Keynote 5 - How Can We Integrate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Schema Therapy, and Mindfulness Psychotherapy to Train Our Clients as Self-healers?

As a Fellow of the ABCT (Academy of Cognitive Behavior Therapy) and ISST (International Society of Schema Therapy)- certified Schema therapist, and a Vipassana Meditator, the presenter aimed to develop Transdiagnostic Integrated CBT, the presenter started from the cognitive model based on Aaron Beck's cognitive theory and tried assimilating different theories and techniques among the existing evidence-based psychotherapies. With traditional CBT, several thousand of my patients learned how to solve their own problems as the self-therapist, but still, many patients do not respond well to Traditional CBT, and we call them treatment-resistant cases, which usually have co-morbid problems, primarily personality disorders. Studies about personality disorders showed that unique schemas were developed from childhood experiences and emotional temperaments. The contents of these schemas (core beliefs) produce automatic thoughts in specific situations, and these automatic thoughts did not respond well to traditional CBT. That was why schema-focused therapy was developed, mainly by Jeffrey Young. With Schema Therapy, the presenter could help more patients with Personality Disorders who did not respond well to traditional CBT. Even with the powerful effectiveness of schema therapy, the presenter still needed something more to help patients suffering from unchangeable problems. Naturally, the presenter found a "third wave" of CBT, including ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy), which expanded the concepts to other disorders and/or added novel components and mindfulness exercises. The presenter owed a great deal to Jon Kabat-Zinn for learning mindfulness meditation. Through this lecture, the presenter will introduce the CASH (Change and Acceptance Self-Healing) program, which integrates CBT, schema therapy, and mindfulness approaches, and demonstrates that it not only improves various mental symptoms but also brings about changes in thinking and beliefs. At the heart of the entire group format, therapy at Mettaa Institute includes 9 weeks of the CASH program. After patients complete group CBT, they are re-evaluated, and much-improved patients who have acquired various therapeutic skills would stop therapy. Patients who require additional treatment would participate in individual sessions of Integrated CBT, which would last one to three years. For the past 30 years, I have worked with my patients, students, colleagues, and supervisors. When I encountered obstacles, those were challenging problems that I needed to find solutions. The core philosophy of the CASH program is to strive to change what we can, accept what we cannot change, and focus on living well, regardless of our efforts.