Book Schema Therapy in London

What is Schema Therapy?

Schema Therapy is a cognitive therapy that helps people change their schemas. Schema therapists use techniques from cognitive therapy to help people identify and change their negative thinking patterns.

Schema therapy is based on the idea that our early experiences shape our views of ourselves and the world, which can lead to negative thinking patterns (schemas) that make it difficult for us to cope with life. Schema Therapy aims to help people change their harmful schemas to more helpful ones. This is done through a variety of techniques, including cognitive restructuring and selective reparenting, reframing and reattribution.

What are the different schemas?

There are 18 different schemas, which are grouped into 5 schema domains:

1. Disconnection and Rejection Schemas

• Abandonment/Instability: the belief and expectation that others will leave, that others are unreliable, that relationships are fragile, that loss is inevitable and that you will ultimately end up alone.
• Mistrust/Abuse: the belief that others are abusive, manipulative, selfish, or looking to hurt or use you and are not to be trusted.
• Emotional Deprivation: the belief and expectation that your primary needs will never be met. The sense that no one will nurture, care for, guide, protect or empathise with you.
• Defectiveness / Shame: the belief that you are flawed, damaged or unlovable and you will therefore be rejected.
• Social Isolation/Alienation: the pervasive sense of aloneness, coupled with a feeling of alienation.

2. Impaired Autonomy and Performance Schemas

• Entitlement/Grandiosity: the sense that you are special or more important than others, and that you do not have to follow the rules like other people even though it may have a negative effect on others. Also can manifest in an exaggerated focus on superiority for the purpose of having power or control.
• Dependence/Incompetence: the belief that you are unable to make your own decisions, that your judgment is questionable, and that you need to rely on others to help get you through day-to-day responsibilities.
• Vulnerability to Harm or Illness: the sense that the world is a dangerous place, that disaster can happen at any time and that you will be overwhelmed by the challenges that lie ahead.
• Enmeshment/Undeveloped Self: the sense that you do not have an identity or "individuated self" that is separate from one or more significant others.

3. Impaired Limits Schemas

• Insufficient Self-Control/Self-Discipline: the sense that you cannot accomplish your goals, especially if the process contains boring, repetitive, or frustrating aspects. Also, that you cannot resist acting upon impulses that lead to detrimental results.
• Subjugation: the belief that you must submit to the control of others or else punishment or rejection will be forthcoming.
• Self-Sacrifice: the belief that you should voluntarily give up your own needs for the sake of others, usually to a point which is excessive.

4. Other-Directness Schemas

• Approval-Seeking/Recognition-Seeking: the sense that approval, attention, and recognition are far more important than genuine self-expression and being true to oneself.

5. Overvigilance and Inhibition Schemas

• Negativity/Pessimism: the pervasive belief that the negative aspects of life outweigh the positive, along with negative expectations for the future.
• Emotional Inhibition: the belief that you must control your self-expression or others will reject or criticise you.
• Unrelenting Standards/Hypercriticalness: the belief that you need to be the best, always striving for perfection or that you must avoid mistakes.
• Punitiveness: the belief that people should be harshly punished for their mistakes or shortcomings.
• Failure: the expectation that you will fail or the belief that you cannot perform well enough.