Schema Therapy Systems Training Programme

                 

                                

Directors:

 Richard Mathews

Dr Michelle Fong

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We offer  a range of trainings and workshops to enable participants to attain certification with the International Society of Schema Therapy ( ISST, www.isstonline.com ) to either Standard or Advanced Certification. The training is also suitable for practitioners who would wish to become adept in the practice of Schema Therapy but who do not wish to become certified with the ISST.  As such trainees can tailor the requirements and costs of the training to their respective needs.

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Schema Therapy Systems Certified Schema Therapy Training is certified by the ISST to offer training programmes and workshops that fulfil the ISST’s Guidelines.  Courses will be facilitated by Richard Mathews and Dr Michelle Fong who are experienced trainers and supervisors with extensive experience in Schema Therapy.

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All Schema Therapy Systems training is provided online . Bespoke trainings can also be arranged throughout the UK. The training is taught in English.

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The Schema Therapy Systems ISST Certified Schema Therapy Training Programme is appropriate for suitably qualified mental health professional and applied psychology practitioners  who meet UK ISST Criteria. Please refer to the Application Process section below. Please note that the application process is competitive and candidates who are able to work with clients over a minimum period of one year and who’s clients have a diagnosis of personality disorder or complex and enduring mental health difficulties appropriate for intervention by Schema Therapy will be prioritised.

 

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Benefits of certification

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There are a number of benefits for applicants wishing to pursue certification by the International Society for Schema Therapy (ISST). Certified Schema Therapists are distinguished from none-certified members for their recognised competence in treating clients/ patients, and their eligibility to participate in Schema Therapy research projects.

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By obtaining Schema Therapy certification you are eligible to the following:

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• Representing yourself as a Certified Schema Therapist with clients/patients, with other professionals and in academic institutions.

• Being able represent yourself as a certified member of ISST in brochures and in marketing material.

• If you complete Advanced Level Certification you can offer Schema Therapy Workshops and provide supervision on the premise that you abide by the ISST criteria.  Completion of the Supervisor- Trainer webinar will enable you to develop a certified training 3 years post attainment of advanced certified status  

• After you have met and completed certification requirements, you will be included in the ISST referral network. With your consent the ISST website will host your details, where you may be contacted by researchers, therapists, clients and agencies.

• To maintain these benefits you must pay annual ISST dues and meet continuing professional development requirements.

 

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Structure & Requirements for the Certified Training Programme.

 

Whether you are interested in general training or undertaking the certification route, participants are able to choose from a menu of options as outlined below. If you are intending to complete certification all components are required. For non- certification candidates, some of the components are optional.

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1) Attendance at 3 intensive workshops over 7 days, comprising of lectures, demonstrations and supervised role play practice.  Attendance at all these workshops is required by candidates undertaking certification.

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2) Applicants who do not wish to undertake certification with ISST can attend individual workshops.

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3) Candidates for certification will receive individual supervision sessions. 

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     - Standard Certification  = 20 hours

     - Advanced Certification = 40 Hours (Please note that this is likely to raise to 50 hours in due course)

 

Each session is 50-60 minutes long, and may be conducted by telephone, face to face or via video conferencing such as Zoom, Facetime or Skype. The duration of supervision must be at least one year for both Standard and Advanced Certification to meet ISST requirements for certification.

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Self-therapy is an important component of Schema Therapy. ISST recommends that candidates undertaking Standard Certification allocate a maximum of three sessions to self-therapy. For Advanced Certification it is recommended that candidates allocate a maximum of six sessions for self-therapy.

     

3) Candidates for ISST certification must treat a minimum of 2-4 cases (2 for Standard and 4 for Advanced) for a minimum of 25 therapy hours. A minimum of 80 patient/client sessions of at least 45 minutes each is required. More details will be provided in terms of appropriate clients for certification candidates when the training commences.

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To obtain ISST Certification, candidates are required to submit 1 patient session (Standard Certification) or  2 sessions (Advanced Certification) for rating upon conclusion of the required supervision hours. Each submission will be rated independently by an ISST Certified Trainer- Supervisor independent of your supervisor. Ratings can be audio or video recordings of the session. Each submission must be accompanied by the Schema Case Conceptualisation Form, which provides key information about the patient using the Schema Model.

 

3) Each candidate is required to read core text prior to commencing the training:

 

Young J.E, Klosko, J,E, Weishaar, M.E. (2003) Schema Therapy. A Practitioners Guide.

Young J.E, Klosko, J. E. (1994) Reinventing Your Life  

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Candidates will be able to view sessions by leading Schema Therapists on DVD during workshops and further reading will be recommended based on the latest Schema Therapy literature. Candidates will also benefit from an understanding of broader conceptual backgrounds including; Attachment Theory, CBT, complex trauma and third wave therapies.

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Workshops 2024/25

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Workshops will be held online. 

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Workshops dates

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Module 1: 9th, 10th & 11th December 2024

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Module 2: 20th & 21st January, 2025 

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Mod 3: 17th & 18th March, 2025

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(for a detailed overview of module content see Module content page)

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Scroll down for Training costs. 

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Workshops will include a combination of teaching methods including lectures with handouts, films of expert Schema Therapist demonstrating key skills and interventions, live demonstrations, dyad based role plays with supervision, small and large group exercises. Discussion of participants own schemas and childhood histories is encouraged to enhance the experiential learning component of training. The facilitators will be mindful of confidentiality and safety issues around personal disclosure of participants during training.

 

The workshops will cover the following areas:

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Schema Theory and the contextual model. An introduction to key terminology and concepts from Schema Theory. 

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Assessment and education. Approaches to assess and activate schemas and coping styles, schema education, use and interpretation of schema Inventories, experiential techniques to link problems to unmet childhood needs, assessing schemas in the therapeutic relationship.

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Cognitive Techniques to aid the building of a case against schemas and coping styles; historical test of evidence, schema dialogues, development of flashcards, schema diaries.

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Experiential Techniques. Emotional change via imagery dialogues, single and multiple chair work, venting, enabling healthy expression of anger e.g. letters to parents.

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Using the therapeutic relationship for change: Limited reparenting, empathic confrontation, limit setting, identifying in session activation of schemas, coping styles and modes.

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Mode work: Utilising schema modes in more complex presentations, reviewing key modes that present in specific disorders (Borderline Personality Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Obsessional Compulsive Personality Disorder), using the Schema Mode Inventory, bypassing coping modes, building Healthy Adult Mode utilising Contextual Schema Therapy approaches, working with child modes. working with Critic modes.

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Behavioural Pattern Breaking. Behavioural experiments, graded task assignments, homework assignments, Healthy adult role play, committed action, selecting appropriate partners.

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Identifying participants own schemas, managing schema activation in sessions (counter- transference).

Integrating 3rd Wave Therapies into Schema Therapy, moving towards values, meeting needs. Building skills by integrating DBT skills work into Schema Therapy. 

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The workshops will be interactive with opportunity for questions and group discussion. A key part of the training is based on experiential work in pairs, small groups and large group formats. We encourage as much skills practice as possible across the 3 workshops.  

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Individualised Case Supervision

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Trainees who undertake the certified route will be required to undertake 20-40 hours of supervision. This is normally on a weekly/fortnightly basis over a period of a minimum of one year. Supervision will provide an opportunity for in depth case discussion, feedback and mentoring, for each supervisees particular needs. Supervision will cover case conceptualisation, treatment planning, and opportunities to practice specific techniques. Additionally there will be scope to help trainees move towards healing their own schemas that may be having an adverse effect on their practice. Some sessions will be utilised to provide detailed feedback and ratings of submitted recorded sessions utilising the Schema Therapist Competency Rating Scale (STCRS).

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Rating of Submitted Case Recordings 

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Candidates who are undertaking certification are required to submit audio or video recordings of therapy sessions on a regular basis throughout the programme (approximately every 6-8 sessions). Cases submitted for certification purposes will be rated by independent raters who are Supervisor-Trainer certified Schema Therapists. Submissions for Standard Certification requires a case conceptualisation with minimum scores of 4 on the Schema Therapist Competence

Rating Scale (STCRS). Advanced certified candidates are required to submit two case conceptualisations and recordings (of separate cases) and score a minimum of 4.5 on the STCRS.

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Application Process

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We intend to accept up to 20 applicants, depending on the availability of supervisors and that candidates meet the criteria for acceptance onto the programme.

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Following are requirements for candidates to consider before applying. Please note that acceptance onto the programme is competitive and that candidates will be required to meet all requirements.   

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1. Candidates should have substantive psychotherapy experience.

2. Candidates should have read at least two books on Schema Therapy:

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Schema Therapy. A Practitioners Guide (Young, Klosko and Weishaar, 2003)

Reinventing Your Life (Young and Klosko, 1994).

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    3. Candidates must have current professional registration/accreditation with a relevant governing body (e.g. HCPC, BPS, BABCP) within your country.

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    4. At least 2 years post qualifying experience of direct client work.

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How to apply

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If you are applying for stand-alone workshops please complete the Schema Therapy Systems Registration form for Stand Alone Workshops 2024. This can be found on www.schematherapysystems.com  in the Applications Section.

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Candidates  for Certification will be required to provide the following:

• A completed application form 

• Submission of a current curriculum vitae

• Proof of current professional registration

• Two letters of recommendation from mental health professionals who know your clinical work e.g. clinical supervisor, line manager, colleague.

• Any additional information you consider will help your application.

 

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Selection Criteria.

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We will make our final selection of trainees based on the following criteria.

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• Prior interest in schema therapy such as clinical use of schema theory and approaches in clinical practice, participation in workshops, or involvement in special interest groups.

• Personal qualities which would contribute to you being an effective schema therapist.

• Meeting ISST criteria to train as a schema therapist i.e. holding a Masters or Doctoral degree in a related mental health field.

• Access to working with a clinical population with complex enduring psychological difficulties for a period of one year or more. 

• Your commitment to undertaking certification as a schema therapist and interest in your potential for training and supervising future trainee schema therapists

• Letters of recommendation.

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Application Deadline

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All applications and supporting information for the 2024/25 programme must be received by  November 1st,  2024.  Applications received after this date will only be considered if there are spaces available.

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If you have questions about the programme, please call or email us. We look forward to receiving your application.

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Please note that if you wish to apply for the certification programme it may be necessary for your application to be scrutinised by the ISST National Training Directors' Committee - United Kingdom , for ratification of your eligibility. As such please read the UK criteria carefully and if you think you do not automatically meet UK ISST criteria please contact us and we will discuss this with you and whether your application will need to be forwarded to the NTDC- UK.

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Contact Information

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Email: schematherapysystems@outlook.com

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By Post: Schema Therapy Systems, 20 Castle View, Denbigh, Wales, UK 

Telephone: 07727618502

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Tuition Costs

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1) Workshop total price: £ 900.00 

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Workshop 1: £300.00 

Workshop 2: £ 200.00 

Workshop 3: £200.00

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You are able to attend each of the workshops as stand-alone modules and pay separately for each workshop (early bird discount applies)

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Please note that following completion of the 3 modules , if eligible, you will be able to  apply to undertake certification. 

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For supervision fees at 2024/25 rates please see points 5 and 6 below.

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If you choose to enrol on either the Standard or Advanced certification programme rather than pay for each component separately you may do so at a discounted non-refundable fee. Please note you can only qualify for this discounted rate by notifying us prior to the commencement of the first weekend.

  

2) Complete Standard Certification Programme: This includes attendance at the 3 workshops plus 20 hours of individual supervision and two tape ratings.   £2700.00(including attendance at workshops 1, 2 & 3).

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Successful completion of this programme qualifies you for ISST Standard Certification

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3) Complete Advanced Certification Programme. This includes attendance at the 3 workshops plus 40 hours of individual supervision and 3 taped sessions.  £4700.00 (including attendance at workshop 1, 2 & 3)

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Successful completion of Standard Certification enables you apply for  ISST Advanced Certification.

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4) Independent Rating of client session by an ISST Certified Supervisor-Trainer. Candidates undertaking Standard Certification are required to submit 1 final client session for rating & will incur an additional fee payable to the independent rater. 

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(Candidates undertaking Advanced Certification are required to submit 2 final client sessions for rating & will incur an additional fee payable to the independent rater). 

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Non certification route participants who attend the 3 workshops who subsequently opt to undertake ISST certification, supervision fees are as follows (Please note Candidates must meet ISST requirements for certification).

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5) 20 hours of individual supervision plus 2 tape ratings (Standard Certification).   £2000.00

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6) 20 additional hours of Advanced individual supervision plus 3 tape ratings. (Candidates for Advanced Certification are required to complete 40 hours of individual supervision).  £2000.00

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If you would prefer to pay by instalments we would be happy to arrange this to suit your needs and we will be happy to discuss options to pay over a 1, 2 or 3 year period. If you wish to make payments this way please notify us by making use of the ‘Additional Information’ section on the Schema Therapy Systems Application form.

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Please note that applicants for individual modules must pay in full prior to attending the workshop.

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Whilst we understand that unforeseen events occur, accepted candidates dropping out of the training programme, when we cannot easily fill that seat, can result in a financial dilemma. As such, in order to run this intensive training for such a small number of trainees it is not possible to refund fees received after two weeks of funds being cleared regardless of circumstances. We are happy to provide training credit for up to 1 year to be applied to the 2024 programme or towards supervision.

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Candidates will pay for all telephone charges for supervision, and postage for sending tapes, dvds or transcripts of sessions.

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Please note that the programme tuition fees do not include ISST membership fee that is required for certification. For more information see the ISST website: http://schematherapysociety.org

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Schema Therapy Systems, April 2022

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