Resumo

CALLEGARO, Marco Montarroyos. The neurobiology os schema therapy anda the unconscious processing. Rev. bras.ter. cogn. [online]. 2005, vol.1, n.1, pp. 09-20. ISSN 1808-5687.

In this article, we exploit the notion of unconscious mental processing when applied to a recent development in Cognitive Therapy, Jeffrey Young’s (1990; 1999) Schema Therapy. Schema Therapy is summarized, examining the underlying neurobiology of this approach and the proximity with Cognitive Neuroscience, especially the existence of two systems that operate in parallel and store different kinds of relevant information for emotional learning. One of these systems is conscious and is mediated by hippocampus and surrounding cortical areas; the other system is related to an unconscious processing of stimuli by the amygdala. The Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMSs) involve emotional responses triggered by unconscious emotional processing without participation of higher centers of neural processing involved in conscious thinking and rational evaluation. Schema Therapy helps patients identify EMSs and become conscious about memories, emotions, bodily sensations, cognitions and associated coping styles. Self-knowledge about EMSs permits control by the pre-frontal cortex of the negative reactions triggered by the amygdala system, increasing the patient’s power of flexibility and choice, allowing more reflection and conscious deliberation.

Palavras-chave : Schema therapy; Neurobiology; Unconscious processing.