Schema Therapy Melbourne

For the challenges that talking alone hasn't shifted.

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Logo of Inner View Psychology based in West Footscray, Melbourne

Move Toward the Life You Want to Be Living

Many of the difficulties we experience in adulthood have roots in earlier life experiences. Schema Therapy helps you understand the patterns that have developed over time, why they made sense in the context of your life, and how they may continue to influence your emotions, relationships and behaviour. Through this understanding, lasting change becomes possible.

At Inner View Psychology, our psychologists who practice Schema Therapy offer more than just the tools to help you to manage symptoms; they offer the possibility of breaking down deeply held beliefs and altering harmful lifelong patterns.

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Who Is Schema Therapy for?

Schema Therapy was originally developed to support people with personality disorders. Modern Schema therapists may suggest this approach to those who feel stuck in long standing patterns of social and/or emotional functioning. Schema Therapy has been used to treat a range of mental health concerns including:

⦿ Anxiety and worry
⦿ Intense Emotions
⦿ Depression or feeling low
⦿ Low self-esteem
⦿ Personality disorders
⦿ Relationship issues
⦿ Maladaptive thought patterns
⦿ Complex trauma
⦿ Self worth and identity issues

Schema Therapy Footscray

Turning Insight Into Change

Our past experiences are foundational to who we are, not only because they form our life story, but because they continue to shape how we see ourselves, other people, and the world around us.
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If your experiences have repeatedly communicated that you are not good enough, that people will reject you, or that the world is an unsafe place, these messages can become deeply held beliefs that feel unquestionably true. In Schema Therapy, these enduring beliefs are known as Schemas. As children, we survive by finding ways to cope with the circumstances that communicate those painful messages. In adulthood, these ways of coping usually perpetuate the chronic patterns that people come to address in therapy.
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Integrating psychodynamic, attachment and cognitive-behavioural theories, Schema Therapy emphasised the power of the therapeutic relationship to facilitate an intervention that addresses the core of long-standing patterns of social and/or emotional difficulties.
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Healing these Shemas begins with recognising them as learned patterns rather than fixed truths. Through the therapeutic process, their emotional intensity reduces, their influence on present-day reactions weakens, and they become less central in shaping identity, relationships, and coping patterns. This allows for the development of more balanced beliefs, healthier ways of relating, and a more stable and compassionate sense of self.

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Schema Therapy Southbank

Are you ready to put in the hard work towards lasting change?

We're here to help you make a move forward.

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illustration of a girl looking over a valley and feeling empowered after her psychology session

How Schema Therapy Works

Schema Therapy is based on a complex model. Experienced schema therapists are able to harness the complexity and deliver the therapy in exactly the shape that you need.

Though a really individual process, some common steps include:

Understand

We begin with the challenges that bring you to therapy, exploring the patterns that keep them going and working together to understand where they came from and why they developed.

Explore

Through conversation and experiential exercises, we work with the emotions and experiences that sit beneath these patterns, helping you process them in new ways.

Change

As your understanding grows, we develop healthier ways of responding to yourself, others and life’s challenges that better meet your emotional needs.

Connect

We focus on strengthening your relationships—with yourself and with others—so you can feel more secure, authentic and connected.

Your Schema Therapy Questions Answered

  • How is schema therapy different from regular counselling?

    Counselling typically focuses on working through current challenges. Schema Therapy goes a step further by exploring the deeper patterns that drive those challenges and where they began..

    It's often a good option if you feel like you've talked through your problems and been taught coping strategies, but things haven't really shifted.

  •  Is Schema Therapy only helpful to address really serious mental health problems?

    Schema therapy isn't only for people with diagnosed mental health conditions. Many clients come to us feeling stuck in their own way (chronic feelings of emptiness or an ongoing pattern of overworking), struggling with the same kinds of relationship challenges over and over, or chronic low self-worth. 

    If unhelpful patterns are getting in the way of living a more fulfilling life, schema therapy may help.

  • How do I know if schema therapy is right for me?

    If you've noticed the same patterns showing up across different relationships or situations, or if you've tried other approaches that haven’t worked, schema therapy may be worth exploring. If you are curious ask to book with one of our psychologist that offers Schema Therapy and they will talk you through it.

  • How many schema therapy sessions will I need?

    This varies from person to person. Schema therapy is generally a medium to longer-term approach. Your psychologist will discuss your goals in your initial consultation and give you a clearer sense of what to expect.

What you can expect at Inner View Psychology

Patient Centred Care

Our treatment plans are tailored to your needs, goals, and preferences to help you feel supported your way.

An Experienced Team

Our passionate, experienced team draw on evidence-based interventions to support clients with care.

A Welcoming Clinic

Our boutique clinic is designed to help you feel comfortable and at ease at every stage of your journey.

Our Clinics

Our Southbank Clinic

We're Here When You're Ready

If you're looking for support that gets to the root of your problems, reach out to our team today. Using schema therapy and a tailored approach, we'll work with you every step of the way.

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