Tried Therapy Before and Still Feel Stuck? | Terra Soul Therapies
Perhaps you have been to therapy, told your story and done your best to put what you learned into practice. You understand yourself better, but the same things keep happening. You still feel anxious or flat. You still shut down in an argument, put everyone else first, or push through until you are exhausted.
It can be hard to imagine trying therapy again when you have already put so much into it.
In my sessions, people have talked about how discouraging it can be to seek help and then be told a therapist cannot continue working with them. These are examples of how someone might describe that experience. They are illustrative paraphrases, not direct client quotations:
● “They told me they couldn’t help me.”
● “They said my needs were beyond what they could offer.”
● “I was told I needed someone who specialises in trauma.”
● “They said they did not have experience working with ADHD or autism.”
● “They said the service could only offer a set number of sessions.”
● “They told me they were not trained to help with what I was bringing.”
● “They said we had gone as far as we could together.”
● “They thought I needed a different type of therapy.”
● “They said I should see a psychiatrist before we continued.”
● “They referred me on, but I did not know where to go next.”
Sometimes a referral to another professional is the right step. But hearing that someone cannot help can still leave you feeling rejected, worn out or reluctant to try again.
I take those experiences seriously. If therapy has not helped you in the way you hoped, it does not mean you are broken or that you failed to try hard enough. It may mean the approach was not the right fit, or that there is more to explore than the story you can tell about what happened.
Why might you still feel stuck after therapy?
Insight can be valuable. You might know that you tend to keep the peace because conflict felt unsafe growing up, or that you work constantly because slowing down brings up uncomfortable feelings. But knowing why does not always give you a choice in the moment when your chest tightens, your mind goes blank or you hear yourself saying yes again.
People come to me with anxiety, depression, burnout, trauma, grief, relationship difficulties and major life changes. Some are exploring ADHD or autism later in life, or making sense of their identity after years of adapting to other people’s expectations. Their experiences differ, but many know what it is like to understand something intellectually and still feel caught in it.
There can be many reasons a previous therapy did not feel useful. The relationship may not have felt right. The pace may have been too fast. You may have needed more practical support, more room to be yourself, or a way of working that paid attention to your body as well as your thoughts. Sometimes it takes time to find an approach that fits.
What does my approach look like?
At Terra Soul Therapies, I offer trauma informed, neuro affirming, body based psychotherapy and counselling. I draw on Gestalt psychotherapy and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, as well as my experience as a Registered Nurse.
We can talk about what has happened in your life, but we can also notice what is happening as you talk. Does your breathing change when you describe a difficult conversation? Do you feel an urge to leave, explain yourself, go quiet or make sure I am comfortable? These are things we can be curious about together. You do not need to interpret every sensation or get it right.
We might pause, explore what you need, or try a small experiment to see what changes when you respond differently. We go at a pace that works for you. You do not need to retell painful experiences in detail to begin, and you can tell me when something is not working. Your feedback matters here.
Does therapy always have to feel hard?
No. We can take your experiences seriously without making every session heavy. Some moments call for care and quiet. Others make room for curiosity, creativity and laughter. You are allowed to enjoy a moment in therapy, even when you are going through something difficult.
Therapy is a relationship between two people. I want you to feel able to bring your doubts, your humour and the parts of yourself that may not have felt welcome elsewhere. We can figure out together what feels helpful, rather than asking you to fit a fixed idea of how therapy should go.
Wondering whether to try therapy again?
You do not have to be certain that my approach is the right one. If you have tried therapy before and are curious about working differently, you are welcome to ask questions. I offer sessions in Albion, Brisbane, and online across Australia.
If you would like to know more about my approach, contact me at Terra Soul Therapies. We can talk about what you have tried, what you are looking for now, and whether working together feels like a good fit.
Tried Therapy Before and Still Feel Stuck? | Terra Soul Therapies
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