We have exciting news for the schema therapy community!
We are announcing a new association dedicated to the evidence-based model of Schema Therapy created by Jeffrey Young: The Jeffrey Young Schema Therapy Association.
Brainstorming about how to increase awareness and promote visibility of Schema Therapy in the Americas and preserve the integrity of Jeffrey Young’s evidence-based primary model of schema therapy, a group of us felt that at the thirty-five-year mark, we needed to honour Jeff and the remarkable model he developed.
To accomplish these goals, we have created an association registered in the USA that is open to global membership. With Jeff’s permission, the new association has been named “The Jeffrey Young Schema Therapy Association (JYSTA).” It will exist alongside the International Society for Schema Therapy (ISST). Like Schema Therapy Associations in other countries, we will continue to be members of ISST and maintain the certification status of our training programs and our supervisor-trainer status.
To support the mission of increasing awareness of Schema Therapy, JYSTA will provide membership levels for all schema therapists and others interested in learning about and supporting Schema Therapy. Details about the criteria for membership, the application process, dues, and more will be posted on our website soon. Your involvement and participation are crucial to the success of this association, and your expertise, enthusiasm, and experience are vital to this mission.
Our inaugural event is a two-day live online symposium on December 4 and 5, 2025, entitled “Changing Lives: Celebrating 35 Years of Jeffrey Young’s Schema Therapy,” to celebrate the founding of the new association. Remarkably, Jeff’s first book was published in 1990. During the symposium, 26 internationally recognized authorities in Schema Therapy will share highlights from their respective areas of expertise. At the close of the symposium, we will formally introduce the new association, mirroring the establishment of the ISST during the Schema Therapy Conference in Coimbra, Portugal, in 2008.
In the future, we plan to hold live symposia in the USA and Canada. However, our first symposium will be virtual to save costs and planning time. Sara Cavero and Brendan Keegans of BK Event Production are producing the event. A nominal attendance fee will be charged to cover production costs. We desire that a wide range of psychotherapists attend the Symposium. We will offer reduced fees for participants from emerging countries and students.
To establish and register the association, we selected initial executive board members from the Symposium’s Steering Committee, who have worked hard at establishing the association. Wendy Behary has graciously accepted the role of president on this slate. Terms will last for two years, after which an open election of all full members will be held.
The Executive Committee brings together a diverse array of accomplished professionals, each deeply committed to advancing Schema Therapy’s reach and integrity. Their collective backgrounds span clinical work, academic research, international training initiatives, and organizational leadership, creating a dynamic foundation for the association’s growth. With a clear mandate to champion excellence, inclusivity, and innovation, this team is poised to bridge continents and foster vibrant collaborations among practitioners.
We are enthusiastic about this new association, whose mission is to increase the visibility of Schema Therapy in the United States and Canada and to support efforts in South America. Many of us have invested years of training and presentations to help develop Schema Therapy in other countries while neglecting the country where individual and group Schema Therapy began. It is time to give this vital aspect of spreading Schema Therapy the attention it deserves. We look forward to seeing you at future in-person events and invite you to help us make this happen. Feel free to share your comments and questions. An online membership form and symposium registration portal will be available soon!
As the association moves forward, members will benefit from opportunities for professional development, networking, and engagement in a global community that values the science and heart of Schema Therapy. The forthcoming web pages will provide detailed profiles and resources to further connect members with the leadership and one another.
Other EB positions will be announced after our registration as an association has been approved in the US.
We are enthusiastic about this new association, whose mission is to increase the visibility of Schema Therapy in the United States and Canada and to support efforts in South America. Many of us have invested years of training and presentations to help develop Schema Therapy in other countries while neglecting the country where individual and group Schema Therapy began. It is time to give this vital aspect of spreading Schema Therapy the attention it deserves. We look forward to seeing you at future in-person events and invite you to help us make this happen. Feel free to share your comments and questions. An online membership form and symposium registration portal will be available soon!