For a lot of those trained in schema therapy, working with modes and schemas at the same time is not clearly understood. This confusion leads many to choose to work primarily either with schemas (the followers of Jeffrey Young’s original theory) or with modes (the followers of the mode-centric modern approach advanced by the Dutch school and endorsed by Arnoud Arntz’s multiple researches).

As the parent of Schema Therapy himself – Jeffrey Young – fervently iterated during the 2019 conference in Edinburgh, schemas and modes are two closely intertwined concepts, and it takes the knowledge and use of both for a therapy to be effective and determine in-depth changes.

Although the schema concept was initially the more popular one, it was nothing new, as it had been previously used by Aaron Beck in cognitive behavioral therapy. The novelties added by Young to this concept were the idea that schemas are underpinned by needs left unsatisfied or improperly satisfied, which we have during childhood then over the course of our lives, and the idea a schema does not only include a cognitive component, it rather being a conglomerate of cognitions, emotional and bodily experiences, recollections and tendencies to act. In schema therapy for children and teenagers, for a better and easier understanding of the concept, a schema is defined as a wound (a vulnerability) or an emotional button. Once this button is pushed, the schema becomes active and the wound becomes painful, whereas the person starts enacting a series of Modes of the Schema to cope with this activation.

The Mode concept comes into play in a practical fashion, once the schema has been enabled, which is very important to clearly distinguish the schema in question. it will be possible to accurately discern, and adequately approach, the modes only when they are seen in light of the connection, they have with the schema that triggers them.

If a person displays an active abandonment schema, then their Vulnerable Child Mode might feel the frustrated need for safety and attachment while hearing in its head the voice of a punitive Parent saying that abandonment is inevitable for a child like them. The Vulnerable Child Mode will have to protect itself against such words either by covering its ears – the avoidance Coping Mode – or starting to drink or to take various drugs; or by overcompensating via the Attack Mode – by always getting out of relationships before others might get the chance to leave it and calling the others not … enough; or by surrendering inside the schema via the Compliant Mode and constantly going for unavailable or cheating partners.

Without knowing the enabled schema, we may tend to mistake one mode for another, particularly when it comes to the Coping Modes. What could be construed as an overcompensation Coping Mode within the Defectiveness/Shame (arrogance) may actually be a surrender mode if we are referring to a schema of Non-realistic Standards (I must do everything faultlessly and always be the first). The accurate identification of schemas and modes shall be critical in selecting the suitable intervention strategies and discovering alternative pathways in order to approach a resilient personality on multiple flanks.