More about Schema Therapy

Schema therapy, a refined development of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), integrates psychodynamic, gestalt, and systemic models of psychotherapy. It addresses maladaptive patterns (schemas) from infancy and throughout life, developed by Dr. Jeffrey Young to treat chronic, long-term issues and personality structures that often don’t respond to traditional therapy.

 

Key aspects include:

 

• Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS): Enduring, self-defeating patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that develop in childhood due to unmet emotional needs.

• Coping Modes: Individuals adopt protective coping styles (surrender, avoidance, or compensation) that become unhealthy in adulthood.

• Goal: To help individuals break these patterns, heal emotional wounds, and meet their emotional needs in healthier ways.

• Techniques: Cognitive, behavioural, and experiential techniques (like imagery re-scripting and chair-work) are used to address deep-rooted patterns.

• Common applications include maladaptive personality characteristics, chronic depression and anxiety, long-standing relationship issues, and eating disorders. The therapy is generally longer-term than traditional CBT, focusing extensively on the therapeutic relationship as a tool for change.