Schema Therapy

Do you find that there are repeating patterns in your life that you can’t seem to change, even though you understand that they are not helpful for you?

Perhaps you find yourself repeating the same patterns in relationships, choosing similar types of partners or people who may not be good for you. Or perhaps you find relationships difficult, struggle to connect with others, or find yourself engaging in behaviours that feel self-sabotaging, even when you know they are not taking you where you want to be in life.

You may have experienced difficulties during childhood that continue to affect you as an adult, or find it difficult to regulate your emotions. You may also have experienced ongoing or recurrent depression or anxiety that has been difficult to shift, despite previous treatments such as medication or cognitive behavioural therapy.

If some of these experiences resonate with you, Schema Therapy may be helpful.

Schema Therapy is an evidence based, integrative form of therapy that helps us understand and address longstanding patterns that can affect the way we think, feel, behave and relate to others. It takes into account our early life experiences and how these experiences may continue to influence our lives in adulthood.

Early experiences can include abuse, neglect or other forms of trauma, but sometimes the experiences that shape us are less obvious. For example, emotional deprivation can develop when we have a sense that no one was really there for us emotionally. This can contribute to difficulties with relationships, self-worth and emotional wellbeing later in life.

Similarly, experiences of social isolation or feeling different from others can contribute to a lifelong sense of not belonging. Growing up with significant chaos or stress, or with a parent who was unwell, emotionally unavailable or absent, can also influence the ways we learn to understand ourselves, other people and relationships.

Schema Therapy helps us to understand these patterns and, importantly, to begin to change them. It can help you develop a greater understanding of where your difficulties come from, recognise patterns that may no longer be serving you, and develop healthier ways of responding to yourself and others.

Schema Therapy and EMDR

Schema Therapy can also be complemented by EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). While Schema Therapy can help us understand longstanding patterns and the experiences that may have contributed to them, EMDR can be used to help process distressing or traumatic memories that continue to affect you in the present.

The two approaches can therefore work together to address both the underlying patterns that have developed over time and the experiences that may have contributed to them. This can be particularly helpful when difficulties have their roots in childhood, developmental trauma or other significant life experiences.

I have completed Level 1 EMDR training and will be completing Level 2 training in early 2027. I incorporate EMDR into my clinical practice where appropriate and may use it alongside Schema Therapy and other evidence based approaches, depending on your individual circumstances and treatment goals.

If you feel that some of this resonates with you, I would be very happy to discuss these approaches with you and assess whether Schema Therapy, EMDR, or a combination of approaches may be a good fit for your needs.