Schema Therapy

Effective therapy to grow your healthy adult part and help your inner child bloom by changing negative patterns and developing healthy coping strategies.

Schema therapy was developed as a modification of standard cognitive-behavioral therapy for the treatment of personality disorders and the consequences of complex traumatization and neglect of emotional needs in childhood. That is why schema therapy, along with a number of other approaches, is considered the so-called "third wave" in CBT. In scheme therapy, special attention is focused on the development of the therapeutic relationship, the use of an integrated arsenal of techniques and approaches, the development of a model of long-term psychotherapy, which aims to achieve changes in the personal structure of patients and the general "style" of life. Modern scheme therapy is an integrative approach, it is based on the model of cognitive-behavioral therapy with the integration of elements of the psychodynamic approach, Gestalt, emotionally focused therapy, creative/experiential therapies and attachment theory. Schema therapy is used in individual, marital and group formats. The high effectiveness of the therapy scheme in the treatment of personality disorders has been established empirically in a number of multicenter randomized controlled studies, in particular, in comparison with other common psychotherapeutic approaches.

Schema therapy (ST) is an integrative approach that brings together elements from cognitive behavioral therapy, attachment and object relations theories, and Gestalt and experiential therapies. It was introduced by Jeff Young in 1990 and has been developed and refined since then. Schema therapy is considered an effective way of conceptualizing and treating personality disorders. Rafaeli, Bernstein, and Young (2011) and Jacob and Arntz (2013) describe some of the distinguishing features of schema therapy.

• ST places more emphasis than traditional CBT upon the development of current symptoms.
• ST emphasizes the therapist–patient relationship and its potential for corrective influence.
• ST aims to help patients understand their core emotional needs and to learn ways of meeting those needs adaptively.
• ST focuses extensively on the processing of memories of aversive childhood experiences, making use of experiential techniques to change negative emotions related to such memories.

The main goal of schema therapy is to enhance the Healthy Adult regimen in order to:

• Take care and support yourself in moments of difficult emotional experiences (fear, sadness, loneliness, etc.) that are associated with unmet children's needs.
• Rebuild and replace unproductive behavioral strategies (copings). For example, the ability to experience emotions, seek help, express one's needs, etc.
• Change the behavior that occurs when experiencing emotions of anger and anger. Be able to act confidently (assertively) and at the same time not spoil relations with people.
• Confront Criticism mode. Learn to motivate yourself not with a rude and ruthless attitude, but to have realistic standards and expectations from yourself, accept mistakes and correct them if necessary.
• Unleash the "Happy Child" mode in order to enjoy life and enjoy it.

It is important to note that schema therapy, unlike CBT, usually lasts one year or more.

The effectiveness of schema therapy has been scientifically proven.

First of all, the method is designed for people who are on the spectrum of personality disorders or have a long experience where basic needs have not been met. So individual and group scheme therapy is primarily recommended for people suffering from borderline personality disorder.

There are also several studies that support the effectiveness of regimen therapy for OCD and PTSD.

Interestingly, there are studies that compare the effectiveness of treatment with different approaches (for example, schema therapy and psychodynamic approach). Schema therapy in such studies is noted as a more effective method. Presumably because the quality of communication with other people improves in patients.

Schema therapy is one of the most promising areas in modern psychotherapy.

The results of this work radically change the quality of life and significantly improve it.