Identifying Roadblocks

One of the most frustrating things for a therapist and I would imagine the client is the roadblocks that interfere with life.

Getting someone ...this... close and then losing all of that progress is incredibly disappointing in the field, and can sometimes cause a client to end the therapy sessions altogether.

Identifying roadblocks (whether real or imagined) is sometimes painful and requires a lot of introspection and the understanding that we may have to come to the conclusion that the one standing in our way is ourselves.

Ouch! I know right?

I have caused more damage in my own life than any enemy or other person could even dream of causing. I have allowed fear to keep me from striking out on my own, or delaying my plans. I have given up, failed, destroyed relationships, all of it.

The hardest part of all of that was admitting that the person standing in my way was the one standing in front of the mirror. I was so afraid of discovering weakness in myself that I refused to even explore what I was capable of achieving.

Leading a client to that edge, of self discovery and then subsequently unpacking what we can do to stop that process, is painstaking and sometimes has a negative outcome.

However, the freedom! Yes Freedom! that comes from taking that leap and saying "Okay fine! I am the problem! NOW WHAT!!" is liberating and will inevitably lead to less problems in the future.

Taking that step is terrifying, but when you start to consider what you have to lose by doing it...you can lose the roadblock, you can move it to the side and progress forward..but if you don't...you can continue to run into it, go back and grab a different car, and run into it again.

When we look at that on a screen, we would say "That's silly, move the roadblock!" The same is true for your life...running into the same roadblock seems silly when it is in your rearview, but when you're in front of it, it isn't as obvious.

Finding a good therapist to assist you is important. They will ask the questions to help you figure out how you're tripping yourself up. If you aren't comfortable with a therapist, a close friend or family member may also be able to assist. There is good information on the internet as well, or feel free to reach out to me and I can point you in the right direction!

Start next year out working for yourself, not against.