David Edwards
David Edwards is a Professor at Rhodes University, South Africa where he was involved in the professional training of clinical and counselling psychologists from 1980 to 2009. Now retired and working part time for the University, he conducts and publishes research on aspects of psychotherapy and supervises research students.
He has a longstanding interest in psychotherapy integration and has experience with expressive approaches to psychotherapy through drama, dance, sculpture, painting and drawing, particularly within the humanistic and transpersonal traditions. In his research, he has promoted the role of case study methodology in the development of applied clinical science and used case studies to provide a contextualized evidence-base for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in South Africa.
He was fortunate to be connected to the beginnings of schema therapy when he attended seminars with Jeffrey Young while training in cognitive therapy at the University of Pennsylvania in 1984. His enthusiasm was refreshed when, at a conference in Barcelona in 2007, he met Arnoud Arntz. one of the leaders in the Dutch group and attended a workshop presented by him the following year. He joined the newly formed International Society for Schema Therapy (ISST) and is certified as a schema therapist and trainer in individual ST and in ST for couples. He was President of the International Society for Schema Therapy for two terms from 2016-2020.
Accreditations
David Edwards is
…
- Certified as a schema therapist and trainer for individual schema therapy and schema therapy for couples by the International Society of Schema Therapy (ISST). Her was President from 2016 – 2020 and currently serves on ISST committees.
- Registered as a Clinical Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
- An Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and registered as a Clinical Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of the United Kingdom.
- A Diplomate and Founding Fellow of the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies which provides training and sets standards for Cognitive Therapy as developed by Aaron Beck.
Research
David Edwards’ early publications on the use of imagery in cognitive therapy were influential in promoting the integration of imagery methods into cognitive and behavioural psychotherapy and anticipated current use of these techniques in schema therapy. He has also written on the historical roots of schema therapy. His interest in historical perspectives on psychotherapy arose from reflection on his own experience and from writing an article and a book chapter on the history of imagery in psychotherapy.
His most recent publication is entitled: Using Schema Modes for Case Conceptualization in Schema Therapy: An Applied Clinical Approach (Edwards, 2022). It is open access and you can see it here.
Here is a short article on working with schemas: Schemas in clinical practice: What they are and how we can change them (2014) (click to read).
Here are two short articles from the Schema Therapy Bulletin:
Self Pity/Victim: A Surrender Schema Mode (2015) (Click to read)
Or go to his Researchgate page where several articles and chapters can be accessed.
Conferences and networking
Throughout his career, David Edwards has made regular presentations at conferences in South Africa and overseas where he has had the opportunity to meet leaders in his fields of interest, including trauma, cognitive therapy and schema therapy. He has also been involved in committees of the ISST dealing with professional training issues, supervision, and the development of a training and certification program for schema therapy for couples.
Recent presentations
Edwards, D. J. A. (2022, June). The power of limited reparenting – and some complexities and challenges. Keynote address to the INSPIRE conference of the International Society of Schema Therapy, Copenhagen. presented online.
Edwards, D. J. A. & Nulty, M. T. (2022, June). “I don’t want to be born!” Rescripting a birth to heal an early dissociation. Contribution to a workshop entitled: From Vulnerable Child to Vulnerable Infant. INSPIRE conference of the International Society of Schema Therapy, Copenhagen. Presented online.
Edwards, D. J. A. (2022, June). Reparenting and the therapeutic relationship – Layers within layers. Workshop at the INSPIRE conference of the International Society of Schema Therapy, Copenhagen. Presented online.
Edwards, D. J. A. (2021, August). Limited reparenting in schema therapy – Historical background and current status. Online presentation to the Conference of the Brazilian Society of Schema Therapy, Săo Paulo.
Edwards, D. J. A. (2021, June). Attacking and self-attacking – Challenges for schema mode conceptualization. Keynote address to the Virtual Summit of the International Society of Schema Therapy, online.
Edwards, D. J. A. (2020, May). Schema Therapy in a time of Crisis. Keynote address to the Virtual Summit of the International Society of Schema Therapy, online.
Edwards, D. J. A. (2020, May). The reparenting relationship with the client: Understanding and addressing the problem of dissociated Child parts. Presentation to the Virtual Summit of the International Society of Schema Therapy, online.
Edwards, D. J. A. (2019, May). Working with the deep structure of schema modes. Workshop presented at ENLIGHT meeting of the International Society of Schema Therapy, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Edwards, D. J. A. (2018, November). Identity, memory and imagination: Guided imagery and imagery rescripting and the new science of autobiographical memory. Workshop presented at the Teile Therapie Tagung (Parts of the Self Therapy Congress), Heidelberg, Germany.
Edwards, D. J. A. (2018, November). How schema therapists work with parts of the self to bring about corrective experiences in the deep structure of personality. Keynote address at the Teile Therapie Tagung (Parts of the Self Therapy Congress), Heidelberg, Germany.
April 2018. Schema therapy 2018: The state of the science and the state of the art. Invited keynote: Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologists Conference, Adelaide, Australia.
April 2018. From technique to craft in schema therapy: Integrating conceptualization and therapy skills within the unfolding process. Invited workshop: Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologists Conference, Adelaide, Australia
May 2018. The Corrective Emotional Experience: It’s Central Place Within Schema Therapy. Invited keynote: International Society of Schema Therapy, Amsterdam.
November 2018: How schema therapists work with parts of the self to bring about corrective experiences in the deep structure of personality. Invited keynote: 3rd Teile Therapie Tagung (3rd Parts Therapy Congress) Heidelberg, Germany.
November 2018. Identity, memory and imagination: Guided imagery and imagery rescripting and the new science of sutobiographical memory. Invited workshop: 3rd Teile Therapie Tagung (3rd Parts Therapy Congress) Heidelberg, Germany.
Photo Gallery
Below are pictures taken at some past conferences with some of the colleagues locally and internationally I have been privileged to meet and network with.
