Schema Therapy
All Schemas have in common:
A broad pervasive theme or pattern
Comprised of memories, emotions, cognitions, and bodily sensations
Regarding oneself and one's relationships with others
Developed during childhood or adolescence
Elaborated throughout one's lifetime
Dysfunctional to a significant degree
More detailed Schema Domains and their consequences include:
I. Disconnection and Rejection- the inability to form secure, satisfying attachments to others. The belief is that needs for stability, safety, love and belonging will not be met.
II. Impaired Autonomy and Performance-the inability to separate, survive and function independently, or perform successfully. Adults are often enmeshed with their children.
III. Impaired Limits- difficultly with respecting the rights of others, keeping commitments and cooperating in a reciprocal manner
IV. Other-Directedness- there is an excessive focus on the needs of others at one's own needs in order to gain love and approval. People are usually out of touch with their own anger or frustration.
V. Overvigilance and Inhibition-excessive emphasis on suppressing one's spontaneous feelings, impulses and choices to meet rigid critical internalized rules at the expense of happiness, closeness, or health.
