Schema therapy is a type of psychotherapy that was developed to help individuals who have long-standing emotional, behavioural, and relational patterns.
A schema is a stable, enduring pattern that develops during childhood or adolescence and is elaborated on throughout life. A schema becomes a theme, and a lens, through which a person views and experiences the world.
Schemas are formed when the core emotional needs of safe and secure connection, attunement and responsivity are not met early in life, and then the schema prevents similar needs from being fulfilled in adulthood.
Even though schemas persist once they are formed, they are not always in our awareness. Usually they operate in subtle ways, out of our awareness.
However, when a schema is triggered by events, our thoughts and feelings are dominated by these schemas. It is at these moments that people tend to experience difficult and distressing thoughts and emotions.
Research* has shown that schema therapy can be effective in treating a range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and other issues related to negative thinking patterns and emotional regulation.
Overall, schema therapy can be a valuable tool for individuals struggling with long-standing emotional, behavioural and relational patterns and can help them develop more positive and adaptive ways of thinking and relating to others.
Healing schemas and strengthening your healthy adult mode
In schema therapy, the goal is to heal schemas, aiming to:
- weaken unhelpful schemas and coping styles that developed in response to early life experiences and,
- build up a person’s healthy side.
Together, your and your therapist will identify some values and priorities, and possibly do some imagery work together around your schemas.
There are many techniques that therapists use to help weaken schemas. These techniques can be broken down into four categories: emotive, interpersonal, cognitive and behavioural.
Schema therapy can really help people to understand and change long-term life patterns. The therapy consists of identifying early maladaptive schemas, coping styles and modes, and systematically confronting and challenging them.
If you are interested in learning more about Schema Therapy, the book ‘Reinventing Your Life’ is a great start.
The Good Mood Clinic Podcast also contains many episodes related to different schemas and schema therapy.
Please reach out to us if you have any questions or need assistance. Paul Corcoran, Alex Corcoran and Elijah Ward are all trained in Schema Therapy. To enquire about an appointment at Moving Forward Clinical Psychologists, please complete our Online Contact Form, and a member of our team will be in touch shortly.
*Schema Therapy Research articles
Arntz, A., & Jacob, G. (2012). Schema therapy in a nutshell. In Handbook of schema therapy: Theory, research, and practice (pp. 1-25). John Wiley & Sons.
Jacob, G. A., Arntz, A., & Schema Therapy Research and Training Institute. (2013). Schema therapy for personality disorders–a review. Journal of personality disorders, 27(5), 518-535.
Giesen-Bloo, J., Arntz, A., et al. (2006). Outpatient psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder: randomized trial of schema-focused therapy vs. transference-focused psychotherapy. Archives of General Psychiatry, 63(6), 649–658.
Nadort, M., Arntz, A., et al. (2009). Implementation of outpatient schema therapy for borderline personality disorder with versus without crisis support by the therapist outside office hours: a randomized trial. Behavior Research and Therapy, 47(11), 961–973.