Contextual Schema Therapy: A Guide to Integrating ACT and 3rd Wave Therapy Approaches to Build the Healthy Adult Mode in Schema Therapy

Presenter- Dr Robert Brockman, Clinical Psychologist and Mitch Hart Clinical Psychologist

Date/ Time- Thursday March 28 2019

Venue- The Boulevard Centre, 99 The Boulevard, Floreat 6014

Price- $250 (including morning and afternoon tea)

The Healthy Adult mode is the backbone of a successful schema therapy treatment. Despite this key role, a detailed description of how the Healthy Adult mode can be explicitly enhanced has been lacking in the schema literature. This one-day workshop presents an approach to developing and strengthening the healthy adult part of the self based on our recent book "Contextual Schema Therapy" (Roediger, Stevens, & Brockman, 2018). We define the Healthy Adult mode and outline how this mode can be explicitly promoted in Schema Treatment including drawing on core ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and 3rd wave therapy processes including mindfulness, acceptance, values, and self-compassion. Finally, the implications of this broadened scope on traditional schema therapy techniques (e.g. chair mode-dialogues) will be demonstrated for use in small group exercises. This workshop is likely to interest 3rd wave/ACT practitioners curious about schema therapy, as well as more seasoned schema therapists interested in 3rd wave/ACT integration, and implications for building the healthy adult mode.

Implications for the ACT practitioner of the schema model will be discussed including examples of ACT consistent and inconsistent interventions. Ways in which the models can complement each other in clinical work will be addressed. 

About the Presenters

Dr Robert Brockman

Clinical Psychologist

Robert has extensive experience teaching and supervising on clinical psychology masters programs in Sydney since 2010. His clinical experience is drawn from both public (e.g. Hospitals, community mental health) and private health sector positions (e.g. private practice) in Sydney. Robert is accredited by the International Society for Schema Therapy (ISST) as a schema therapist, supervisor, and trainer. Robert currently holds a research fellowship with Australian Catholic University (ACU) where he researches psychological approaches to well-being. He has a major clinical and research interest in formulation and intervention with complex presentations that prove difficult to treat via standard evidence-based protocols. He is currently engaged in clinical research focusing on extending the schema model into novel populations (e.g. GAD, Eating Disorders, HIV Sufferers, Problem Gamblers, Forensic Patients, and Psychosis).

He is the recent coauthor of the book Contextual Schema Therapy; An integrative Approach to Personality Disorders, Emotion Dysregulation and Interpersonal Functioning (2018).

Mitch Hart, Clinical Psychologist

Mitch Hart – Clinical Psychologist and ACT trainer     Mitch qualified as a Clinical Psychologist in 1986 and has over 30 years of clinical experience working in public/private mental health settings and private practice. Mitch currently works in private practice which includes extensive clinical work, supervision and training with students, registrars and colleagues. He facilitates a professional development group for practitioners which began in 2011 called ACT interest orientated network (ACTion) see https://www.mitchhartpsychologyperth.com.au/training-and-supervision.html. He is regularly invited to run ACT workshops for organisations and in 2011 his work was peer reviewed by the international Association for Contextual Behavioural Science and formally recognised as an ACT trainer (one of 6 trainers in Australia).

Mitch has completed advanced level training and practice in a range of therapy models including Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness. He has a special interest in how these models can complement each other and first facilitated workshops on this topic in 2013. He welcomes both the recent developments towards a Contextual Schema Therapy model and the opportunity to help practitioners in this workshop integrate ACT and 3rd Wave Therapy Approaches in Schema Therapy.