A Theoretical Integration Of Schema Therapy And Cognitive Therapy In OCD Treatment
Schema therapy is a psychiatric technique used in the treatment of behavioral disorders, usually when the standard therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy have failed. Prior to entering schema mode therapy, Jimmy had undergone multiple therapeutic experiences, including pharmacotherapy, psychodynamic therapy, hypnosis, and standard CBT, all of which had proven to be unsuccessful. Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center, Adult & Child Counseling, Inc.
Imagery is a nonverbal strategy for producing change ( Smucker, Dancu, Foa, & Niederee, 1995 ; Arntz & Weertman, 1999 ). It makes it possible to recall early negative emotional events, which are mainly stored in the form of images ( Conway & Pleydell-Pearce, 2000 ). Particularly, Imagery with Rescripting (ImRS) is a technique which aims to modify the meanings associated with negative or traumatic memories ( Arntz & Weertman, online psychologist 1999 ; Smucker, Dancu, Foa, & Niederee, 1995 ), connecting the patient’s primary emotions to early maladaptive schemas.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy targets a direct alteration in the thinking process of a patient. This protector is one of the most frequently seen coping modes in Borderline PD (BPD). In fact, in schema therapy the therapists are seeking “schema restoration”. Schema therapy has been shown to be particularly effective in the treatment of borderline personality, and research shows individuals in treatment dropped out of schema therapy at lower rates than they dropped out of other types of treatment.
Recognizing Schemas and Modes: As schema therapy progresses, you will learn to recognize schemas and modes in your daily life and you may keep a schema diary to record your triggers, thoughts, schema activation and coping responses as well as start to recognize more healthy ways to think and respond.
At present, there are 18 schemas in the model. Although initial studies focused on personality disorders (especially borderline), over the last 5 years other clinical conditions have been investigated. More recently, schema therapy has also been combined with mindfulness meditation to form a more spiritual approach.
In the beginning of the therapy, experiential techniques such as imagery and chairwork (Kellogg, 2004) are used more frequently in order to access the person’s core emotional experiences, whilst in the later phases of therapy, there is a greater inclusion of cognitive and behavioural strategies.