Defectiveness Schema Therapy in Elsternwick

How schema therapy can help

Defectiveness schema is one of the most pervasive - its tentacles reach all areas of our lives and can prevent us from having our emotional needs met. Schema therapy at Elsternwick’s Your Psychologist can assist, helping you overcome any barriers that may be holding you back.

Defectiveness schema can cause low confidence, low self-esteem and even body image issues. Some behaviours typical of this schema include:



●      hyper-sensitivity to criticism and rejection

●      devaluing ourselves and allowing others to mistreat us

●      taking the blame for problems that are not our fault

●      choosing critical and rejecting partners

●      staying in dysfunctional relationships because we feel 'lucky' that someone puts up with us.

This schema, like other schemas can fuel addictive behaviours, especially with food and alcohol. There are a lot of unmet emotional needs with this schema so we often try to fill up the void with food, or numb the feelings of shame, loneliness and self-loathing with alcohol.

If you feel it is time to confront these negative thought patterns and limiting belief systems, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Your Psychologist. 

Our Elsternwick clinic

Seeking therapy for your schema can be well worth it. People who have healed their defectiveness schema feel much more comfortable in their own skin and at ease with people around them. Their relationships with others and themselves are also greatly improved.



They come to understand that there really is nothing wrong with them - it was their upbringing that was wrong. The shame is put back where it belongs - on the conditions of their childhood and the people who neglected or abused them.

Your Psychologist can also help people address other schemas including abandonment schema, emotional deprivation schema, failure schema and subjugation schema. Unfortunately, some people carry multiple schemas around with them, so it can be helpful to speak to a qualified psychologist to get to the root of your feelings.