Do you have questions about what a schema-focused treatment could do for you? Or are you unsure whether it’s the right time to see a psychologist?
Schema Therapy
Schema therapy is aimed at breaking ingrained patterns that are no longer serving you. It can be used for personality disorders and depressive disorders. Psychologists within iPractice use elements of schema-focused therapy to work with you to recognize and break through existing dysfunctional patterns. You can read all about schema-focused therapy here.
What is schema therapy?
Important to know before you read on: At iPractice, our psychologists work with solution focused treatments and use elements of schema therapy to help you recognize and break unhelpful patterns together. iPractice does not offer full schema therapy.
Please note: At iPractice, we do not offer complete schema therapy.
Schema therapy aims to help you recognize and change deep-rooted patterns in how you think, feel, and relate to others—especially patterns that keep repeating and hold you back.
Many of these patterns develop early in life, often through childhood experiences. These patterns are called schemas. Schemas are the lenses through which you see yourself, other people, and the world. For example:
- “I’m not good enough.”
- “People will always leave me.”
- “I have to stay strong and shouldn’t ask for help.”
At some point, these schemas may have helped you cope with difficult situations. Later in life, though, they can start causing problems in relationships, work, or your emotional wellbeing.
In schema therapy, you work together with a psychotherapist to recognize these patterns, understand where they come from, and learn how to change them. This helps you think, feel, and act differently.
In schema-focused therapy, the psychologist also tries to give you—warmly and respectfully—something you may have missed earlier in life. Together, you work on repairing unhelpful schemas.
Positive experiences create schemas that help you move forward. When important needs weren’t met during childhood, unhelpful schemas can develop. These often arise when basic emotional needs—like safety, care, or acceptance—weren’t sufficiently met. This can lead to frustration and, later on, psychological complaints.
Examples of causes include violence, abuse, bullying, or a lack of love. Too little attention can be harmful—but so can too much. Both neglect and overprotection can negatively affect a child’s development.
How does schema therapy work?
Schema therapy uses different techniques to help you gain insight into your emotional needs and feelings, with the goal of breaking negative patterns. Some examples of therapeutic techniques include:
- Two-chair technique. A role-play using two chairs. One chair represents the part of you driven by a schema; the other represents how a healthy adult part of you would think or respond.
- Exposure and imagery rescripting. You revisit painful memories or traumatic experiences—often through guided imagery or role-play—and change their meaning. Together with your therapist, you “rewrite” the memory by imagining how you would want the situation to end and mentally practicing that outcome.
- Empathic confrontation. Your therapist shows understanding for why your unhelpful pattern developed, while also clearly challenging you to change it.
During therapy, you talk things through with your psychologist and practice what you’re learning—by revisiting difficult situations or learning to emotionally complete them in a healthier way.
When is schema therapy suitable?
Schema therapy is especially helpful when your complaints seem connected to childhood experiences, such as abandonment, abuse, neglect, or a lack of safety. The therapy focuses on addressing these unmet needs and helping you develop healthier patterns.
It can also be effective for other mental health issues when previous treatments didn’t help enough, including personality disorders, depressive disorders, and anxiety disorders.
For schema therapy (or schema-based work) to be effective, it’s important that you:
- are willing to explore your ingrained patterns
- are curious about how they affect you and those around you
- are willing to change them
Breaking a pattern doesn’t happen overnight—it takes practice and consistency.
More information
At iPractice, psychologists work with short-term treatments and use elements of schema therapy to help you recognize and change unhelpful patterns. iPractice does not offer full schema therapy.
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At iPractice, you work with two psychologists and combine online sessions with in-person appointments at one of our locations. Want to know more? Read about the intake process and treatment options at iPractice, or learn how to find a psychologist who suits you.
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With a referral from your GP, treatment costs are reimbursed by almost all health insurers.
FAQ
How do I know if schemas are holding me back?
If you keep ending up in the same painful patterns—like withdrawing, frequent conflict, or excessive people-pleasing—schemas may be playing a role. Together, we help you identify them.
Do I have to go back to my childhood in this therapy?
You’ll look at when and how certain beliefs developed, always with the question: how do they affect you now, and what would you like to change? You don’t need to fully dig through your past to set goals for the future.
Does iPractice offer full schema therapy?
No. iPractice uses selected elements of schema therapy, tailored to your personal needs. Our experience shows that for many people, these elements are more than enough.
