Social work and psychology: Schema Therapy as a theoretical model of working with families with multiple issues
Lorenzo Bertinelli, Giovanna Vendemia
This article aims to show a new approach to working in complex situations with multiple issues,
offering social and health workers some criteria arising from the application of Schema Therapy.
Schema Therapy is a new-generation psychological theory among the cognitive-behavioural group,
and interest is specifically targeted to the use of its principles in social service sessions, with some
examples. This article offers a review of a case dealt with by the writers and the necessary work of
translating the contents of this psychological therapy, starting from the traditional models used
by the Social Service. Particular attention is paid to the joint work of the social worker and the
psychologist for the construction of a shared vocabulary. If, therefore, on the one hand the aim is
to investigate the contribution that this new theory can make to social work, on the other hand,
our ambition is to offer immediate application in the context of inter-professional work, within
which we believe situations with multiple issues can be better addressed.
Keywords
Schema Therapy, Mode Work, Emotional needs, Social work, Inter-professional
work.
