Psychiatric nurses are key players in providing therapeutic interventions to patients with mental disorders. The therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is interactive in nature, providing a safe space to express intimate, vulnerable feelings, perceptions and experiences. Instilling trust, portraying empathy serves as a safety net, where patients with mental disorders can learn adaptive coping, interaction and relationship skills. Therefore, fostering therapeutic growth and personal change in patients struggling with mental disorders 

Throughout our lifetime we process information about ourselves, other people and our world (environment and life experiences). Information processing is crucial in human survival and encompasses various systems, namely: cognitive, affective, behavioural and motivational. These structures, called schemas (core beliefs) develop early in our lives and are shaped by personal experiences, as well as interaction with significant others and our environment