Schema Therapy in Glasgow and Online
Schema Therapy is a structured, evidence-based approach that helps you understand and change deep-rooted patterns in thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. These patterns, known as schemas, often develop in childhood and can shape how you cope, connect, and feel about yourself as an adult. At Illuminated Thinking, we provide schema therapy in Glasgow and online, tailored to complex and long-standing emotional difficulties.
Schema Therapy explained clearly
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What is Schema Therapy?
Schema Therapy helps you recognise long-standing emotional patterns and build healthier ways of coping, relating, and caring for yourself.
Deep work for enduring patterns
Schema Therapy is designed to help people understand and change deep-seated patterns in thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. These patterns, known as schemas, often begin in childhood and can shape how we respond to relationships, stress, and emotions as adults.
It was developed by Dr Jeffrey Young in the 1990s to address complex emotional difficulties that other approaches may not fully resolve.
A structured, compassionate approach
Schema Therapy blends insight with practical change strategies. It often includes experiential work, emotional processing, and building a more supportive inner relationship, alongside cognitive and behavioural tools.
At Illuminated Thinking, we offer schema therapy in Glasgow and online, matched carefully to your needs and goals.
How did Schema Therapy develop?
Schema Therapy integrates multiple approaches to address long-standing difficulties more effectively.
An integrative model
Schema Therapy combines elements from cognitive-behavioural therapy, attachment theory, and emotion-focused therapy. This blend helps address deeply ingrained emotional and relational problems, not just surface symptoms.
Designed for complexity
It is particularly helpful for people with long-standing emotional challenges, complex trauma presentations, and personality-related difficulties, where standard short-term approaches may feel limited.
What are schemas?
Schemas are deeply learned patterns about the self, others, and the world that can shape emotions, coping strategies, and relationships.
How schemas form
Schemas are negative patterns or themes that often start in childhood and influence how we behave and relate as adults. They may develop when emotional needs are not consistently met, or when experiences teach us to expect danger, rejection, or abandonment.
Examples include schemas linked to abandonment, mistrust, or emotional deprivation, which can affect how safe and connected you feel with others.
Coping strategies that keep schemas going
People often develop coping styles to manage schemas, such as avoiding closeness, becoming highly self-reliant, pleasing others, or becoming critical or detached. These strategies can reduce pain in the short term, but may keep the deeper pattern going over time.
How does Schema Therapy work?
You work collaboratively with your therapist to identify schemas and modes, understand their origins, and build healthier ways of responding.
Understanding patterns and emotions
In Schema Therapy, you work closely with your therapist to uncover and understand long-standing patterns. Therapy helps you recognise what triggers schemas, what emotions arise, and how coping strategies show up in your daily life and relationships.
The goal is to strengthen healthier responses, build emotional security, and create change that lasts.
What you may do in sessions
- Formulation of schemas and coping styles
- Experiential work such as imagery and chair dialogues
- Emotion-focused processing with safety and pacing
- Cognitive and behavioural strategies to support change
- Strengthening the Healthy Adult mode and self-compassion
What can Schema Therapy help with?
Schema Therapy can support change across personality-related difficulties, chronic mood problems, relationship patterns, and complex trauma.
Common reasons people choose Schema Therapy
- Borderline personality difficulties
- Narcissistic personality difficulties
- Chronic depression
- Chronic anxiety
- Relationship problems and repeating patterns
- Complex trauma and emotional flashbacks
- Shame and self-criticism
- Difficulty trusting, connecting, or feeling secure
Especially helpful when
Schema Therapy can be a strong fit if you understand your difficulties but still feel stuck, or if short-term approaches have not helped enough. It is designed for deeper change by working at the level of needs, emotions, and long-standing relational patterns.
We will match you with a schema therapist based on your goals, preferences, and clinical needs.
Benefits of Schema Therapy
Schema Therapy targets root causes, supporting lasting change, healthier relationships, and stronger emotional resilience.
What people often notice
- Greater self-awareness and emotional insight
- Less driven by old coping patterns
- Improved relationships and healthier boundaries
- Reduced shame and increased self-compassion
- Long-term emotional resilience and stability
Change at the roots
Schema Therapy aims for deep and lasting change by working with the origins of emotional difficulties, not just the symptoms. It helps you heal old wounds, meet unmet needs in healthier ways, and build a more fulfilling future.
Contact us about schema therapy Browse our therapist directory
Is Schema Therapy right for you?
If you feel trapped by recurring patterns or overwhelmed by emotions, Schema Therapy may be the right choice.
Signs it could help
Schema Therapy may be suitable if you notice repeating cycles in relationships, intense emotional reactions, or a sense that old experiences still shape your responses. It offers a structured environment to explore and change these patterns with support and care.
A gentle note about pace
This is often deeper work that benefits from steadiness and pacing. Your therapist will build safety and stabilisation first, then work with you to process difficult emotions and develop healthier ways of coping.
Dr Aisha Tariq on Schema Therapy
Here is our Clinical Director, Dr Aisha Tariq, speaking about Schema Therapy for the Counselling Directory.
Schema Therapy FAQs
Quick answers to common questions.
Is Schema Therapy the same as CBT?
Schema Therapy includes CBT techniques, and it goes further by working with childhood origins, unmet needs, emotions, and long-standing coping patterns, often using experiential methods.
How long does Schema Therapy take?
This varies. Some people benefit from medium-term work, while long-standing patterns and complex trauma often require longer-term therapy. We will recommend a plan based on your goals and needs.
Do you offer Schema Therapy online?
Yes. Illuminated Thinking offers Schema Therapy online and in-person in Glasgow, depending on clinician availability.
What if I feel overwhelmed by emotions in therapy?
Your therapist will pace the work carefully, building stabilisation first. The aim is to process emotions safely and develop healthier coping, not to flood you or push too fast.
Schema therapists in Glasgow and online
We have several experts who provide schema therapy in Glasgow. Explore profiles and find someone who feels like the right fit.
If you would like help choosing a therapist or have questions about schema therapy, please get in touch.
Ready to change long-standing patterns?
We can recommend the right psychologist for schema therapy in Glasgow or online.