Between Understanding and Change: On the Schemas that Shape Our Lives and Different Paths Beyond Them

Integrative psychotherapist Małgorzata Kwiecińska-Więcek and Tomasz Kwieciński, a psychotherapist specialising in third-wave and transpersonal approaches, reflect on how schemas operate within our mind, what lasting change requires, and how to support it effectively. They also examine the use of altered states of consciousness in psychotherapy, addressing key issues such as the depth and pace of change, as well as safety, flexibility, and contraindications when tailoring methods to individual patient needs.

They explore questions such as:

why we keep repeating patterns that no longer serve us,

whether psychological insight alone is enough to act differently,

which is more vital: understanding or experience,

whether there are shortcuts to therapeutic change,

and whether we can ever fully free ourselves from our schemas.