Chairwork: Theory and Practice

Chairwork is a therapeutic technique in which the use of chairs allows clients to create physical and emotional distance between themselves and problematic beliefs, events, memories, individuals and patterns of responding. Although it has been used in some therapies for decades, it is as part of schema therapy that chairwork has recently taken a step forward. By having clients assign modes to specific chairs, a therapeutic dialogue between different aspects of an individual can be created.This complete, evidence-based guide to chairwork offers practical advice for therapists looking to apply chairwork in their own practice. It also offers tools for those who already have experience with this technique, as well as guidance on using chairwork in specialist situations such as when dealing with grief, relationship issues and substance abuse. A final chapter looks at pitfalls for therapists, with guidance for dealing with a wide range of challenging situations that occur in clinical practice. Read more