De

HAPPY CHILD MODE (HC)

FORMULATION & TREATMENT GUIDE

DEFINITION & TREATMENT AIMS MODE PRESENTATION

This mode Signs to help spot the mode in the room

 Feels loved, contented, fulfilled, heard, secure and  Seems relaxed or light
happy, joyful  May seem curious, interested, and optimistic
 Emerges when needs are met, and maladaptive  Maintains good eye contact, tilts their head to
schemas lie dormant show they are listening
 Countertransference: connected to the client and
Happy Child (HC) vs Impulsive Child (IC)
an uplift in mood
 HC: experiences contentment, joy, and ease
 IC: acts impulsively to satiate short-term hedonic If clients have this mode, look out for + tips
aims without regard for consequences  Unrelenting standards, self-sacrifice, subjugation,
approval seeking thwart the happy child mode
Treatment aims
 For the healthy adult mode to provide a safe and and perpetuate coping and critic modes
nurturing environment for the happy child to  Demanding critic and perfectionistic
thrive overcontroller modes may activate in response to
 Notice and manage the modes that thwart its the HC because they see it as a threat to
expression (e.g., negotiate with the overcontroller) productivity

TREATMENT STRATEGIES

Chairwork Reparenting/healthy adult messages in imagery

 If the happy child (HC) is thwarted by a coping  It’s so lovely seeing you enjoy life like this, you
mode, invite the dysfunctional mode (e.g., deserve this
perfectionistic over controller) to explain their fears  I’m pleased to see you prioritise your enjoyment
about the HC activating (chair 1) (e.g., they will fail  It makes me smile to see you experience fulfilment
at life). Ask the VC or AC (chair 2) to share how they Limited reparenting and ideas
feel towards the coping (e.g., sad or frustrated).
Invite the healthy adult (HA) (chair 3) to advocate  Ask about the happy child mode at the beginning
for the VC/AC, (e.g., coping mode, I hear your fear of the session (e.g., what experiences have you had
they will fail but they need a break to replenish where you felt contented or happy?)
their energy. I’ll make sure the important tasks are  Look for opportunities to notice and reinforce this
also prioritised). Therapist to check in with the VC mode in session, (e.g., I saw you smiling just then.
to assess if they feel soothed/protected. Model the How did that feel in your body? My heart just filled
HA if needed with the aim for the HA to advocate with joy when I saw that. What was it like for you?)
for the VC in time Cognitive & Behavioural
Imagery  Share an amusing/joyful song, brief video, or photo
 Explore their favourite pastimes and memories to with the client. Provide psycho education on the
prime them for imagery. Invite them to close their impact of positive emotions and mental health
eyes and go on an imagery adventure (i.e., to  Use a mode diary to track the frequency of the HC
another country/beach/fun activity?) Where are and its triggers. Identify any coping modes that get
you going? Who’s going with you (e.g., from the in the way (e.g., the critic or the overcontroller
present or the past)? What can you see, hear, feel, mode) and explore how the HA can help
and smell? What’s it like to be here etc.?  Collaboratively explore fun rituals to bring the HC
 Variant: join the client in the imagery experience into the client’s daily life (regular visits with friends,
 After the imagery discuss how the client felt and salsa dancing lessons, creative activities, enjoying
how they can bring in more joyful experiences in nature etc.) and assign these as a “happy
their life homework” activity

SYNTHESIZED, ADAPTED AND EXPANDED FROM THE FOLLOWING SOURCES AND MY OWN CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
Hunter T. (2020). Happy child mode. The intimacy series, https://tinyurl.com/intimacywebinars
Jacob G. Van Genderen H., Seebaur L (2015). Breaking negative thinking patterns, schema therapy self help and support. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell
Young, J.E., Klosko, J.S. & Weishaar, M.E. (2003). Schema therapy: a practitioner’s guide: New York: Guilford Press.

Copyright © Tena Davies. This guide is licensed to Fran Lukin only and cannot be distributed to others.
De
HEALTHY ADULT MODE (HA)
FORMULATION & TREATMENT GUIDE

DEFINITION & TREATMENT AIMS MODE PRESENTATION

This mode Signs to help spot the mode in the room

 Adaptively and flexibly meets the needs of the  May show compassion to self and others
vulnerable child mode (VC), manages the coping  Be insightful, interested, and reasonable (“that’s a
modes, and set limits on the critic modes fair point”)
 Acts in an adaptive manner, problem solves, is  Have open body language (arms uncrossed,
responsible, engages in employment, has healthy maintain eye contact)
relationships, and enjoys leisure & interests  Countertransference: feel engaged, at ease and
 Is flexible, rationale, and considerate of others connected to the client
Treatment aims When clients have this mode, look out for + tips
 A key aim for schema therapy is to strengthen the  Understanding the degree of healthy adult mode
healthy adult mode in the service of the above the client possesses will assist in tailoring their
pursuits and to nurture and meet the needs of the treatment (e.g. extent and type of reparenting)
VC, manage dysfunctional coping and critic  Lower levels of healthy adult mode are generally
modes, replace the angry child mode with related to higher levels of pathology
adaptive assertiveness and give permission to  It is common at the beginning of therapy for the
happy child mode to express itself HA to be underdeveloped

TREATMENT STRATEGIES

Chairwork Limited reparenting and ideas

 Interview the healthy adult (HA) to strengthen it  Invite the HA to help set the agenda for the session
(chair 1). Ask them who has inspired them, how  Monitor the HA in the room by attending to both
others describe their strengths, what they are verbal and nonverbal cues, reflect these
proud of etc. Ask the VC (chair 2) what it is like for observations back to the client (e.g., I love the way
them when the HA is activated your HA came up with that great idea, you sound a
 Ask the client to move back and forth between the bit lighter too, and your body looks more relaxed.
HA (chair 1) and a dysfunctional mode (chair 2) Do you notice that?) to reinforce the mode
with the latter sharing its beliefs (i.e., I must please  Gradually invite the HA into experiential work, first
others to stay safe) and the HA providing a more bearing witness to interventions, then gradually
adaptive response (i.e., you can tolerate saying no) taking a leadership role in interventions
 Hold in mind that the purpose of reparenting is to
Imagery
soothe the VC and to model the HA so that the
 Identify a recent trigger (e.g., felt defective for client gradually internalises it over time
making a mistake). Evoke the HA by asking them
to reflect on difficulties they have overcome, Cognitive & Behavioural
 To help the client gain insight into the HA, ask
observe their affect (e.g., calm) and body language
them to write the thoughts, feelings, body
(e.g., relaxed) to reinforce it. Float back to the
sensations, behaviours, and core beliefs (e.g., I am
trigger (e.g., making a mistake) and invite their HA
competent) associated with the mode
to rescript and reparent their VC (coach if needed).
 Ask the client to list their HA’s positive qualities
 At the end of the imagery, ask their HA to float
(e.g., good at problem solving, kindness,
forward and reparent to their adult self who was
assertiveness) to flesh out their HA strengths
recently triggered (e.g., for making a mistake)
 Suggest homework to build the HA. This could
 Use future imagery to rescript upcoming
include, using mindfulness to increase emotional
situations to practice a HA response
regulation, making time for leisure to avoid burn
Reparenting/healthy adult messages in imagery out, taking time to pause before responding to
 I’m proud of how your HA has grown since we met, difficult situations, checking in on their VC daily
can I invite them in to help little you? and accommodating their needs etc
SYNTHESIZED, ADAPTED AND EXPANDED FROM THE FOLLOWING SOURCES AND MY OWN CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
Jacob G. Van Genderen H., Seebaur L (2015). Breaking negative thinking patterns, schema therapy self help and support. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell
Farrell J. & Shaw S. (2018). Experiencing schema therapy from the inside out. A self-practice/self-refection workbook for therapists. Guildford Press
Van der Wijngaart (2021). Imagery rescripting theory and practice. West Sussex: Pavilion publishing and media

Copyright © Tena Davies. This guide is licensed to Fran Lukin only and cannot be distributed to others.