Abstract:

Chronic courses of depressive disorders are relatively common and difficult to treat. Associations between early maladaptive schemas and severity as well as chronicity were found, affirming schema therapy as powerful approach to effective treatment. In general, chronic courses of depression are deeply fused with ego-syntonic dysfunctional critic mode beliefs and stuck in detached, avoiding or passive-aggressive coping modes, blocking the therapists off. Besides, compliant surrender and undisciplined child modes hamper treatment.

This workshop introduces into a contextual approach how to bypass these coping modes effectively and strengthen the Healthy Adult mode in chair dialogues in order to impeach critic modes and connect with the painful child mode emotions in a self-compassionate way. An additional focus will be using imagery to release blocked constructive anger.

About the Presenters:                   

Alexandra Schosser:

I am medical specialist in psychiatry, as well as psychotherapist and supervisor in CBT and Schema Therapy. I have been medical director of an ambulant psychiatric rehabilitation clinics in Vienna(Austria)since 2013 (“Zentren für seelische Gesundheit Wien”, BBRZ-Med). In addition to my clinical work, I have been working in research and teaching at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the Medical University Vienna since 2001, with a major focus on psychiatric genetics of affective disorders, and since 2013 onpsychiatric rehabilitation and psychotherapy research. Since 2016 I am member of the ISST Training & Certification committee, and I am current science and research co-ordinator of the ISST executive board