
Schema Therapy Workshop: Working with Tricky Modes in Cluster C and anxiety-based presentations
All coping modes are not created equal! Even the most seasoned schema therapists find therapy can grind to a halt in the face of highly rigid and avoidant coping modes. Commonly occurring modes within Cluster C presentations include an array of Overcontroller, Avoidant and Surrender modes that can hijack the flow of sessions. These modes are often ego syntonic and feel central to the client's sense of self. Bypassing these modes in order to reach the Vulnerable Child is key to recovery. This workshop focuses on a range of techniques that can help circumnavigate debates or stalemates with coping modes, to help our clients connect with their most authentic and vulnerable aspects of self. The workshop also focuses on methods for strengthening the client's Healthy Adult identity, with an emphasis on nurturing compassionate inner-connection with their own Child Modes whilst learning to embody an authentic sense of self based on freedom, autonomy and self-expression.