Overview

The training in Schema Therapy is a postgraduate training that requires certain qualifications. It is primarily for psychologists and psychiatrists, but also members of other healthcare professions may attend the courses.

Note: You are welcome to attend our workshops individually for Continuing Professional Development purposes without committing to pursuing Schema Therapy Certification.

Eligible for ISST certification as a Certified Schema Therapist are psychiatrists and psychologists with an academic degree who are government-licensed to practice psychotherapy in their respective countries or who have completed psychotherapy training comparable to international standards.

(see: www.schematherapysociety.org/certification).

You are welcome to attend our workshops individually for CPD (Continuing Professional Development) purposes without committing to pursuing Schema Therapy Certification

The curriculum is structured according to the recommendations and guidelines of the International Society for Schema Therapy (ISST). It consists of:

Basic level courses:

Basic training of 40 hours alltogether should provide the trainee with a with good basic qualification in Schema Therapy. The basic training consist of all necessary tools and el dahin da hintenements you need so start, to perform and to sucessfully end Schema Therapy with your client.

At our institute, the basic curriculum of 40 hours can be offered in different formats:

• Intensive courses of 4+2 days
• 3×3 days, 4.5 hours each
• Any other distribution of the required 40 hours minimum
• Most of our trainings are online Zoom
• For our trainings at local partner institutes/providers see websites (Rakhawy Institute RITR /Egypt, Mais Samhouri Center /Jordan, AlQuds University /Palestine etc.

Methodological deepening/advanced courses:

These courses are conceptualized either regarding special techniques or modes (imaginations, impact techniques, integrating other techniques into Schema Therapy like Expressive Arts Therapy (“The Hero’s Journey”), strengthening the Healthy Adult mode etc.) or special disorders (Borderline, Narcissistic, Cluster C etc.) or special populations (couples, groups etc.).

To participate in these courses basic knowledge in Schema Therapy is required, but it is not obligatory to have terminated the entire basic curriculum.

Group Schema Therapy (GST) – GST-ISTOS Switzerland

We also offer the Group Schema Therapy (GST) Curriculum, which fulfills the training requirements for ISST certification as a Group Schema Therapist at both the Standard Level and the Advanced Level.

Standard level

This level is open to candidates who are eligible for traditional ISST certification, as well as professionals from related psychosocial and mental health disciplines who are able to practice Schema Therapy under supervision.

This category allows participants to:

1. practice as a co-therapist in a Schema Therapy group together with an Advanced Level ISST-certified Group Schema Therapist, and
2. lead groups independently within their own professional field, provided these groups are consistent with the principles and strategies of Schema Therapy (e.g., an art therapist conducting an art therapy group based on the Schema Therapy model).

Certification Requirements

1. 12 hours of introductory training in general Schema Therapy.
   This requirement may be fulfilled by attending introductory workshops offered elsewhere by ISST-certified Schema Therapy trainers.
2. 24 hours of training in Group Schema Therapy (typically four days of six hours each):
   • 12 hours of didactic training, including Schema Therapy theory, interventions, Limited Reparenting, and the core components of Group Schema Therapy (GST).
   • 12 hours of dyadic training and role-play, of which a minimum of 6 hours must consist of experiential self-therapy in a group setting.
3. 20 hours of supervision in Group Schema Therapy (GST).
4. Competency assessment:
   Submission of one video-recorded group session achieving a score of at least 4.0 (on a 1–6 scale) on the Group Schema Therapy Competency Rating Scale (GSTCRS).
5. Clinical practice in Group Schema Therapy:
   Conducting a minimum of 20 Group Schema Therapy sessions.

The original certification requirements, together with the additional requirements for Advanced Level certification, including the certification application forms, can be found here.