Getting Unstuck

Becoming unstuck basically means being less at the mercy of our habitual reactions. There are a number of ways to do this. Learning mindfulness techniques as taught in Chodron’s book is one great way.

I came across a recommendation for Pema Chodron’s CD set Getting Unstuck in the Ask Amy advice column in the L.A. Times. Getting unstuck is a popular concept in therapy these days and Chodron always does an amazing job of explaining things simply and clearly.

So what does it really mean to get unstuck? And what are the different tools and techniques that can help us get there?

Becoming unstuck basically means being less at the mercy of our habitual reactions. There are a number of ways to do this. Learning mindfulness techniques as taught in Chodron’s book is one great way. Individual psychotherapy is another. With the insight and empathy we gain in therapy we are able to understand our habits and their origins and it becomes easier to remove ourselves from their grip. Grief and loss work is another helpful option. With grief work we are able to access our pain—so often a major source of the habits that keep us stuck—in a way that helps to free us from its grip in our day-to-day lives.

West Valley Counseling Center has an upcoming grief and loss workshop at the beginning of April. We also have two “Mindfulness for Anxiety” groups currently running (Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays at 10:00 a.m.).

As Chodron explains so well in most of her writings, tools like those mentioned above help us to relate to our lives with curiosity rather than fear, and this makes a tremendous difference in feeling less stuck.

If you have any questions about this blog or want to learn more about feeling less “stuck” in your daily life, please contact us at (818) 758-9450 or email us at info@westvalleycounseling.org

For a link to the article that references a married woman feeling “stuck” in her life routine, please click HERE.

West Valley Counseling Center is located at 19634 Ventura Blvd. Suite 212 Tarzana, CA 91356

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