Schema Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder (2^nd Ed.)

Provides clear guidance on utilizing Schema Therapy to reduce BPD symptoms and bring about lasting changes in the patient's personality

People with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) struggle with a range of problems that negatively impact virtually every aspect of their lives, such as constantly changing moods, blurred personal identities, impulsive behaviors, interpersonal problems, and episodes of rage. BPD patients are at high risk of self-harm and substance abuse, with approximately 10% of BPD patients dying from suicide. BPD severely affects the education, employment, personal relationships, and physical and emotional wellbeing of those suffering from the disorder. Schema Therapy (ST), based on cognitive behavioral therapy and techniques derived from experiential therapies, has been shown to achieve substantial personality improvements in BPD patients.

Shema Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder describes the pioneering BPD therapy based on insights from cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic, and developmental theories. Schema Therapy emphasizes the emotional processing of traumatic experiences and the use of the therapeutic relationship to bring about positive change. The text describes ST treatment for BPD in detail, covering the aims and phases of the therapy, treatment planning, cognitive and behavioral methods, specific techniques appropriate to each schema mode, behavioral pattern-breaking, termination of therapy, and more. This authoritative volume:

• Describes a treatment for patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) that yields substantial clinical improvement or recovery in most cases
• Explains the schema mode model of BPD that helps both patients and therapist understand the problems experienced by BPD patients, and that is central in ST for BPD.
• Explains Schema Therapy (ST) for BPD based on the schema mode model, discussing different treatment methods and techniques geared to specific schema modes
• Covers the latest developments in the field of ST, such as Group Schema Therapy and the application of ST for couples.
• Includes handouts to give to patients, including a biographical diary, forms for homework assignments and problem solving, and a positive self-statement log

Schema Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder is essential reading for clinical psychologists, psychotherapists, psychopathologists, psychiatrists, mental health practitioners, and advanced undergraduate and graduate students in relevant fields.

About the Authors vii

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction 1

1 Borderline Personality Disorder 3

2 Schema Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder 7

3 Treatment 31

4 The Therapeutic Relationship 49

5 Experiential Techniques 69

6 Cognitive Techniques 133

7 Behavioral Techniques 149

8 Specific Methods and Techniques 155

9 Methods per Mode 167

10 Schema Therapy in Other Settings and Modalities 201

11 Final Phase of Therapy 225

12 Conclusion 229

Appendix A: Brochure for Patients: Schema Therapy for People with Borderline Personality Disorder 233

Appendix B: Cognitive Diary for Modes 239

Appendix C: Positive Logbook 241

Appendix D: Historical Testing 243

Appendix E: Experiments 245

Appendix F: Homework Form 247

Appendix G: Problem Solving 249

Appendix H: Changing Behavioral Patterns 251

Appendix I: Eighteen Schemas 253

Appendix J: Coping Strategies 259

Appendix K: Form for the Historical Role Play 261

References 263

Index 271

Arnoud Arntz, PhD, is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. His research and clinical activities are directed at personality disorders and trauma-related mental health problems. He is well-known for his test of Schema Therapy as a treatment for Borderline and other Personality Disorders, and for his contributions to the development of the theory and the application of Schema Therapy.

Hannie van Genderen, MSc, is psychotherapist/clinical psychologist and supervisor and trainer in Schema Therapy. She was involved with the introduction of Schema Therapy for personality disorders in the Netherlands from the very beginning in 1996. She was involved with the foundation of the International Society of Schema Therapy and was member of the board as coordinator for Training and Certification from 2010-2012. From 2012-2016 she was chair of the Dutch Schema Therapy Association. Since 1990 she was involved as a senior consultant and clinical psychologist in the treatment and research of personality disorders in general and borderline personality disorder (BPS) in particular. In 2000 she became director of a Schema Therapy Institute, where so far about 4000 schema therapists were trained.