You may have noticed certain patterns repeating in your life, perhaps in relationships, how you feel about yourself, or how you respond under stress. Even when you can recognise these patterns, they can feel difficult to shift. 

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Schema Therapy is designed to help you understand where these patterns come from and support you in changing them in a deeper, more lasting way. 

 

What Is Schema Therapy? 

Schema Therapy focuses on long-standing emotional and behavioural patterns, known as schemas, which often develop earlier in life when core emotional needs—such as safety, connection, or acceptance—were not fully met. 

These patterns can continue into adulthood, influencing how you think, feel, and relate to others. Schema Therapy helps you make sense of these experiences and begin to respond in ways that feel more balanced and supportive. 

 

What Can It Help With? 

This approach can be particularly helpful if you are experiencing: 

• Ongoing relationship difficulties 

• Low self-esteem or a strong inner critic 

• Anxiety, low mood, or emotional overwhelm 

• Patterns of people-pleasing, avoidance, or self-sabotage 

• Feeling easily triggered or struggling to regulate emotions 

• A sense of being “stuck” in familiar cycles 

 

How We Work 

Together, we build an understanding of your patterns and the different “parts” of you that show up—for example, more vulnerable feelings, self-critical thoughts, or coping strategies that may have once been helpful. 

 

The work is collaborative and paced carefully. It may include: 

• Talking through patterns and current difficulties 

• Making links with earlier experiences 

• Developing practical ways of responding differently in everyday life 

 

Alongside this, Schema Therapy often uses experiential techniques to help shift patterns at a deeper emotional level. For example: 

• Imagery work – gently revisiting past experiences in a safe, supported way to help process emotions and meet unmet needs 

• Chair work – exploring and working with different “parts” of yourself (such as a critical voice or a vulnerable part) to create more balance and self-compassion 

 

These approaches are always introduced carefully and at your pace, with a focus on helping you feel safe and in control. 

 

What Makes Schema Therapy Different? 

Schema Therapy works at both a thinking and emotional level, helping to create change that feels meaningful and sustainable. 

 

It places particular importance on: 

• Understanding the origins of difficulties 

• Working with emotions, not just thoughts 

• The therapeutic relationship as a secure, supportive base for change 

 

What to Expect 

You can expect a consistent, non-judgemental space where we work together at your pace. Over time, many people begin to notice: 

• Greater understanding of themselves and their patterns 

• Less intensity in emotional reactions 

• Increased self-compassion 

• More choice in how they respond to situations and relationships 

 

Is Schema Therapy Right for You? 

If you’re looking to understand yourself more deeply and move beyond repeating patterns, Schema Therapy can offer a thoughtful and effective way forward.