What Is Schema Therapy?

Schema therapy is a type of psychotherapy that works with the concept of “schema,” used for thought patterns that may lead a person to clinically maladaptive behaviors or to experience problems in their relationships, and aims for healing through this work.

Schemas can consist of maladaptive patterns that may extend back to childhood, are mostly formed in the early stages of life, and can lead a person to experience psychological problems later in life. Parents who cannot set boundaries, behave in an overly anxious way, or deprive the child of emotional or physical needs are generally considered to be the source of developing maladaptive schemas.

In adulthood, negative schemas may manifest themselves in behaviors such as negative thoughts and actions, avoidance, excessive self-sacrifice, and overcompensation. These kinds of behavioral patterns can damage a person’s relationships and negatively affect their overall well-being.

The aim of schema therapy is for the person to recognize their behaviors, understand their underlying causes, and by changing these behavioral patterns, to gain coping mechanisms for the difficulties encountered in relationships and in life.

Schema therapy includes common elements from approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), psychoanalysis, and Gestalt therapy. Although it is still a relatively new psychotherapy approach, it has been observed to be quite common and effective, and it is practiced in clinical settings by many professionals.

From birth onward, beginning with the interaction established with the parent, 18 maladaptive schemas are formed. These schemas are associated with the child’s emotional needs not being met across five dimensions:

Disconnection and Rejection
Impaired Autonomy
Impaired Limits
Other-Directedness
Overvigilance and Inhibition

For Which Psychological Problems Is Schema Therapy Effective?

Schema therapy has been found to be effective in the recovery process of people who have experienced problems in their lives due to developing maladaptive schemas from an early age. Schema therapy is frequently used for the following psychological difficulties:

Depression

Anxiety Disorders

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders

Addiction

Eating Disorders

Relationship Problems

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Schema Therapy Session Process

The aim of schema therapy is to help meet a person’s core emotional needs. Throughout the course of sessions, the goals are to help the person learn to connect with their emotions, to set limits for schemas and modes, and to develop more functional schemas and modes.

How long schema therapy sessions will continue may vary based on the person’s needs and the therapist’s recommendations. Schema therapy typically continues for 6 to 12 months, with sessions held once a week.

Techniques Used in Schema Therapy

Some of the techniques used in schema therapy fall under four headings: cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and therapeutic relational techniques. These include:

Schema Journal

Coping Card

Imagery Practices

Behavioral Techniques

Empathic Confrontation

Psychotherapy Approaches and Schools

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a structured, goal-oriented psychotherapy approach that aims…