20 Maladaptive Schemas and How to Support Each One With This Therapy Workbook (Freebie Included)

Monique McNamara
3 days ago
7 min read

When clients ***get it*—but still stay stuck**

You know that moment in therapy when a client can clearly name their patterns? They know they’re always anticipating abandonment, or they recognize they constantly seek validation from others, or they admit they’re avoiding anything that might expose their fear of failure. They’re aware. Insight is there.

And yet... they’re stuck.

This is where the work gets tricky, right? It’s one thing to help clients identify their maladaptive schemas—it’s another to help them shift how they respond when those schemas get activated. Between-session space becomes the battleground for growth, but that space is often where our clients struggle the most.

You may have found yourself thinking:

They know this about themselves. So why do they still keep reacting the same way?
How can I help them do more than just recognize the pattern?
What kind of structure can I offer so they’re supported even outside our session?

This is exactly the kind of challenge that calls for the right resources—not just insight, but something that helps clients engage with their schemas in a more active and reflective way, again and again.

Why recognition isn’t enough

As therapists, we know that insight is only the starting point. Clients can understand what a maladaptive schema is and even see how it developed—but when it comes to living differently, they often feel lost.

They may ask things like:

“Okay, but what do I do with this?”
“How do I stop reacting this way when I know where it comes from?”
“Is there a way to actually change it?”

That’s where practical, consistent engagement makes all the difference. Rewiring long-standing emotional beliefs doesn’t happen through awareness alone. It happens when clients return to those moments of discomfort and pause long enough to notice, reflect, and try a new response.

But let’s be honest—expecting clients to do that work without structure, support, or direction? It’s a tall order.

You’ve probably tried journaling prompts, check-ins, maybe even made your own worksheets. And while those can help, it takes a lot of time to create resources from scratch—and they don’t always cover the depth or breadth that schema work demands.

What you really need is something that bridges the gap between sessions. A tool that helps clients explore their schemas on paper, and gently challenges the beliefs that keep them stuck.

Bringing schema work to life—with the help of a workbook

This is where the Maladaptive Schemas Workbook comes in. It’s not just another set of worksheets—it’s a full therapeutic companion designed to walk your clients through the parts of the work that often stall progress.

Whether your client is struggling with abandonment, defectiveness, emotional deprivation, or any of the 20 maladaptive schemas, this resource offers:

Reflective prompts that gently challenge ingrained beliefs
Schema-specific worksheets that bring clarity to emotional patterns
Real-life application pages to explore how these patterns show up in relationships, behaviors, and body responses
Tools that support new, healthier beliefs—and help clients rehearse them

Maladaptive Schemas Workbook

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Each of these pages supports therapeutic momentum, while still being flexible enough to adapt to different client needs and coping styles. You could use it as part of your session work, offer it as between-session support, or assign selected worksheets as thoughtful, low-pressure homework.

Start small: using schema tools without overwhelming your clients

Schema work can feel heavy, especially when clients are just beginning to face long-held beliefs that have shaped how they see themselves and the world. That’s why the way we introduce tools like this matters.

You don’t have to use the full workbook right away. You might start with just one or two pages that match your client’s current goals or therapy focus. Starting small can actually increase client engagement because it feels more manageable and client-centered.

Here are a few ways to ease clients into this kind of work:

Match the moment. If a client shares a story in session that clearly touches on a schema (like not feeling heard or constantly doubting themselves), offer a worksheet that helps explore that experience more deeply.
Tailor to schema coping styles. If a client tends to avoid or shut down, something like the Exploring Your Maladaptive Schemas worksheet can give them a quiet space to reflect at their own pace. For those who overcompensate, use the Schema Evidence & Counter-Evidence pages to build balanced awareness.
Normalize the process. Let clients know it’s okay to feel unsure or resistant. These are deeply ingrained patterns—discomfort is part of the work.

If you're looking for a place to start, the Maladaptive Schema Freebie worksheets are a great option. You can download them here!

They include foundational tools like schema checklists, reflection prompts, and schema-specific examples to gently introduce the material. These are perfect for testing the waters and giving clients a taste of what more structured schema work can offer—without any pressure.

Practical examples for all 20 maladaptive schemas

Here’s a brief example of how the workbook can support each of the 20 maladaptive schemas in session or as between-session work:

Abandonment – The "Relationship Mapping" worksheet can help clients visualize patterns in their relationships and begin noticing how fears of being left behind influence their behaviors.
Mistrust/Abuse – The "Evidence Tracking" sheet encourages clients to evaluate whether their current situations mirror past trauma or if new patterns of safety and trust are emerging.
Emotional Deprivation – The "Needs Awareness" worksheet helps clients identify specific emotional needs that often go unmet and guides them to explore how to express or fulfill those needs.
Defectiveness/Shame – The "Schema Timeline" allows clients to trace the development of self-critical beliefs and opens space for compassionate reinterpretation of their past.
Social Isolation/Alienation – "Values & Strengths Reflection" supports clients in reconnecting with their authentic qualities and recognizing areas of belonging.
Dependence/Incompetence – The "Confidence-Building Steps" worksheet walks clients through identifying small, achievable tasks that reinforce self-efficacy.
Vulnerability to Harm – "Safety Reality Testing" to help clients distinguish perceived danger from actual risk in current situations.
Enmeshment/Undeveloped Self – With the "Boundary Mapping" worksheet, clients explore their sense of self and learn where they end and others begin.
Failure – The "Reframing Failure" worksheet encourages clients to identify successes and challenge all-or-nothing thinking tied to competence.
Entitlement/Grandiosity – "Perspective-Taking Practice" encourages reflection on others’ experiences to promote empathy and collaborative relationships.
Insufficient Self-Control – The "Self-Discipline Tracker" provides daily accountability for clients to notice urges and practice regulation.
Subjugation – The "Needs Prioritization" worksheet supports clients in making their preferences visible and standing up for their boundaries.
Self-Sacrifice – The "Self-Care Commitment" sheet gives clients a structure to prioritize and follow through on personal care routines.
Approval-Seeking – The "Self-Approval Challenge" helps clients celebrate intrinsic motivations and reduce reliance on external validation.
Negativity/Pessimism – "Cognitive Flexibility" activity where clients practice finding hopeful or alternative interpretations to persistent negative thinking.
Emotional Inhibition – Clients can use "Feeling Word Expansion" to strengthen emotional vocabulary and support healthy expression.
Unrelenting Standards – The "Perfectionism Checklist" helps clients evaluate where high standards become rigid and where flexibility may serve them better.
Punitiveness – The "Self-Kindness Practice" allows clients to soften critical self-talk and experiment with gentle, corrective self-responses.
Recognition-Seeking – The "Authenticity Reflection" worksheet supports identity alignment and helps clients explore what matters to them personally.
Approval-Seeking/Recognition-Seeking – The "Identity Clarity" worksheet gives space for clients to reflect on how external validation has shaped their choices—and what they want to reclaim.

Maladaptive Schemas Workbook

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What’s inside the workbook—and how it supports your work

Once your client is ready for deeper schema work, having a comprehensive tool on hand can save you time and offer structure to the process. The Maladaptive Schemas Workbook was created with that exact need in mind—to support and enhance the therapeutic process in a way that feels approachable and effective.

Here’s what you’ll get:

101 total pages of schema-based worksheets and reflection tools
20 maladaptive schemas, each with targeted exercises, examples, and reframe prompts
Coping response tools to help clients understand their avoidance, overcompensation, or surrender patterns
Reflection pages that link schemas to physical responses, behavior, and beliefs
Creative tools like visual mapping, belief tracking, and re-authoring exercises
Fillable digital PDF for easy use in telehealth or paperless practice
Printable formats in both US Letter and A4 sizes for in-person or hybrid care

The workbook is flexible enough to fit your approach. You can work through it one schema at a time, focus only on the client’s top-rated schemas, or assign specific sections as needed.

Maladaptive Schemas Workbook

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Whether you’re helping a client challenge deeply rooted shame, explore patterns of emotional deprivation, or make sense of their fear of failure—this workbook offers something tangible to return to between sessions. It encourages insight, supports reflection, and helps keep the momentum going in a way that feels grounded and manageable for your clients.

👉 Click here to view the Maladaptive Schemas Workbook and see if it’s the kind of support that could complement your work.

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Gentle Observation: Working with schemas asks a lot of our clients—but it also asks a lot of us. It’s not easy sitting with those deep, painful beliefs session after session, especially when progress feels slow or stuck. I created this workbook because I’ve been in those moments too—wanting something more structured to offer, something that could help clients stay connected to the work in a meaningful way between sessions.

If you’ve ever felt that same pull for something practical and compassionate to bring into the room—or send home with your client—I hope this resource can be that for you.

Sometimes, the smallest shift in how we support our clients can create the biggest shift in how they begin to support themselves.

If you’ve ever felt that same pull for something practical and compassionate to bring into the room—or send home with your client—I hope this resource can be that for you.

Sometimes, the smallest shift in how we support our clients can create the biggest shift in how they begin to support themselves.

Jemma (Gentle Observations team)

P.S. If you're a member of the Therapy Resource Library, you already have access to the Maladaptive Schemas Workbook as part of your membership! You can grab it here: 👉 Maladaptive Schemas Workbook