Features of Working with Clients with Schizoid Adaptation

Abstract

The article provides an overview of different approaches to the description of the schizoid personality structure, as well as schizoid adaptation and the schizoid process — within the framework of the psychoanalytic method (Nancy McWilliams), the psychodynamic approach (Stephen M. Johnson), transactional analysis (Taibi Kahler, Ian Stewart and Vann Joines) and integrative psychotherapy by Richard Erskine. The article also describes methods and techniques of working with clients with a schizoid personality structure and schizoid process, reveals the essence of the intrapersonal conflict of this category of clients, four levels of splitting, methods of working with each of the levels according to Richard Erskine. The author offers a set of goals and strategies of psychotherapy for clients with a schizoid character structure and ways to work with the strategy of withdrawal — the main psychological protection of this group of clients, according to the approach of Marye O’Reilly-Knapp.