SCHEMA-FOCUSED THERAPY FOR BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER
Hannie van Genderen & Marleen Rijkerboer
26th – 29th April 2010

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) has for a long time been known as an untreatable mental disorder, which could best be approached by providing low-frequency and emotionally distant contacts, aiming at stabilizing but not treating the disorder. Recent developments have challenged this therapeutic nihilism, and our recent multi-centre trial has quite convincingly demonstrated that prolonged schema-focused therapy (SFT) has a good response and recovery rate, superior to those of a psychodynamic alternative.
Schema-Focused Therapy is an integrated treatment based on the schema-mode model of severe personality disorders. SFT integrates experiential, cognitive, interpersonal and behavioural approaches from different theoretical orientations into a coherent model. In contrast to more traditional approaches, SFT tries to create an emotional and warm bond between therapist and client, thus correcting childhood attachment problems. Furthermore, childhood traumatic experiences are addressed and emotionally processed. There is also a strong focus on actively changing behavioural patterns in the present.
The new international accreditation procedure for SFT therapists require 8 days training plus supervised practice. The present has been designed to provide the first 4 days, in which therapists learn to apply the most important methods and techniques. Participants will be introduced in the schema mode model of BPD, and the most important methods and techniques for each mode will be explained and demonstrated with role-plays and DVD fragments. Following demonstration, participants will practice the method in pair and the workshop leaders will be available for feedback and help. Special attention will be paid to the therapeutic relationship, as this is quite different from traditional approaches, and to the skills the therapist needs in this respect, notably empathic confrontation and limit setting.
Level: Intermediate – Advanced
Cost: £500 for 4 days, incl. lunch [Early booking offer – book before 1 Mar and pay only £450]
Venue: Cherwell Room, Kings Centre

Closed for applications