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Individual therapyOne-to-one or online Couples therapyGottman and EFT-informed TelehealthAustralia-wide, by video
Therapy approachesCBTACTEMDRDBTSchemaAll approaches
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Getting started

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Editorial pick

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Editor's pick

Read with intentionA plain guide to stress: what it is, and everyday ways to manage it.Read article
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The practice

Our storyWestern Sydney, since 2004 Approach & valuesHow we think about good care Practice newsWhat is changing, and when Room rentalConsulting rooms, Parramatta CareersJoin a values-led practice

Our clinicians

Bülent AdaPrincipal Psychologist & Director Sijal AnsariClinical Psychologist Robert RuaneClinical Neuropsychologist Taline BardakjianConsultant Psychologist Mohan ShankarappaClinical Psychologist Michael L. T. CheungConsultant Psychologist Shahim AhmadClinical Psychologist Steve SuttonCounselling Psychologist Irfan YigitSenior Consultant Psychologist Bill SinghConsultant Psychologist Elizabeth LeeClinical Psychotherapist Shareen BirgesCounselling Social Worker Annette HaggertyConsultant Psychologist

Practical

Your first sessionWhat happens on the day Fees & rebatesMedicare, NDIS, private Questions & answersThe ones we are asked most Contact & locationParramatta, and by video Client portalAppointments, forms, invoices FormsConsent and authority

Find your fit

Meet the cliniciansWarm and down-to-earth. Find the right match for you.Find a psychologist
Visit us:Parramatta clinicTelehealth AU-wideGet directions New clients welcome · no referral needed
Schema Therapy

Understand the patterns that keep repeating.

Schema Therapy works with the deep, long-standing patterns (often rooted in early experiences) that quietly shape how you see yourself and relate to others. It's designed for what talking therapy alone hasn't shifted.

Request appointment How it works
What it helps with

What Schema Therapy helps with

Every plan is tailored to you. This is a guide to where this approach is most often used.

Not sure if it's the right fit? That's exactly what your first session is for. We'll recommend the approach (or blend of approaches) that suits you.

How it works

The approach, step by step.

A clear sense of how the work unfolds, always at your pace.

  1. 1

    Identify your schemas

    We map the early patterns (the “life traps”) that formed to protect you but now hold you back.

    Early sessions
  2. 2

    Understand the modes

    We notice the shifting emotional states that drive reactions, and where they come from, with warmth rather than blame.

    The sessions that follow
  3. 3

    Heal and re-parent

    Through experiential work, we meet unmet needs and build healthier ways of relating to yourself and others.

    Ongoing

Schema Therapy is deeper and longer-term than CBT, and often more emotionally engaging, using imagery and experiential techniques alongside talking.

Fees & funding

Know your costs before you start.

With a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP, Medicare rebates apply to individual therapy. We'll always be clear about costs before you begin.

See fees
  • Medicare: rebates on up to 10 sessions a year with a Mental Health Treatment Plan.
  • NDIS, DVA, Workers Comp & CTP: usually no out-of-pocket cost when approved.
  • Private health: claim through your extras cover, with no referral needed.
A consulting room with a burgundy sofa, a dark wingback chair and city views.
Your clinicians

Practitioners who use this approach.

See all clinicians
Common questions

Things people ask before booking.

How is Schema Therapy different from CBT?
It goes deeper and takes longer. Where CBT targets current thoughts and behaviours, Schema Therapy works with lifelong patterns and the emotional needs beneath them.
How long does it take?
Schema work is typically longer-term (months rather than weeks) because it's addressing patterns built over a lifetime. Your psychologist will discuss what's realistic for you.
What is a schema?
A schema is a deep belief or pattern about yourself and others, often formed when childhood needs weren't fully met. Examples include feeling that you're not good enough, that people will leave, or that you must always put others first. Schemas can drive the same painful reactions again and again in adult life.
What are schema modes?
Modes are the moment-to-moment emotional states we shift into, such as a vulnerable child side, a harsh inner critic or a part that shuts down to cope. Schema Therapy helps you recognise these modes and strengthen a healthy adult side that can meet your needs with more care.
Can Schema Therapy be done online?
Yes. Much of Schema Therapy, including imagery work, can be done over telehealth. Your psychologist will make sure you feel settled and supported at the end of each online session.
Is Schema Therapy covered by Medicare?
Psychologists can provide Schema Therapy within Medicare's Better Access arrangements. If you have a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP, you may be eligible for Medicare rebates on sessions with a psychologist. Because schema work is often longer-term, your psychologist can talk with you about planning sessions and options over time.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book directly with us any time. A referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP is only needed to claim Medicare rebates.
Related
References
  1. Jacob GA, Arntz A. (2013). Schema therapy for personality disorders: A review. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 6(2), 171-185. doi.org/10.1521/ijct.2013.6.2.171
  2. Taylor CDJ, Bee P, Haddock G. (2017). Does schema therapy change schemas and symptoms? A systematic review across mental health disorders. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 90(3), 456-479. doi.org/10.1111/papt.12112
Reading and tools

Further reading and free tools.

From the Journal

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Fact sheets

All fact sheets

Free self-checks

The Mind Health Check
Which approach might suit? A rough guide to what each therapy focuses on most; your psychologist will help you choose, and many people use more than one.

Thinking and behaviour

Emotion and acceptance

Trauma memory

Relationships

Strengths and solutions

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Accepting new clients

Your next step starts here.

Tell us what's going on and we'll match you with the right psychologist, usually after a free triage. No referral needed to begin.

Request appointment Call 1300 084 200
ConfidentialReply within one business dayMedicare rebates may apply
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