SCHEMA THERAPY FOR RELATIONSHIP DIFFICULTIES: AN ATTACHMENT-INFORMED APPROACH
Learn How to Identify, Assess, and Address Attachment Styles in Schema Therapy - one of the Most Pervasive Characterological Problems tied to Early Maladaptive Schemas
Here Is Why You Need This
People with an insecure attachment style are 2-3 times more likely to endorse early maladaptive schemas. According to the Schema Therapy Model insecure attachment style is an important characterological problem that makes people treatment resistant.
Because of this, many Schema Therapists struggle working with clients who experience chronic relationship problems tied to attachment insecurity.
Despite the value of taking an attachment-informed approach to Schema Therapy (which is also foundational to effective limited reparenting), many Schema Therapists struggle on how best to integrate an attachment-informed approach to schema therapy. This is because taking such an approach raises questions…
- How do you assess attachment styles?
- How are different attachment styles associated with different maladaptive schemas?
- Who is the client’s primary attachment figure, and what attachment needs do (or did) they fulfill?
- What are the implications of unmet attachment needs for core emotional needs?
- How can you provide feedback to a client about their attachment style to help them understand why maladaptive schemas developed?
- How can an attachment-informed approach enhance efforts at limited reparenting?
- How can you tailor limited reparenting for people with different attachment styles to bypass coping modes?
Until now, there has been no course to provide Scheme Therapists with clear and direct ways of integrating an attachment-informed approach to Schema Therapy. That is, until now…
This online course is designed to arm Schema Therapists with knowledge, tools, and skills in identifying and addressing attachment issues in those with chronic relationship difficulties. This course will help you to:
- Develop an understanding of the attachment behavioral system and the dynamics that underpin the normative and non-normative functioning of the system.
- Learn about attachment functions and how these functions play a central role in the achievement of core emotional needs.
- Develop an understanding of attachment styles and learn how to administer and score gold-standard assessments for measuring client’s attachment styles with parents, romantic partners, and peers.
- Learn about attachment internal working models and the similarities and differences between attachment working models and schemas.
- Present the latest empirical review of the research to learn how different attachment styles are associated with early maladaptive schemas.
- Learn about the similarities and differences between attachment styles and schema modes, and coping responses.
- Learn strategies for how to optimise the therapist as a secure base to enhance the therapeutic alliance and endeavours at limited re-parenting.
- Learn strategies for how to work with clients who differ in attachment styles, and implications for strengthening a client’s healthy adult mode.
- Learn how to apply attachment security priming to schema therapy practice.
Learn How to Identify and Assess Attachment Styles
This online course arms you with highly reliable and valid assessment tools to effectively determine the attachment style of clients.
There is a special focus on using two valid and reliable assessment tools as well as ways to enhance the Schema Therapy Case Conceptualisation Form through adding attachment-informed questions. These assessment methods can enhance your understanding of how attachment relationships have impacted the development of Early Maladaptive Schemas.
The online course also provides you with a comprehensive and authoritative background into attachment theory, the function and dynamics of the attachment behavioural system, attachment schemas, and attachment styles.
Learn How Adult Attachment Styles are Associated with Early Maladaptive Schemas and Schema Domains
Drawing on cutting-edge research, and revisiting major tenets and concepts from Schema Therapy, the course provides a comprehensive review into how different attachment styles are associated with particular early maladaptive schemas and domains.
The course outlines the key characteristics and features that define different attachment styles and their relationships to maladaptive schemas, schema domains, and schema modes.
How to Tailor Limited Reparenting when Working with Clients with Different Attachment Styles
The course draws on Bowlby's therapeutic tasks to outline and define the hallmarks of therapy from an attachment perspective. These tasks, along with your understanding of attachment needs and functions is used to illustrate how people with different attachment styles respond in therapy.
Strategies are provided for how to tailor therapy across the limited reparenting spectrum for clients with different attachment styles.
Interactive Webinars to Support Learning
This is an online workshop that takes a hybrid approach to teaching and learning.
Participants will have access to a series of learning modules that can be undertaken in a self-paced manner, and participants will be supported with three live online webinars (3 hours each) that will include a review of self-directed learning activities, group-based activities, demonstrations, as well as Q & A.
These webinars will be on a Friday for three consecutive weeks. The webinars will be recorded for participants to review.
The dates of the online webinars: April 14th, 21st, and 28th, 2023. Each webinar will start at 9.30 and finish at 12.30 AEST with breaks in between and will be OFFERED VIA ZOOM.
Workshop Materials
Each participant will receive course materials which include recommended readings, a list of useful resources (websites, journal articles, and book chapters, scoring sheets), and workshop notes.
Course Only
Course and Supervision Bundle
(Saving of $100 off the normal price of peer supervision)
Ongoing peer supervision after course conclusion (6 sessions - each session 1 hour and 15 minutes. Supervision dates are: May 8th, June 8th, July 13th, August 10th, September 14th, October 19th - Supervision online via zoom: 10:30-11:45am AEST)
This Course Contains
- Course overview
- Video lectures
- Video tutuorials
- Interactive learning webinars
- Assessment tools to identify attachment styles and disrupted attachment relationships early in life and in adulthood
- Client resources
- Course readings
- Email support
- Over 25 hours of professional development
Your Course Instructors
Here Is What You Get As Part of This Online Course
Module #1 - Foundations in Attachment Theory: Basic Concepts and Assessment
Module 1 is a deep-dive into the fundamental concepts of attachment theory. This includes an understanding of attachment functions and their alignment with core emotional needs, the significance of sensitive and responsive caregiving, the functioning and dynamics of the attachment system, and adult attachment styles.
Module 1 introduces you to two complementary and widely used measures of attachment as well as an introduction to the Adult Attachment Interview. These tools form the basis for the assessment of attachment styles in adults.
Module #2 - Integrating Adult Attachment Styles with Schema Therapy
Module 2 shifts the emphasis to Schema Therapy and how different attachment styles are associated with early maladaptive schemas, domains and modes.
The first part of the module provides a review of the core aspects of the Schema Therapy Model.
The second part of the module draws on cutting edge-research to provide an overview of how adult attachment styles are associated with maladaptive schemas.
The third part of the module provides an understanding of how to integrate an attachment-informed approach to client feedback regarding case formulation. This part of the module also provides an understanding of how to integrate the YSQ and attachment assessments to provide a fuller picture of how a client's attachment style is related to their schemas. These assessment insights can also provide greater awareness as to how the client's history of close relationships has affected the development of their attachment styles and schemas.
Module #3 - An Attachment-Informed Approach to Schema Therapy: Therapeutic Implications & Strategies
Module 3 brings together many of the learnings of Modules 1 and 2 by outlining principles and strategies for working with clients that differ in their attachment style. The focus is on limited reparenting given the significance of this aspect of therapy both within the Schema Therapy Model and within attachment theory.
Examples of how to tailor limited reparenting for different attachment styles across the limited reparenting spectrum are provided. Cutting edge research into attachment security priming is also outlined and its practical implications for integration into the Schema Therapy Model.