Schema therapy can help people with a range of presenting problems such as relationship issues, low self-esteem, chronic anxiety and depression, childhood trauma, unhelpful coping (alcohol, avoidance, detachment from emotions etc.) personality disorders, issues at work, as well as many other areas. Schema therapy uses an integrative approach that draws on elements of other established therapies and theories such as cognitive behavioural, attachment, object relations, gestalt, and psychodynamic therapy. Schema therapy is often viewed as a treatment that is used to help people where other therapies have not been successful.

What are Schemas and Modes?

Maladaptive schemas can also be viewed as painful life themes. These schemas often develop during childhood and adolescence in environments in which key needs were not met. These environments may have included times of emotional neglect, parental mental health issues or drug use, abuse, instability, loss, unrealistic expectations and pressure, criticism, bullying etc.

Schemas keep people stuck in unhelpful ways of viewing themselves and their world. There have been approximately 20 schemas identified. Examples may include themes of "there is something wrong with me'"(defectiveness schema), "nobody cares about me'"(emotional deprivation schema), '"I can't trust others'"(mistrust/abuse schema), "people will leave me'"(abandonment schema), "I am a failure"(failure schema), and "I should always put others needs above my own"(self-sacrifice schema).

The way that people learn to cope with their schemas is often adaptive during early stages of life but can cause pain and struggle later in life. Entrenched ways of coping that often become automatic are called coping modes. Some examples of coping modes include avoidance, detachment from emotions, over-controlling and perfectionism, substance misuse, surrendering to others, binge eating or technology use, restrictive eating, as well as many others.

Aims and Process

Schema therapy helps to reduce the influence of your unhelpful schemas and modes so that you can respond to current day events from your healthy adult mode. Therapy helps the client learn how to meet their own needs and have healthier relationships. This leads to improvements in mental health, managing powerful emotions, relationships, self-esteem, parenting, work, quality of life, and in other important areas.

Schema therapy places a strong emphasis on current day issues as well as working through the historical links that impact these issues. Change occurs through the fundamental pillars of schema therapy including experiential and trauma work, chair work, imagery rescripting, limited re-parenting, behavioural pattern breaking, the therapeutic relationship, and providing corrective emotional experiences.