Considering schema therapy or simply wondering if it could help you? This type of therapy has been effective in treating a whole range of issues. If you are thinking about visiting a private London psychologist at The Chelsea Psychology Clinic, or looking for options for a loved one, schema therapy could provide the help you need.
What is Schema therapy?
We all have mental images of ourselves. These have built up over the years as we learn and grow and are confronted with challenges. For some people, these impressions of themselves and/or their coping mechanisms in response to them have become a problem. Schema therapy looks at each individual’s specific concerns and how they see themselves. Working together, you and the therapist address patterns of thinking that may date back many years, and find ways to build more positive patterns. This can enable the you to better cope with stress and address problems like relationship issues, depression and anxiety.
What Types of Issues Does Schema Therapy Treat?
Schema therapy can address a whole range of issues from eating disorders to depression. It is most commonly used for long-standing problems. The engrained nature of long-term issues can make it necessary to understand what early experiences and patterns of thinking helped these problems to appear. By delving deeper, schema therapy can address issues that someone has been confronting alone while building a better framework to prevent further issues from developing in the future.
What’s the Difference Between CBT and Schema Therapy?
Schema therapy is actually a form of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). The more common forms of CBT aim to change negative patterns of thinking that lead to negative consequences without spending much time focusing on early life experiences. For many people, this type of CBT is highly effective in making possible changes and resolving a range of issues. For some people, the more intensive schema therapy form of CBT is a better option. This combines the emphasis on building positive patterns of thinking and behaviour with an understanding of how past experiences have contributed to building the existing patterns over years.
How Long Does Schema Therapy Take?
Many factors will impact the duration of each individual’s schema therapy but, generally, it will take between six months and two years. The amount of time required will depend on how frequent therapy sessions are scheduled, the number and types of problems being addressed, and each person’s range of applicable early lifetime experiences.
You will complete questionnaires to help the therapist understand the types of experiences that contributed to developing maladaptive thought processes. Then, together with your therapist, you work to define the goals of the treatment and build a strategy for meeting those goals.
How Do I Know What Type of Therapy Is Best for Me?
Fortunately, you don’t need to know about the different types of therapy to benefit from them. A psychologist will meet with you to discuss your concerns and problems as well as what you hope to achieve during therapy. Based on your goals and the areas that need resolution, your therapist will work with you to develop the best plan of treatment.
