Gery Karantzas, PhD

Gery Karantzas is a Professor in the School of Psychology, the Director of the Science of Adult Relationships (SoAR) Laboratory, and the Co-Director of the CONNECT Research and Training Initiative within the Centre for Social and Emotional Development (SEED-Lifespan) at Deakin University. He is also a couples therapist certified in Integrative Behavioural Couples Therapy and the founder of Relationship Science Online. Gery is one of Australia’s leading relationship scientists. He has authored over 150 publications, many of which appear in top-tier journals. He has been awarded over $6 million for his research from the Australian Research Council, the National Medical Health and Research Council, and Beyondblue to examine how relationship processes are associated with relational and personal well-being. The majority of his work takes an attachment theory perspective and has trained and collaborated with some of the world’s and Australia’s leading attachment researchers, including Professors Phillip Shaver (University of California, Davis), Jeffry Simpson (University of Minnesota), and Professors Pat Noller and Judith Feeney (University of Queensland). He and colleagues Professor Omri Gillath (University of Kansas) and R. Chris Fraley (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) wrote the widely disseminated book Adult Attachment: A Concise Guide into Theory and Research (2016, Academic Press). In recent years, Gery has embarked on basic and applied research into Schema Therapy from an attachment-informed perspective. Gery has written numerous pieces for The Conversation and Psychology Today, totaling over 4 million reads, and is frequently contacted by the media to discuss all matters associated with the science of relationships.

3.00 PM - 4.00 PM

Friday Dec 5th

THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTACHMENT THEORY IN SCHEMA THERAPY

Working with clients who face chronic relationship difficulties can challenge even the most experienced schema therapists. Beneath the surface, much of this struggle arises from early attachment injuries that continue to shape relational patterns in adulthood. Research shows that while around 35 to 40 percent of the general population have an insecure attachment style, this figure rises to nearly 80 percent in clinical populations. Individuals with insecure attachment styles are also two to three times more likely to endorse early maladaptive schemas.

This presentation bridges the science of attachment and Schema Therapy, showing how attachment patterns influence the formation, activation, and maintenance of schemas. Attendees will learn practical strategies for case conceptualization, assessment, and treatment that integrate attachment system dynamics with Schema Therapy techniques. The goal is to help clients move beyond resistance and toward secure connection and lasting relational change.

10.15 AM - 11.15 AM KEYNOTE

Thursday Dec 4th

KEYNOTE: SCHEMA THERAPY: THE STATUS OF RESEARCH ON THE MODEL

What does the science really say about Schema Therapy today—and where is it headed next? In this keynote, Dr. Rita Younan and Professor Gery Karantzas, two of the field’s leading researchers, present a powerful overview of the latest global findings. Drawing on a bibliometric analysis of more than 300 studies and a recent Delphi consensus project, they’ll reveal where the evidence is strongest and where important gaps remain.

Attendees will gain an insider’s view of how Schema Therapy’s scientific foundation is evolving, including new insights into core needs, schema domains, and mechanisms of change. This keynote invites you to see the future of Schema Therapy through the lens of data, discovery, and innovation.