the therapist is honest with you. I love it. The flashcards are good too.

Which schema / lifetrap are you working on?


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## FunBoy (Apr 17, 2008)

I'm working on DEFECTIVENESS / SHAME but I really see some others I can relate too. How do you handle working on more than one???? :um :idea :afr


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## yeah_yeah_yeah (Mar 27, 2007)

OOh you will be doing quite a bit of all the different methods with that one.

How do I do more than one? By being obsessive  I do my own imagery work at night. I am mostly at 'awareness' for most of them, but have made some big strides in udentifying the roots and addressing these in imagery, as well as havig conversations with my parents. I dont have my schema therapist yet, so I expect when I start with her in May she will ask me to slow down a bit. I feel like I have just about all of them and can now see them popping up day to day. Awareness alone is quite powerful. 

At the moment my main one to work on is Insufficient Self Discipline / Self control, and I am using CBT methods to formalise my daily schedules and to push my frustration envelope.


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

lucky, here where I live there are veryfew doctors in psychiatry and some psychologist but dont do cbt/.


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