Schema Therapy for Children and Teens: Helping Young Minds Heal and Grow

What is Schema Therapy?

Schema Therapy is a form of psychotherapy developed by Dr. Jeffrey Young. It was first created to help adults with long-term emotional struggles, but today it is also being adapted for children and teenagers.

At its heart, Schema Therapy focuses on schemas. These are deep patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that develop early in life, usually when important emotional needs are not met. For example, if a child often feels abandoned, criticized, or misunderstood, they may grow up believing “I will always be left” or “I am not good enough.” These beliefs can shape how a young person sees themselves and others, often leading to anxiety, sadness, anger, or behavior challenges.

Schema Therapy helps children and teens:

• Understand and name these patterns.

• Learn healthier ways of thinking, feeling, and coping.

• Build up their “Healthy Self” — the part of them that can feel safe, valued, and confident.

Therapists use a mix of techniques, including talking, role-playing, imagery (reimagining past experiences in a more supportive way), and creative methods like storytelling or drawing. Importantly, the therapist provides what is called “limited reparenting” — offering warmth, guidance, and emotional safety in ways that may have been missing earlier in life.

What Does the Research Say?

Schema Therapy for children and adolescents (sometimes called ST-CA) is still a newer approach, but research so far is very encouraging. Studies from around the world show that:

• Children with behavior difficulties (such as aggression or rule-breaking) improved after Schema Therapy, showing fewer problems at home and school.

• Teens with high anxiety or social struggles reported feeling calmer and more able to connect with others after therapy.

• Children with difficulties regulating emotions learned better self-control and improved social skills through Schema Therapy.

• Reviews of multiple studies suggest Schema Therapy can be especially helpful for young people when other forms of therapy haven’t fully worked.

This evidence supports what many therapists already see in practice: Schema Therapy helps young people not only change behaviors, but also heal the deeper emotional wounds that cause those behaviors.

How Schema Therapy Helps Children and Teens

At Baumgarten Child Psychology and More, Schema Therapy is adapted to meet the developmental needs of children and teens. This includes:

1. Creative, age-appropriate tools: Therapists may use storytelling, drawing, play, or role-play to help children understand and work through their schemas in a way that feels safe and engaging.

2. Identifying patterns: Teens are supported in noticing how certain thoughts (“No one likes me”), feelings (shame, anger), or behaviors (withdrawing, lashing out) fit into patterns that come from unmet emotional needs.

3. Imagery and rescripting: Children and teens may be guided to “revisit” a memory but imagine it playing out differently — with comfort, safety, or support. This helps them emotionally heal from painful past experiences.

4. Strengthening the Healthy Self: The therapist works with the child or teen to practice healthier coping skills, so they learn to respond to challenges with confidence instead of old patterns of avoidance or aggression.

5. Parental involvement: Parents and caregivers are included in the process through coaching and support. This helps families understand schemas, meet children’s emotional needs more effectively, and reinforce positive changes at home.

Why Schema Therapy Matters

Many therapies help manage symptoms or short-term problems. Schema Therapy goes deeper. It helps children and teens understand the roots of their struggles, heal emotional wounds, and build lasting resilience.

For families, this means children don’t just “stop acting out” or “worry less” — they grow into healthier, more confident versions of themselves. Parents gain new tools for supporting their children’s emotional needs, creating more positive and secure family relationships.

At Baumgarten Child Psychology and More, Schema Therapy is one of the ways we help young people break free from old patterns and move toward a brighter, healthier future.