Schema Therapy

What is Schema Therapy?

Schema therapy is a form of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). It seeks to identify what is known as ‘schemas’.

Schemas are self-defeating, themes or patterns that we keep repeating throughout our lives.

Some examples of common schemas and their effects are:

Failure – a sense that you are incompetent compared to others
Emotional deprivation – a sense that no one will ever understand you, or care about your needs
Mistrust – a sense that other people will hurt, betray or reject you
Social isolation – a sense that you don’t fit in, or don’t belong.

It is believed that schemas develop when childhood needs are not met. Because they tend to begin early in life, schemas become familiar and comfortable. To keep our schemas going, we can distort our view of events in our lives.

Schemas may also remain dormant until they are activated by situations relevant to that particular schema. You may have felt you were coping well until that point.

What are coping styles?

People cope with their schemas in different ways. This is partly because we have different temperaments at birth.

Unconsciously, we may also choose one or other of our parents (or a significant adult) to “copy” or model ourselves on.

Schema therapy sees coping styles as normal attempts on the part of the child to survive in a difficult environment. But unfortunately, we keep repeating them throughout adulthood, even when we no longer need them for survival.

They can then become destructive or even life-limiting and can lead us to
act in ways that end up blocking our development.

For example, we may become very rigid and stubborn, isolate ourselves from other people, drink alcohol or eat excessively, block our emotions, mistreat other people, or become a perfectionist.

What does Schema Therapy involve?

The purpose of Schema therapy is to help people:

identify their early schemas, and link them to their life history and current problems
identify and then stop using unhelpful coping styles and so get back in touch with their core feelings.

Once your schemas and coping styles have been identified, a schema therapist can help you to make changes by:

restructuring your thinking patterns relating to your schemas
practicing exercises to vent your feelings and express early pain
practicing other more healthy coping styles when schemas are triggered.

Could I benefit?

You may find Schema therapy helpful if:

You are drawn to the same type of partner over and over, but your needs aren’t met
You overreact to the same kind
of situation
You are stuck in some area of your life that you can’t seem to change
You have low self-confidence.
You are in constant conflict in your relationships.

How effective is Schema Therapy?

Schema therapy has been evaluated and found to be effective for people with personality disorders and other long-term, complex, psychological problems, including chronic depression, anxiety, and persistent
relationship difficulties.

Other useful information

‘Reinventing Your Life: The Breakthrough Program to End Negative Behaviour…and feel great again’ by Jeffrey Young and Janet Klosko (1993) Penguin Books