Schemas are patterns of beliefs, emotions, behaviors, and thoughts that can be adaptive (those that serve us) or dysfunctional (those that negatively affect us or loved ones).
Schema therapy is a psychotherapeutic trend that combines cognitive-behavioral and emotional techniques, enabling the identification and modification of early maladaptive schemas. It also draws on the Gestalt approach, attachment and learning theories, developmental psychology, and models of emotional processing. However, it mainly focuses on the impact of schemas from childhood or adolescence on our current functioning and relationships.
Jeffrey Young (the creator of schema therapy) believed that schemas result from difficult childhood experiences and thus from unmet needs at that time.
Schemas that make everyday life difficult are often repeated unconsciously because such a way of thinking and acting is well known to us, often rooted in our upbringing for example from our upbringing and in our family home. The cause of the formation of schemas is the insufficient satisfaction of the most important needs in childhood, such as: secure attachment, freedom in self-expression, autonomy, competence, spontaneity, consent and freedom in experiencing joy, setting boundaries or self-control. If you feel that any of these needs are difficult for you to achieve or you find it difficult to enter into healthy close relationships, considering schema therapy may be beneficial.
Young’s schema theory presents 18 schemas (including: self-sacrifice, dependence and incompetence, social isolation, excessive demands on oneself, emotional inhibition)
The therapist helps to recognize dominant schemas, names them and, together with the patient, examines their outcomes and impact on current functioning. The goal of therapy is to modify thoughts and behaviors so as to build a Healthy Adult mode that will be able to cope better with current difficulties. This therapy also gives new meaning to unpleasant situations from the past, which will allow you to take care of your needs, deal with emotions well, and, as a result, build satisfying relationships with others.
You can learn to meet your emotional needs in a way that makes you feel comfortable doing so
If you overreact or react nervously, or maybe you prefer to avoid conflicts or you don’t have enough courage to realize your needs, and aspire to change it, then schema therapy is a promising avenue. If you sacrifice too much for others, have difficulty controlling your emotions or have mood swings exploring schema therapy may be beneficial. This therapy approach is helpful in the treatment of:
- eating disorders,
- chronic depression
- trauma
- relationship problems
- personality disorders
- self-esteem.
These are just some examples of where schema-based therapy is effective. This effectiveness has been scientifically confirmed, and its use brings long-term improvement in the patients’ life.