Overcoming the Feeling of Being Stuck: How Psychotherapy and Neurotherapy Can Help

Many people seek out psychotherapy or counselling to access support and a safe place to access relief from suffering, develop new skills, or discern a way forward in life that brings greater peace.  Some seek therapy for expanded wellbeing, to increase their interpersonal capacity or the realization of lifelong dreams. At times, people report feeling stuck in life.  Feeling stuck in life may prompt some to seek psychological services.  Sometimes, people can feel stuck within therapy.

Why am I feeling stuck?

Feeling stuck is the experience of trying to move forward, make change, or let go of unhelpful habits or patterns of behavior that no longer serve wellbeing and not being able to make any progress. Feeling stuck can also happen in therapy where the attempts to realize change are unsuccessful despite everyone’s best efforts.  Regardless of where this is happening, acknowledging the experience of feeling stuck by naming it is a good start. This is the basis of recognizing something new or different is needed in order to realize meaningful change and support overall wellbeing.

People may be stuck for a myriad of reasons. Common psychological reasons people may report feeling stuck include anxiety and the fear of change, unresolved or complex trauma or depression and the hopelessness that anything can really change. Change can threaten our sense of stability and safety and the fear of loss associated with change and letting go of the familiar can be significant.

As mammals, our nervous system is hardwired for survival and connection with others. For some, repeated experiences of distress, psychological trauma or early attachment injuries can have a lifelong impact on the developing brain and the nervous system. An overly activated nervous system, history of concussion or head injury can also make change more challenging. Finally, significant relationships, high levels of responsibility, and other environmental considerations like a work environment or a sick dependent can contribute to feeling stuck. Some of us feel stuck because we don’t want to disappoint others.

What to do with feeling stuck

Talk therapy is a traditional approach to address feeling stuck in life.  Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychoanalysis, and solution focused approaches are traditional forms of therapy that address the feeling of being stuck. Regardless of the therapeutic orientation, all therapy is oriented towards change, healing, and wellbeing. When feeling stuck comes up in the therapeutic context it’s important to address what’s happening. This may be a poor patient – therapist fit, but if that’s not an issue, it may be related to deeply entrenched habits that block change like how the nervous system and brain function. 

Neurotherapy – an option to get unstuck

Neurotherapy is a specialized treatment option that can address brain and nervous system-based barriers to change.  Neurotherapy can include transcranial alternating or direct current stimulation, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, and photo biomodulation. It works by training the brain in more optimal ways of functioning.  These treatments are well established as safe and a growing body of literature is demonstrating their efficacy with many mental health concerns.

Brain Maps (QEEG)

Neurotherapy can be offered on its own, or in conjunction with counselling or psychotherapy. Neurotherapy treatments are based upon a Quantitative Electroencephalogram (QEEG) Assessment or brain maps. This assessment provides a very specialized analysis of brain functioning which enables a trained practitioner (QEEG-DL) to analyze how the brain’s pattern of communicating with itself may be contributing to keeping a patient stuck. With this information, a licensed professional can determine a training program to teach the brain more adaptive ways of functioning to assist patients in getting unstuck.

Neuroplasticity

Neurotherapy creates a neuroplastic state in the brain.  This is a brain that is ready to change, grow, and learn new skills and is less blocked. In a sense, neurotherapy helps get the brain unstuck so patients can try new skills, practice new ways of functioning, and realize meaningful change. By showing the brain more optimal ways of functioning other changes are more available.  

Some patients report that with neurotherapy they were able to access all the previous psychotherapy they’ve tried and were now able to access the wisdom in an entirely new way that was previously impossible for them. Others notice deeper and more restful sleep, the ability to quiet their mind, and still other’s report greater energy and hopefulness in life. Some patients with brain injury report greater energy, improved mental clarity, and the capacity to function more fully in life. Children are better able to pay attention in class, focus and complete their homework. Other’s report simply feeling better overall.

Psychotherapy and Neurotherapy

At Foothills Integrative we offer both psychotherapy and neurotherapy. While some clients choose to access either psychotherapy or neurotherapy, the option to combine both treatments in one session is appealing to others. Some patients continue to work with their personal therapist in another clinic and access the neurotherapy services on their own while others access both psychotherapy and neurotherapy simultaneously. These treatments often provide the impetus needed to support change, and facilitate transformation, and greater wellbeing. Brain training teaches the brain how to function differently while therapy supports the person in thinking, behaving and responding differently. Together, patients have a greater chance of freeing themselves from unhelpful / old habits, automatic ways of function and adaptive coping strategies that are no longer serving them. Getting unstuck, feeling better, and noticing more hopefulness in life also supports making further changes.

Conditions that respond well to Neurotherapy

Neurotherapy is used in treating a variety of mental health concerns such as mood disorders (anxiety, depression OCD, etc), migraines, ADHD, concussion, stress related disorders like PTSD, sleep, learning disorders, childhood trauma, chemo brain and poor mental clarity. Neurotherapy trains the brain in new ways of communicating with itself, supporting more optimal ways of functioning, and facilitating change. For ADHD, neurotherapy addresses associated slowing by training the brain to speed up.  For mood disorders, neurotherapy speeds up slow brain regions while quieting others to find greater regulation in brain functioning.  These changes in the brain are associated with reduced symptom presentation and greater wellbeing.

Feeling stuck is common and there are many ways to address this experience.  Neurotherapy is a new and innovative treatment approach that has supported many people in achieving mental wellbeing. Combined with psychotherapy, real change can happen quickly.  Explore our website and treatment options at Foothills Integrative.  We’re happy to discuss our approach and treatment options during a free consultation.  Call us at 403 245-8577 to set up your free consultation if you’re interested in learning more or have any questions about what we do.