Schema Therapy is an innovative transdiagnostic treatment model that is ideally suited to the treatment of eating disorders, and is well equipped to address the rigidly held belief systems, characterological traits, affective instability, trauma-based symptomatology and comorbidities that have been shown to interfere with clinical outcomes in eating disorders (Cooper & Kelland, 2015; Segura-Garcia et al., 2013; Wilson et al., 2007).

Schema Therapy has demonstrated promising preliminary findings for eating disorders (Simpson et al., 2010; Simpson & Slowey, 2011), including one randomized controlled trial (McIntosh et al., 2016). Further, robust RCT evidence indicates its effectiveness in the treatment of disorders that are frequently comorbid with eating disorders, and which appear to interfere with the effectiveness of first-line treatments, including borderline, cluster c, and narcissistic PDs, chronic depression, and complex trauma (for reviews of the evidence see: Bakos et al., 2015; Hawke & Provencher, 2011; Hopwood & Thomas, 2014; Jacob & Arntz, 2013; Masley et al., 2012; Pugh, 2015; Roediger & Zarbock, 2015; Sempertegui et al., 2013; Taylor et al., 2017).

This workshop will provide therapists with an opportunity to learn powerful techniques for working with eating disorders, including those with entrenched beliefs, high complexity and comorbidity (e.g. OCD, rigid personality traits, PTSD). Anyone interested in learning to apply the schema therapy mode work to assist people with eating disorders would benefit from this workshop. The workshop will provide participants with practical experience and guidance in the use of innovative versions of imagery, chair work and other techniques for change. Videos and demonstrations will be used to illustrate experiential change techniques. Training will specifically include working with vulnerable child modes, limited reparenting skills, bypassing avoidant or overcompensatory coping modes, and fighting punitive (self-critical) or guilt inducing thinking patterns that drive eating disorder behaviors. Participants will receive handouts that they can use in their clinical work.

The workshop will offer you methods to cope with the challenging situations associated with eating disorders and will include:

• ● Methods to formulate complex eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, urges, & comorbid disorders using schema ‘modes’
• ● Imagery & chair-work to set limits on self-defeating ’inner critic’ modes
• ● Learn to recognise & work with common coping modes in Eating Disorders including: Flagellating, Perfectionistic & Invincible Overcontroller modes, and Helpless Surrenderer modes
• ● Empathic confrontation & chair-work to bypass strong coping modes, especially the ‘Overcontroller’ and ‘Helpless Surrenderer’ modes
• ● Working with clients who are reluctant to participate in experiential work & to connect with emotions.
• ● Methods to access vulnerability & distress in eating disorders in order to enhance healing.
• ● Working with interoception to enhance body trust
• ● Enhancing client’s Healthy Adult mode in treatment.
• ● The latest evidence-base for Schema Therapy with Eating Disorders & common comorbidities

Where and when?

This event will take place on November 9th and 10th 2023, online, on the Zoom platform.

The activities will be conducted in English, with simultaneous translation into Romanian.

Course schedule

Day 1

9.00 – 11.30 Introduction

• Gaps in Eating Disorder evidence base
• Comorbidity and complexity in Eating Disorders
• Rationale for Schema Therapy for Eating Disorders
• Preliminary evidence of Schema Therapy for Eating Disorders

11.30 – 11.50 Coffee and tea break

11.50– 13.00 Modes & Mode Maps

• Review of the modes relevant to eating disorders
• Introducing some new eating disorder modes
• Differentiating modes & linking to specific eating behaviors (dietary restraint, binging, purging, overexercise, rituals)
• Getting to know the Overcontroller mode
• Group Exercise - Developing a mode map for your eating disorder clients

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch Break

14:00 – 15:30

• Schema assessment & education of eating disorders from a schema therapy perspective
• Identification of unmet needs & schemas that drive Eating Disorders
• Exploring agendas and fears of recovery linked to coping modes
• Interoception and Body Trust

15.30 – 15.50 Break

15.50 – 17.00 Group Exercise (Experiential)

• Imagery Rescripting with childhood experiences directly/indirectly linked to development of Eating Disorders

Day 2: - Experiential Techniques in working with eating disorders

09.00 – 12.30 (with a coffee break between 11.30 and 11.50) - Chairwork

• Working with Critic Modes
• Bypassing the Overcontroller mode (therapist plays Vulnerable Child)
• Group Exercise: Bypassing the Overcontroller mode (therapist plays Devil’s Advocate)

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch Break

14.00- 15.30 - Imagery Rescripting

• Imagery Rescripting to integrate Coping Modes in past and present
• Working with guilt-inducing messages (bringing in little mum/dad)
• Fraser’s Table ImageryFraser 1991, 2003)

15.30 – 15.50 Break

15:50 – 17:00

• Empathic Confrontation with Coping Modes in Eating Disorders
• Common pitfalls and issues
• Questions & opportunity to discuss cases (supervision)

Course cost and payment details

The cost of the course is 1200 RON until the 9th of October, 2023, and 1400 RON after that date until the event.

Who is this event for?

This workshop is intended for psychotherapists familiar with schema therapy and who want to use working with schema modes in the case of eating disorders or enhance their practice in working with modes throughout psychological diagnoses.

Who is Dr. Susan Simpson?

Dr. Susan Simpson is a Clinical Psychologist who has specialized in Schema Therapy for complex eating disorders over the past 20 years. She currently works in an NHS outpatient eating disorders unit in Scotland. She also runs the only ISST-accredited Schema Therapy training program in Scotland. She regularly runs Schema Therapy workshops through Schema Therapy Scotland and Schema Therapy Training Australia. She is part of an international research group which is currently investigating the effectiveness of Schema Therapy for eating disorders. She has published several research papers on the schema therapy model applied to a range of clinical populations, and has presented her findings at national and international conferences. She is also the co-author/editor of the book „Schema Therapy for Eating Disorders”. A full list of her publications can be found here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Susan_Simpson/publications

References

• ● Simpson, S. & Smith, E. (2019). Schema Therapy for Eating Disorders. Routledge. Schema Therapy for Eating Disorders. Routledge.
• ● Simpson, S. Schema Therapy for Eating Disorders: A case study illustration of the mode approach. (2012) In M. van Vreeswijk, J. Broersen & M. Nadort (Eds.) (2012). The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Schema Therapy: Theory, Research and Practice, Part III Chapter 1. (pp. 145-171). Wiley:Chichester, UK.
• ● Calvert, F., Smith, E., Brockman, R., & Simpson, S. (2018). Group schema therapy for eating disorders: study protocol. Journal of Eating Disorders 6, 1-7. Journal of Eating Disorders 6, 1-7.
• ● Simpson et al. (2018) Factorial Structure and Preliminary Validation of the Schema Mode Inventory for Eating Disorders (SMI-ED).Front. Psychol. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00600. Psychol. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00600.