Schema Therapy Online Course 3: Empathic Confrontation Strategies Navigating Narcissism and Other Challenging Modes in Treatment

MFT / LCSW

18.00 - CE credit hours training

$39.00 - Cost of course

This page contains important information about the course, including training details, a comprehensive course description, learning objectives, and source references. We encourage you to review each section to gain a clear understanding of the course content, educational goals, and supporting materials before beginning your training and taking the POST TEST below.

Target audience and instructional level of this course: foundational
There is no known conflict of interest or commercial support related to this CE program.

Schema Therapy Online Course 3: Empathic Confrontation Strategies Navigating Narcissism and Other Challenging Modes in Treatment

Course Training

See this page for details:
https://www.schematherapytrainingonline.com/p/empathic-confrontation-wendy-behary

Week 1: The Art of Empathy / Cultivating an Intention = Impact Outcome
Week 2: The Super-Sufferers and Virtuous Victims - Empathic Confrontation with Covert Narcissism
Week 3: The Chauffer of Shame! Effectively Confronting, Evacuating, and Converting the Inner Critic Mode
Week 4: Limits, Leverage, Bullies, and Entitlement: A Mode Profile of Narcissism and Overcompensation
Week 5: The Guard, The Cave, The Soldier, The Wall, The Bubble, The Fortress - Detached Modes
Week 6: Other Gnarly Challenges - Enmeshed Loyalty Mongers, Angry Modes, and the Chronically Disappointed

Post Test

50 Questions

1. Which of the following is not a trait of narcissism?

a. Insufficient limits b. Conditional love c. Remorseful and empathic d. Rejection and social challenges

2. Which childhood needs are typically not met for individuals who become narcissists?

a. Realistic limits and Frustration Tolerance b. Performance and Competence c. Autonomy d. Assertiveness

3. Which of these is not a typical early maladaptive schema in narcissism?

a. Self-sacrifice b. Emotional deprivation c. Defectiveness/shame d. Approval seeking

4. Unrelenting standards is a compensation for:

a. Approval-seeking b. Self-sacrifice c. Defectiveness/Shame d. Entitlement

5. Which mode is triggered by the loss of validation and special status, and by absence of distraction or stimulation?

a. Lonely, unlovable child b. Self-aggrandizer c. Detached self-soother d. Healthy adult

6. What is a default mode for narcissism?

a. Self-Sacrifice b. Vulnerability c. Angry Child d. Self-Aggrandizer / Approval-Seeker

7. Which is not an example of the detached self-soothing?

a. Empathy b. Pornography c. Alcoholism d. Workaholism

8. One of the major obstacles in using empathic confrontation with a narcissistic client is:

a. Narcissist is too vulnerable b. Narcissist is completely self-sacrificing c. Narcissist triggers the therapist's own schemas d. Narcissist is too in touch with their emotions

9. This is perhaps one of the most challenging issues with empathic confrontation during the assessment phase:

a. Getting the narcissistic client to share their achievements b. Getting the narcissist to disclose emotions related to early experience. c. Scheduling appointments d. Praising the narcissistic client

10. Empathic Confrontation is an especially useful tool with narcissistic clients for addressing their...

a. Entitlement / Grandiosity b. Kindness c. Self-Sacrifice d. Inhibition

11. Meeting the needs of the narcissist includes:

a. Always giving them extra time b. Confronting them and setting firm limits c. Apologizing for your unavailability d. Withdrawing from them

12. When the narcissist is in a Bully-Attack mode, empathic confrontation can be used to:

a. Counterattack b. Ignore them c. Agree with their complaint or criticism d. Set limits

13. What might be considered a "hallmark" strategy for taking microcosmic experiences and linking them with the real-life conflicts in the macro world of the narcissist?

a. The Therapy Relationship b. Psychoeducation c. Medication evaluation d. Rational reasoning

14. Why is Empathic Confrontation so critical in confronting avoidance in narcissists?

a. It's an easy way to win with them. b. It impresses the narcissist. c. It uses empathy to understand while holding the narcissist accountable. d. It lets the narcissist off the hook

15. How does "bringing the brain on board" help the narcissistic client to bypasses detached modes and engage in emotion-focused work?

a. Mitigates fears and feelings of shame b. Mitigates feelings of hopelessness c. Mitigates their sense of humor d. Mitigates their joy and spontaneity

16. "I can appreciate how uncomfortable this might be for you..." is an example of:

a. Setting limits b. An Implicit Assumption strategy in Empathic Confrontation c. Limited Re-Scripting d. Cognitive therapy

17. To be an effective schema therapist, one needs to maintain a view of the narcissist as:

a. An unfortunate bad seed b. Vulnerable at the core c. Incapable of change d. Your own parent

18. One of the primary goals of Empathic Confrontation is to...

a. Develop pity for the client b. Create distance from the client c. Liberate us from all responsibility d. Enhance understanding while identifying the self-defeating behavior

19. The primary purpose of self-disclosure in empathic confrontation is to...

a. Fortify trust and connection in the therapy relationship b. Allow us to get some support from our clients c. Make our clients see that their pain is not that bad d. Develop a friendship with our clients

20. Empathic Confrontation is a beautiful strategy for setting limits when anger is present in the treatment room, except when...

a. The patient has made a good point b. The patient is in an angry child mode, for the first time c. The patient is directing the anger at their partner in the room d. The patient is loud

21. Empathy is...

a. Always about agreement b. Another term for sympathy c. A deep resonant understanding of the experience of another d. A form of avoidance

22. As humans, we are not naturally wired for...

a. Confrontation b. Pleasure c. Connection d. Survival

23. The "Narrator Voice" allows us to...

a. Be critical b. Avoid all confrontation c. Pause, reflect, empathize, and confront d. Be an actor

24. The use of empathy in "Empathic Confrontation" helps us to...

a. Tell entertaining stories b. Collude with avoidance c. Fortify connection and mitigate distraction d. Provoke defenses in our clients

25. The Covert Narcissist is usually:

a. Impossible to treat b. A quiet narcissistic client c. A sociopath d. Highly sensitive to criticism

26. The "super-sufferer" or "victim" mode in Covert Narcissism is:

a. The vulnerable child b. A form of identity c. The healthy adult d. Usually very inhibited

27. Covert narcissists, as compared with overt-grandiose types, tend to have...

a. More trauma in the background b. Higher body weight c. A better sense of humor d. Less problematic behaviors

28. The origins of the Inner Critic Mode are limited to:

a. Those who have suffered noxious abuse b. Those who have had bad babysitters c. Those who are unintelligent d. We all are likely to have some form of an Inner Critic

29. The Inner Critic can transmit:

a. Punitive messages b. Demanding Messages c. Devaluing Messages d. Any/All of the Above

30. The menacing inner critic often needs to be...

a. Pitied b. Comforted c. Investigated and Evacuated d. Ignored

31. There are 3 primary functions or purposes beneath a self-defeating, but well-intentioned, Inner Critic mode:

a. Protect/Prevent/Promote b. Avoid/Align/Assure c. Compliment/Support/Soothe d. Entertain/Enlighten/Nurture

32. The "Narrator Voice"- narrating the experience without becoming overwhelmed by it - can be seen as a form of ...

a. The Vulnerable Child Mode b. A Mean Old Man c. The Healthy Adult Mode d. A Diva Princess

33. Why is Empathic Confrontation so critical in confronting maladaptive modes?

a. It's an easy way to win and feel good about yourself b. To impress narcissistic clients c. To hold a client accountable without escalating toxic shame d. It forces our clients to like us

34. Detached Protector Modes are challenging, partly because they emerge from...

a. The survival system b. A cult c. A specific ethnicity d. Plants

35. Empathic Confrontation is an effective strategy for bypassing Detached Protector modes because...

a. It colludes with the avoidance b. It investigates function, appreciates the value of its origins, and identifies the costs c. It forces clients to feel their emotions d. It sets up rigid consequences for clients who are non-compliant

36. The best way to confront an Intellectualizing Protector is to...

a. Compete with it b. Ignore it c. Investigate its function d. Enjoy the entertainment it provides

37. Once you empathically confront the Detached Protector Mode, clients are likely to...

a. Never detach again b. Drift back to this mode from time to time c. Become bullies d. Leave therapy immediately

38. The Angry Child Mode is:

a. Simply spoiled and needs to be silenced b. A child part of the client; experiences the injustice of frustrated unmet needs c. An exaggeration; a histrionic client d. Not adaptable

39. Empathic Confrontation for Limit-Setting is:

a. Part of meeting needs for frustration tolerance and boundaries b. Cruel and unusual punishment c. The easiest strategy to apply with overcompensating clients d. Never to be applied to narcissistic clients

40. Enmeshment is a burden to carry, as it impedes:

a. The ability to surrender b. The ability to be loyal to family c. The healthy development of autonomy and individuation d. Drug use

41. The "Echoist" is someone who:

a. Is a narcissist b. Is a voiceover artist c. Someone who fears appearing to be self-centered or narcissistic d. Has no empathy

42. The Inner Critic is often the escort for...

a. Shame b. Joy c. Love d. Intimacy

43. An example of an empathic prelude might be:

a. "You must be kidding me!" b. "What's wrong with you?" c. "Must be very hard for you given what you experienced..." d. "I feel sorry for you."

44. Offering the benefit of the doubt can be effective when applying:

a. Makeup b. False hope c. Manipulation d. Empathic Confrontation

45. The use of Empathic Confrontation for dealing with issues of Enmeshment, can offer...

a. Ways of becoming a controlling person b. An appreciation of the costs and benefits of loyalty and the forfeited sense of self c. Compliance with the wishes of family members d. Tips on how to be a better self-subjugator

46. The chronic complainer is:

a. A delight in the treatment room b. A mirror of the therapist c. Usually, a mask for fear and vulnerability d. A menacing psychopath

47. Transparent Intention is designed to:

a. Fortify the relationship between intention and impact b. Negate bottom-up processing c. Enhance detachment d. Provoke a debate

48. The PAUSE strategy is used for:

a. Time out to make a cup of tea b. Stretching c. Recollecting our Sturdy, Healthy Adult Mode when triggered d. Changing the subject when feelings are triggered

49. Empathy starts with...

a. Suspiciousness b. A curiosity to know, sense, experience the inner world of our client c. A detached stance d. Ultimatums

50. Converting the Critic can help the client to...

a. Mobilize healthy adult messages to the Vulnerable Child b. Generate more balance, weakening unrelenting standards c. Keep their "eye on the ball" without harsh judgements and unrealistic expectations d. Celebrate their victories and accept their mistakes without the fear of schema-driven consequences. e. All of the above.

Course Description

Learning Objectives

Empathic Confrontation Strategies Navigating Narcissism and Other Challenging Modes in Treatment

Identify and conceptualize the evolution of challenging and uncompromising modes.
Cultivate a navigational treatment map.
Create customized dialogues that embolden trust, safety, leverage, and enhance opportunities to access client vulnerability and emotional resonance
1. Identify one's own schemas and mode activation.
2. Outline how to sustain a sturdy, curious, and empathically attuned caregiver agency.
3. Integrate effective experiential strategies designed to meet the primary unmet needs, especially those related to toxic shame, mistrust, injustice, and unconditional love/acceptance.
Attend to the therapist's own schemas and mode activation - how to sustain a sturdy, curious, and empathically attuned caregiver agency.
Integrate effective experiential strategies designed to meet the primary unmet needs, especially those related to toxic shame, mistrust, injustice, and unconditional love/acceptance.

Source

Wendy Behary https://www.schematherapytrainingonline.com/

Wendy Behary
Rutgers University Graduate School of Social Work New Brunswick, New Jersey

MFT / LCSW