What would schema therapy sessions look like in practice?

The first few sessions will involve getting to know you well, your current difficulties, goals for therapy and your background. You will then be given a questionnaire, and we will discuss the schemas identified and your coping styles. Links will be made to your childhood needs, schemas, coping styles and your current difficulties. In sessions, times in which your schemas have been activated will be discussed including the repeated patterns and how to navigate this differently. Different strategies will be drawn on including cognitive strategies (e.g., challenging thinking), behavioural strategies (e.g., what could you experiment with doing differently), experiential strategies (e.g., the use of imagery or empty chair techniques where different parts of yourself have a dialogue and those parts are represented by chairs) or the relationship will be used to provide a different experience. Together we work out what your underlying needs were in the situation and how to meet them. The therapy will be tailored to you so there may be different emphasis on structure and strategies accordingly. Your goals for therapy are important and will be reviewed to ensure that we are staying on track with what you are hoping to achieve.