Parental Attention
Types
Engagement
Disengagement
Early Childhood Needs
Safety
Connection
Autonomy
Self-appreciation
Self-expression
Status (Realistic Limits)
Safety - children need to be able to depend on a reliable adult
Connection to others - children need to be able to share their experiences, thoughts and feelings
Autonomy - children must have a safe, secure environment from where they can experience and learn about the world and eventually be able to stand on their own two feet
Self-appreciation - Children must be helped to appreciate themselves in order to develop good self esteem
Self-expression - children need to be able to express their opinions and feelings without being held back or restrained or punished
Realistic limits - children need to be helped to understand societal rules in order to be able to live in harmony with others; they also need to be helped to develop strategies for dealing with frustrations
Schema Modes
Fight
Flight
Freeze
Fight (my safety is here)
Overcompensation: Self-agrandiser - Perfectionistic
Flight (my safey is elsewhere)
Avoidance: introversion - escape
Freeze (overhwhelmed)
Compliance
Self-Expression
Assertive - Attatchment
Activation
I
Inhibition
Flight: Absorbed Self (lust) (drive)
Fight: Dominant Self (pride)
Follow: Submissive Self (guilt) (duty)
Freeze: Constrained Self (pain)
Centered: Healthy Self (joy)
Attachment Frustration
Schemas
Disconnection and rejection
Vulnerable or angry child
Assertiveness Frustration
Schemas
Impaired Autonomy
Vulnerable/Angry Child
Lack of self-control
Impaired limits & boundaries
Impulsive child
I respect and consider others in the actions I take.
I can tolerate distress and maintain my self-control
Assertiveness sacrificed for attachment
Submission (driven by inner critics)
Other directedness
I express my truth inspite of the consequences.
My own needs are important and I set realistic boundaries.
I am worthy of praise and acknowledgement of my efforts.
Sacrificing attachment & joy
Sacrificing spontaneity and play
Overvigilance & inhibition
Overcompensation or detachment
(driven by inner critics)
Avoids appearing incompetent or flawed
Compensation
Responses
Past Patterns (schemas)
Present reactions (modes)
Surrender
Avoidance
Compensation
Attunement
Resonance
Recount triggers
Attune to the triggers
Tune in to current feelings
Slow Down
Intensify attunement
Provide historical links to broaden the narrative
Use experiential techniques
Child Modes
Inner Critic Modes
Maladaptive Modes
Healthy Adult Modes
Global Workspace Theory
Frontstage: what is put out to the world
Backstage: hidden unconscious motivations
Healthy adult mode: backstage director
Child Modes
Inner Critic Modes
Maladaptive Modes
Healthy Adult Modes
Child: vulnerable, angry, enraged, impulsive, undisciplined, happy
Maladaptive: compliant surrender, detatched self-soother, detatched protector, self-agrandiser, bully&attack.
Inner Critic: demanding, punative
Healthy: integrative
Vulnerability -panic - Compliance
Impulsive - Impulsive - Detachment
Inner critic - Rumination - Detachment
Critic - paranoia - Overcompensation
Complaint Surrender: burnout, exhaustion, depression, somatization
Detached protector: passive, depressive, avoidant, dissociated, pain disorders
Detached self-soother: compulsive, addictive, self-harm, digital media dependence
Overcompensator: anti-social, manipulative, paranoid, compulsive over-controllers
Schema Categories
Disconnection and Rejection
Impaired Autonomy & Performance
Excessive Responsiblity & Standards
Impaired Limits
Trauma Grid
Terry Real
False Empowerment
Abandonment - Intrusion
Disempowerment
SCHEMA
CHILD NEED
For parent(s)/caregiver to provide stability and consistency in the home life and relationships
ADULT CHOICE
”| want to feel stable and secure in myself and my relationships”
For parent(s)/caregiver to protect the child from harm and honour the child’s boundaries and instil a sense oftrust and safety within close relationships
”| want to feel safe from harm and set boundaries to protect myself”
For parent(s)/caregiver to accept and love the child unconditionally and instil a sense of inherent worthiness
”| want to know my own worthiness and accept myself as | am”
I AM WORTHY
For parent(s)/caregiver to care about the child’s emotions and validate their feelings as important
”| want to validate my own emotions and take them at face value”
I deserve ATTENTION
For the peer group to provide a senseofinclusion and social connection for the child
”| want to feel like | belong and know who my tribe is”
I BELONG
For parent(s)/caregiver to encourage the child to take risks, problem solve, and develop competence and independent thinking through exposure to everyday situations
”| want to feel autonomous and capable of making decisions and trusting my own
judgment”
SCHEMA
CHILD NEED
For parent(s)/caregiver to contain their own fears and instill a sense of trust and safety within the world, in life and the future
ADULT CHOICE
”| want to trust that the world is a safe place and my body is capable of healing from illness”
I AM HEALTHY
(EM)
For parent(s)/caregiver to encourage individuality and celebrate the child’s unique personality, choices and preferences as separate to their own
”| want to experience my own unique individual self, including my preferences and choices as well as thoughts and values”
I HAVE AUTONOMY