Body-Focused Schema Therapy

Janis Briedis explores core emotional needs, schemas, and coping styles, highlighting the crucial role of the body in therapy—especially for trauma. He demonstrates techniques to interpret body signals, connect emotions with physical sensations, and integrate somatic awareness into treatment. With an emphasis on humor and playfulness, this approach helps clients access their healthy adult state and enhance self-care.

The session includes exploration of barriers (coping modes) to the Young One (Vulnerable Child mode), leading to a rapid shift to (or breaking into) a vigorous, life-filled Healthy Adult state full of vitality and feeling of expansiveness. Topics of grounding, co-regulation and object permanence are touched upon in the session.

In this session a somatic sense of boundaries is explored through movement between the client and therapist. Movement towards each other allows the client to tap into the sense of their ’no’ or ’stop’ , as well as ‘yes’ in the body. As part of the exercise feelings about boundaries being set by the therapist are explored, and repair of mini-rupture in the therapeutic relationship is demonstrated.

The session demonstrates working with chair distance and using the space in the room, accessing embodied Healthy Adult state as a precursor to inviting the Young One (Vulnerable Child mode) into the room. Movement, voice and verbal experiments are used to enhance the connection between the client and the therapist, as well as Ines’ Healthy Adult state and her Vulnerable Child mode. The session also demonstrates a way to deal with modes that interfere in the work with the Vulnerable Child mode, as well as the use of somatic flashcards.

The session demonstrates the process of conceptualising client’s difficulties managing anxiety as the Demanding/Blaming Critic mode that is squashing the Vulnerable Child mode, moderated by the Catastrophizer coping mode. The chair work leads to an in-depth understanding and softening of the Demanding Critic, ability to somatically soothe the Vulnerable Child mode and the appearance of the Playful Child mode and the importance of self-compassion.

The session begins with the use of a cushion to access a deeper emotional and somatic state of anger, allowing the client to more clearly articulate the underlying unmet need, the role of the anger, and process the affect deeply buried in the body. The anger exercise leads to the emergence of the Vulnerable Child state, which requires a different approach and intervention. A scarf technique is used to experiment with different forms of connection, expression, and experimentation, which helps the client access the Playful Child state. The session demonstrates a shift in Thomas' relationship with his needs and their expression, moving towards releasing the Hypervigilant mode (tension), softening the body, and using verbal experiments to deepen the sense of safety within the body.

The session focuses on Thomas’ feelings of shame, lack of safety around others, and anxiety in the presence of others, fueled by the underlying Punitive Critic voice inducing fear and shame for the Vulnerable Child part. Through dialoguing with the Punitive Critic part, Thomas arrives at a point where a need for more self-compassion is identified. Verbal experiments and somatic self-soothing are used as a way of deepening the limited parenting stance toward the Vulnerable Child.

The session demonstrates an imagery rescripting exercise with a somatic element, focusing on a shame-based memory. Pushing a cushion in the middle of rescripting is used to enhance the client’s affective state and facilitate the effective processing of the memory. The act of pushing helps Thomas shift from an immobilizing state of shame and helplessness to a more mobilized defense, leading to a new sense of empowerment and a safe reconnection with the Vulnerable Child state. Somatic resourcing and verbal experiments are used to further activate Thomas’ soothing system.

Femke Jonker shares her expertise on recognizing and supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities. She highlights the importance of accurate diagnosis through IQ and adaptive functioning assessments, emphasizing the role of social and emotional functioning in treatment. The discussion explores tailored intervention strategies, providing valuable insights on ensuring individuals receive the appropriate care and support they need.

This video explores Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), a therapeutic approach that views emotions as central to human experience. EFT helps clients become aware of, accept, and transform their emotions. The therapy combines following the client’s emotional process with guiding them through tasks like resolving unresolved feelings or self-criticism. By focusing on bodily responses and synthesizing emotions (e.g., turning shame into healthy anger), EFT fosters deep emotional change. The process is non-linear, emphasizing experiential over intellectual understanding, and aims to help clients transform core painful emotions.

In this video, Les Greenberg demonstrates Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) with Marcel, a patient who struggles with a pleasing attitude. Marcel discusses how he often stays quiet, especially around dominant individuals, and avoids expressing his true thoughts. In the first session, he also addresses his relationship with his mother, exploring its impact on his behavior. Throughout the session, Greenberg guides Marcel in unpacking these issues and shares key takeaways for therapists on how to approach similar dynamics in their own practice.

Masterclass 1: The development of EFT and relational empathy for deepening affect Rhonda Goldman is a renowned expert in the field of Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT). She has extensive experience in developing and teaching therapeutic approaches that focus on deepening affect and relational empathy. Her insights and knowledge will help us develop a deep understanding of EFT and the importance of empathy in therapy practice.

ADHD – often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and mistreated. This masterclass provides the latest updates on effective ADHD management. Prof. Cortese covers: - The evolution of ADHD medications and insights from clinical trials - Pharmacological vs. non-pharmacological treatments: what works (and what doesn’t) - The impact of parent training on treatment outcomes - How trauma influences ADHD symptoms

In the first therapy session, Dr. Elisabeth Kaiser meets patient Willemijn, who has been referred to her because she is struggling with mental health issues. During this initial session, Elisabeth gets to know Willemijn through a questionnaire to gain insight into her background and current emotional state. Elisabeth compares this process to visiting a general practitioner to identify the origins of specific symptoms. This is to find out where her trauma(s) are coming from.

In this second session, Elisabeth starts by asking Willemijn how she feels after their first session to assess its impact on her. Following this, they begin to lay out Willemijn's lifeline. Symbols are used in the lifeline to describe situations, such as stones (unpleasant events), flowers (beautiful events), sticks (harm done to someone), and candles (loss of loved ones).

In this video, Sandra Kooij explores the future of ADHD treatments in adults, addressing new developments in the field.

In this roleplay, psychotherapist Remco van der Wijngaart demonstrates the chair excercise using three different chairs and client roles. He also shows how to do this technique online.

Masterclass 3: Markers and Tasks - Dealing with self-criticism, self-interruption, and unresolved issues. Psyflix presents the Person-Centered Experiential Therapy Masterclass Series: 'Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT)' As a speaker and instructor, Imke Herrmann has conducted masterclasses and workshops worldwide, sharing her knowledge and expertise with other mental health professionals.

In this video, Sandra Kooij explains the diagnostic assessment of ADHD in adults using the DIVA 5 (Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults). She covers the history of the DIVA, the setup of the interview, and how to present it to patients. Additionally, she delves into the structure of the interview, provides sample questions, and shares key insights to ensure a smooth and informative diagnostic process.

In this third session of the Trauma Tapes, Ruud Jongedijk guides Victoria through a narrative exposure. Victoria tells about a traumatic experience of abuse by her father (a stone in her lifeline). Then she tells about her liberation (a flower), releasing a lot of emotion. Her grandmother turned out to be a very important source of support in her life. -Dutch with English subtitles-

During this second session, Laurian and Lisanne go deeper into the traumatic memories and images. Central to these memories is a sense of of powerlessness. The SUD decreases gradually, and by the end of the session Lisanne is even able to say: "I can handle it".

In this 15th session it emerges that Anne has had a "breach of contract" and that she has been drinking too much (again). As agreed, Anne brings this up at the beginning of the session, downplaying her behavior. Nel then looks along with Anne and goes into detail about the feelings Anne had prior to the drinking. Here she uses different TFP interventions: clarification (asking for clarification), confrontation (offering contradictory statements at the same time and asking how Anne reconciles this) and if possible interpretation (connecting the 'pluses' and 'minuses').

In this third session, Elisabeth delves deeper with Willemijn into one chosen trauma, one stone from her lifeline. Elisabeth refers to this as a "mountain tour," where she is the tour guide and Willemijn leads her along the path towards the trauma. Through asking questions, they navigate the entire path towards the trauma. This process may bring about a lot of fear, but it signifies that Willemijn is on the right path.

Session 2 with Maartje – Maartje feels positive after the first session. Today, she wants to work on her anger. Les wants to explore this further: Where does the anger come from? When and why does it arise?

The session demonstrates the process of conceptualising client’s difficulties managing anxiety as the Demanding/Blaming Critic mode that is squashing the Vulnerable Child mode, moderated by the Catastrophizer coping mode. The chair work leads to an in-depth understanding and softening of the Demanding Critic, ability to somatically soothe the Vulnerable Child mode and the appearance of the Playful Child mode and the importance of self-compassion.

With Esther Haaijema, Wendy Weijts and Valentyna Parobii

On November 30 and December 7, Psyflix hosted 2 master classes given by experts Anneke Vinke and Dr. Julie Selwyn on the specific issues that can accompany adoption, how to recognize it and how to discuss/treat it. Adoption is a niche topic and these women make it accessible and tangible for us in the therapy room. This is part one of this wonderful series.

On November 30 and December 7, Psyflix hosted 2 master classes given by experts Anneke Vinke and Dr. Julie Selwyn (English) on the specific issues that can accompany adoption, how to recognize it and how to discuss/treat it. Adoption is a niche topic and these women make it accessible and tangible for us in the therapy room. This is part two of this wonderful series.

Mental health challenges among adolescents in the UK, and many other countries, have surged over the past decade, with a particularly sharp rise among teenage girls. One factor that stands out is the rapid increase in social media usage, with currently 87% of UK teens aged 12-15 active on these platforms (Ofcom survey, 2022). While the debate on causation continues, numerous studies point to a significant link between social media use and mental health issues. Social media can offer community and connection, but it can also have a darker side. In this insightful masterclass, Dr Jon Goldin will delve into both the risks and benefits of social media on the mental health of young people. He will explore: - The potential detrimental effects of social media - The benefits of online social engagement - How to recognize the impact of social media on patients - Strategies to mitigate negative effects

This e-learning is accredited by: FGzPt, NIP-EL, NVP, VSR, LV-POH, and V&V. Start the e-learning by clicking the yellow "start e-learning" button. In this webinar, Prof. Dr. Hedwig van Bakel and Drs. Marja Rexwinkel discuss the theoretical foundations of Infant Mental Health. They emphasize the importance of a holistic view of Infant Mental Health issues. They advise against premature pathologizing and support their points with examples from their own work.

This presentation examines the complex relationship between addiction and criminal law, particularly focusing on culpability in cases of intoxication. It discusses how various jurisdictions handle prior fault rules and the challenges faced by defendants with mental disorders or substance use issues. The role of behavioral experts is highlighted, emphasizing their impact on judicial decisions regarding addiction and culpability.

In this introduction, David Bernstein and Limor Navot explain how forensic schema therapy was developed, how it works, the research supporting it, and how therapists apply it in practice.

In this roleplay, Limor Navot demonstrates chairwork with Richard (played by David Bernstein), a patient with narcissistic personality disorder and paranoid traits. She illustrates how to identify modes and integrate them through chairwork.

In this roleplay, David treats Jerry, an inmate recently involved in a violent incident. He uses modes and mode cards to reflect with Jerry on what happened and explore his behavior.

In this roleplay, David treats Jerry, an inmate who was recently involved in a violent incident. He uses empathic confrontation to help Jerry see that his conning manipulator mode works against him rather than helping him.

In this roleplay, Limor treats Jerry, an inmate recently transferred to a different clinic. She uses empathic confrontation to help him understand that his self-aggrandizer mode does not always work in his favor.

This e-learning is based on a webinar by prof. dr. Patrick Luyten. Patrick goes deeper into online psychodynamic psychotherapy and in particular Dynamic Interpersonal psychotherapy (DIT). Extensive theory and demonstration are included.

In this roleplay, prof. dr. David Bernstein en Limor Navot demonstrate dealing with the 'detached mode' as part of borderline personality disorder using schematherapeutic techniques.

With Elsa van den Broek

In this role-play, José Verpoort works with a patient suffering from depression. José demonstrates how she deals with anxiety symptoms that show up in the patient during their first session together.

Transference Focused Therapy is an evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatment that focuses on reducing symptoms of personality disorders by exploring the transfer of feelings and experiences from the patient to the therapist. It is a powerful therapy that can be highly effective in treating complex psychological problems. During the webinar, Frank Yeomans will discuss the main principles of TFP and its application in practice. This webinar is a unique opportunity to learn more about Transference Focused Therapy and to hear one of the leading experts in the field speak.

In this roleplay, Limor treats Jerry, an inmate who becomes angry with the therapist. She uses empathic confrontation and the stop technique to help him recognize that his bully and attack modes do not help him meet his needs.

In this webinar prof. dr. Wim Veling en Louis Zantema provide insight into teatment of pain disorders and stress using virtual reality. Supporting research is discussed and as well as the appliction of VR.

In this third webinar in the ISTDP series, Josette ten Have - de Labije explains how ISTDP can be used to treat persistent depression and emotional neglect. She also explains the meaning of the human-animal attachment. She explains these concepts in depth, how they relate to ach other, and how ISTDP can be effectively applied.

Prof. Dr. Kees Korrelboom is the originator of Competitive Memory Training (COMET), a technique that has been proven to be effective with clients suffering from persistent low self-esteem. With this technique, memories are re-experienced which activate the positive qualities of the client.

In this video Else shows you how to make a leg cataleptic. We follow Maaike, who has had FND symptoms for 12 years. Important in this is patience.

In this lecture Sandra Mulkens gives an introduction to ARFID in which she covers classification in the DSM, the three profiles of ARFID and comorbidity, differentiation from common variations in eating behaviour, development and maintaining factoren, diagnostic instruments and treatment approach.

In this roleplay Sandra Mulkens demonstrates exposure as treatment intervention for ARFID.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a common but disruptive condition that can significantly impact daily life. Dr. Lynne Drummond will explore how to recognize symptoms, understand the nature of intrusive thoughts and compulsions, and discuss the modern treatment options available.

In this demonstration, Elisabeth Kaiser shows how to guide a client through the imaginary exposure exercise using the flower. This exercise is aimed at having the client bring back a significant positive memory in vivid detail.

In this fifth session of the BEPP series, prof. dr. Berthold Gersons shows how to guide a patient through the ritual of saying goodbye. This concluding ritual is an important part of BEPP therapy.

Femke has PTSD and experiences difficulties with target selection.

During this session, prof. dr. Ad de Jongh gives you more insight into his choices as a therapist, illustrated by a selection of clips showing important tipping points in the therapy sessions with Lisanne.

In this fourth session, Ad first briefly goes through the traumatic memories with Lisanne, to see what the current SUD scores are. From fierce arguments to abuse, every traumatic memory is dealt with and by the end Lisanne is able to convincingly say: “I can handle it” and “I'm worth it”.

In the second session, Katy tells Pnin that they won't delve fully into the details of the traumas he has experienced just yet, and instead, they will first outline a complete lifeline of his entire life. Symbols are used in the lifeline to describe situations, such as stones (unpleasant events), flowers (beautiful events), sticks (harm done to someone), and candles (loss of loved ones).

In this masterclass, Skip Rizzo shows different ways in which virtual reality (VR) can be used in mental healthcare. He shows us this with examples from virtual reality applications and interventions.

ISTDP stands for Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. The essence of ISTDP is about gaining insight into and experiencing emotions, desires and needs, the fears that are associated with experiencing these, and the defense mechanisms that are in place against these fears. Usually these originate from painful experiences in childhood related to insecure attachment and unsafe striving for autonomy. In this webinar, prof. dr. Allan Abbass will show us different applications of ISTDP with mild to complex personality dysfunction. Special attention is given to applying this short-term therapy in an online setting.

In this webinar prof. dr. Vikram Patel from Harvard University shares insight into the contribution of telehealth to global mental health through facilitating in the global dermand of psychotherapy.

In this series, you will learn about the existing and future clinical applications of VR. In this first masterclass, Albert "Skip" Rizzo will explain what virtual reality is and how it can be used for therapeutic purposes. A number of previews from existing VR applications will be shown.

In this roleplay, prof. dr. Anthony Bateman demonstrates how to help clients feel at ease in an online MBT session.

In this demonstration Haim Weinberg en Bram van der Boom provide insight into online psychodinamic group therapy. The course of the group dynamics is illustrated as well as how to adequately intervene online using imagination, and by specifically pointing out patients' facial and other non-verbal expressions. Adequate handling of technical difficulties during group session is addressed as well as a clear example of online co-therapist cooperation (min. 17-18).

In this roleplay, psychotherapist Remco van der Wijngaart demonstrates the chair excercise using three different chairs and client roles. He also shows how to do this technique online.

In this masterclass, you'll gain insight into some of the most innovative and unusual techniques used in psychotherapy today. Drawing on his extensive experience as a clinician and researcher, Dr. Akhtar will guide you through a range of interventions designed to help you better connect with your clients and achieve lasting change. From psychodrama and bibliotherapy to music and dance therapy, this masterclass covers a wide range of approaches that you can use to engage with clients and help them overcome their challenges.

In this roleplay, prof. dr. David Bernstein en Limor Navot demonstrate dealing with the 'detached mode' as part of borderline personality disorder using schematherapeutic techniques.

This roleplay demonstrates how to conclude psychodynamic psychotherapy using a therapeutic letter from the therapist addressed to the client. The most important aspects of a therapeutic letter are discussed.

In this sixth session of the Trauma Tapes, watch Ruud Jongedijk guide his second session with NET exposure. In doing so, he first listens to her life story and traumatic experience -Dutch with English subtitles-

In this role-play, Prof. Dr. Claudi Bockting demonstrates the downward arrow technique. This technique can be used to trace the underlying beliefs of the client. Being able to find such beliefs is essential to be able to change them.

In this presentation, we delve into the essence of Emotion-Focused Therapy for individuals, highlighting the pivotal role of empathetic responses. Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is metaphorically described as an expansive sea of empathy, with isles of work. Our journey begins with a deep dive into empathic exploration and attunement. We aim to uncover the core issues troubling the patient, adopting the perspective and sensitivity of a therapist to navigate through their emotional landscape. The aim is to follow and to guide.

In this video, Dr. Leanne Campbell provides a comprehensive introduction to Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT). She discusses the history and development of this therapeutic approach, walks you through the different phases, and explains how EFIT contributes to strengthening emotional connections and resilience. Additionally, she offers a unique insight into her practice by showcasing several sessions with her own clients, bringing the theory to life in practice.

The session demonstrates the process of conceptualising client’s difficulties managing anxiety as the Demanding/Blaming Critic mode that is squashing the Vulnerable Child mode, moderated by the Catastrophizer coping mode. The chair work leads to an in-depth understanding and softening of the Demanding Critic, ability to somatically soothe the Vulnerable Child mode and the appearance of the Playful Child mode and the importance of self-compassion.

In this roleplay, prof. dr. David Bernstein en Limor Navot demonstrate dealing with the 'detached mode' as part of borderline personality disorder using schematherapeutic techniques.

In this fifth session of the BEPP series, prof. dr. Berthold Gersons shows how to guide a patient through the ritual of saying goodbye. This concluding ritual is an important part of BEPP therapy.

With Pieternel Dijkstra, Aerjen Tamminga, and Bram van der Boom

In this role-play, Josette ten Have works with the patient to uncover the emotional neglect she experienced in her past and helps her get in touch with the painful emotions this caused in her.

During the Grief Tapes we focus on recognizing and treating grief. In this studio series you will see how Prof. Dr. Paul Boelen treats a patient and how exposure can help with grief.

In this role-play, Prof. Dr. Mark van der Gaag demonstrates the pie chart technique. With this well-known technique in CBT, you can help a client come up with more helpful alternative explanations for events.

In this role-play, Kim Helmus demonstrates how to challenge a clients' beliefs. In this technique, the therapist and client review events the client experienced that disprove his or her negative beliefs and thus the reasons for showing the avoidance behavior.

In this role-play, Prof. Dr. Claudi Bockting demonstrates the downward arrow technique. This technique can be used to trace the underlying beliefs of the client. Being able to find such beliefs is essential to be able to change them.

How do you create a positive bond between yourself and your partner? In this video, the first two stages of EFT are explained and illustrated through a demonstration. Afterwards, Dr. Marlene Best and Dr. Sue Johnson discuss the therapy session with each other, so you can get some tips from it as well.

During this session you will learn more about Attachment Based Family Treatment (ABFT) and you will be provided with a lot of theory and practical examples in order to gain first-hand experience.

A toolbox full of exercises you can immediately apply with clients. Jenny Broersen guides you through an imagination exercise on Schema Therapy & the Healthy Adult.

Embracing uncertainty in order to overcome despair: An experiential-existential point of view This keynote delves into the profound experience of certainty and its inevitable counterpart, uncertainty. When certainty dissolves, we often face existential crises—fear, despair, and isolation. As we confront global challenges like climate change, this uncertainty can feel overwhelming. But there is a paradoxical path to resilience: by deeply rooting ourselves in existence and embracing the uncertainties that threaten us, we can find new meaning, courage, and wisdom. Discover how connecting beyond ourselves can empower us to face the state of our world with bravery.

In this second session, Gus reflects on the first session and shares how it impacted him. Together with Dr. Leanne Campbell, he explores his relationship with his parents, particularly his mother, who passed away at a young age. This session focuses on how this loss and other significant dilemmas have played a role in shaping Gus's identity.

In this roleplay, Dr. Leanne Campbell collaborates with Nina, a 43-year-old woman who recently lost a loved one and is struggling with an unresolved childhood trauma. Nina is experiencing a depressive episode that has lasted for six months and feels stuck, lonely, and isolated. In this first part of the session, Leanne focuses on building an emotional connection with Nina and guides her through the first phase of ‘The Tango,’ a process aimed at connecting with her feelings and inner experiences.

In this third phase of the Tango, the therapist adopts a less directive, more supportive role. Dr. Leanne Campbell assists Nina in consolidating her insights and celebrates the progress she has made. The goal is to guide Nina in embracing her growth and firmly anchoring the positive changes so that she can carry them into her daily life.

Emotionally focused family therapy (EFT) strengthens family relationships by enhancing attachment between parents and children. It follows three stages: increasing parental responsiveness, helping children express vulnerability, and consolidating changes. The EFT Tango, a structured method, guides therapists in processing emotions and initiating new conversations. Emotions play a key role in communication, highlighting the importance of parents expressing their feelings to support their children effectively.