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Feeling Stuck in Therapy? How to Break Through a Plateau and Start Progressing Again
"Growth isn’t a straight line – it’s an upward spiral of climbs, plateaus and loops."
— Brooke Sprowl
Why Understanding Therapy Plateaus Matters
If you’ve been in counseling for a while and suddenly feel like nothing is happening, you’re not alone. Therapists often describe this as a plateau—a period where sessions feel repetitive or progress appears to stall. Research and clinical experience show that plateaus are a normal part of the therapeutic journey. In fact, it’s common for clients to oscillate between breakthroughs and periods of consolidation rather than experience continual, linear improvement. The Fowler & Tidwell Counseling team explains that growth in therapy resembles climbing an “erratic and unsafe staircase” where long stretches of confusion give way to moments of clarity and then level off. Likewise, Bear in Mind Psychology notes that many people “hit plateaus in their therapeutic journey” and that recognising this is crucial for mental‑health progress.
Plateaus matter because they can affect motivation and belief in the process. When you expect a breakthrough every week, feeling stuck can lead to frustration, self‑doubt or even quitting therapy prematurely. Talkspace reminds readers that not every week will be a movie‑worthy epiphany; therapy is “more like a series of small breakthroughs,” and these insights are most effective when they occur at your own pace. Understanding that progress can be slow, uneven and sometimes invisible helps you adjust expectations and stay engaged during the inevitable lulls.
Therapy plateaus also matter in 2025 because more people are seeking mental‑health support than ever before, and telehealth has made therapy more accessible. With this growth, therapists are paying increased attention to client engagement, treatment tailoring and ways to prevent drop‑out when progress stalls. By learning why plateaus happen and how to work through them, you can turn a frustrating experience into an opportunity for deeper insight and lasting change.
What Is a Therapy Plateau and Why Do We Crave Progress?
A therapy plateau is a period when your sessions feel stagnant—conversations revolve around the same issues, improvements in daily life slow down, or the strategies you once found helpful lose their impact. Bear in Mind Psychology describes signs of being stuck as “having the same conversations each session,” not seeing changes outside of therapy, or feeling like you’re venting without gaining insight. During a plateau, you might even start to dread sessions or question the effectiveness of therapy.
People crave progress because change activates the brain’s reward circuitry. When you achieve a goal or gain a new insight, the striatum and other reward‑related regions release dopamine, creating a sense of pleasure and forward momentum. Conversely, stagnation feels uncomfortable because humans are wired to seek growth and completion. As the Televero Health team notes, progress isn’t always obvious; small shifts—like pausing before reacting or using a new coping skill—are signs of growth. Unfortunately, these subtle changes can be easy to miss when you expect dramatic breakthroughs. Recognising that plateaus are part of the learning process can help recalibrate your reward system to appreciate incremental progress.
Craving progress is also about narrative: many of us believe that healing should be a steady upward climb. Williamsburg Therapy Group emphasises that the mental‑health journey is better described as an “upward spiral” with ebbs and flows rather than a straight line. When your internal narrative clashes with the reality of cyclical change, it can feel like you’re failing. In truth, these pauses are opportunities to consolidate skills, process deeper emotions and prepare for the next leap forward.
Start Your Healing Today
Healing is a journey of progress, plateaus and resilience. You deserve support that honours the ebb and flow of change. If you’re ready to move past stagnation and embrace the next step in your growth, reach out. Together we can transform frustration into insight and plateaus into platforms for your next leap forward.
8 Psychological Reasons People Feel Stuck in Therapy
Below are eight common reasons people encounter plateaus in therapy. Understanding these patterns can help you identify what’s keeping you stuck and how to move forward.
1. Expecting Big Breakthroughs Every Session
In movies, therapy sessions often culminate in dramatic revelations. Real life is rarely so tidy. Talkspace writes that therapy consists of “small breakthroughs” and cautions that you’re not going to have a major realisation at the end of every session. Unrealistic expectations can lead you to judge normal periods of integration as failure.
Why it feels comfortable: Early sessions often bring immediate relief, so it’s natural to assume progress should continue at the same pace. The brain loves novelty and rewards quick wins.
But: When you believe therapy should always feel groundbreaking, you may overlook subtler signs of growth or become discouraged during slower periods. Adjusting expectations to accept gradual change can help you stay motivated.
2. Avoiding Painful Emotions and Topics
Sometimes plateaus arise because we unconsciously steer away from unresolved grief, trauma or uncomfortable emotions. Staying at the surface can feel safer, but it prevents deeper healing. The Mentalzon article on plateaus explains that our bodies and minds resist change through homeostasis, a tendency to maintain the familiar even when it no longer serves us. This resistance can manifest as boredom, distraction or reluctance to explore certain topics.
Why it feels safe: Exploring painful memories can trigger anxiety, shame or grief. It’s understandable to avoid discomfort, especially if the rest of your life feels chaotic. Venting about day‑to‑day stressors may provide temporary relief without touching core issues.
But: Avoidance keeps painful experiences unprocessed. Lasting change often requires facing uncomfortable emotions in a supportive environment. When you notice yourself circling the same topics, ask whether there might be a deeper layer you’re avoiding. You don’t have to dive into trauma all at once, but gradually expanding your window of tolerance with your therapist can help you move beyond the plateau.
3. Mismatch Between You and Your Therapist or Modality
A plateau sometimes signals that the current therapeutic relationship or approach isn’t meeting your needs. Talkspace notes that outgrowing your current therapist doesn’t mean you’ve outgrown therapy altogether; different therapists specialise in different issues, and you might need a new specialist or modality for the next stage.
Why it feels comfortable: Staying with a familiar therapist provides safety and continuity. Switching can seem daunting, especially if you’ve built trust.
But: The best therapeutic fit evolves as your goals change. If you’ve resolved the initial issue that brought you to therapy, it may be time to explore other modalities—such as trauma‑focused therapies, group work or somatic approaches—that align with your current needs. Discuss your concerns with your therapist; they can help you identify options or refer you to a colleague.
4. Limited Self‑Disclosure and Honesty
Progress thrives on transparency. When you withhold information, downplay struggles or avoid discussing frustrations with your therapist, you limit their ability to help. Bear in Mind Psychology warns that staying silent about feeling stuck can lead to wasted time and money, growing frustration and missed opportunities for more effective interventions.
Why it feels safe: Fear of judgment, shame or hurting your therapist’s feelings can make it hard to speak openly. Cultural or familial conditioning might discourage vulnerability.
But: Therapists are trained to handle honest feedback and difficult topics. Addressing the plateau directly can actually strengthen the therapeutic alliance. Come prepared with examples of where you feel stuck and be open to your therapist’s perspective.
5. Passive Participation: Not Practicing Between Sessions
Therapy is collaborative. Insight without action often leads to stagnation. Televero Health emphasises that progress is subtle—small changes like pausing before reacting or noticing self‑critical thoughts are meaningful signs of growth. However, these shifts usually require practicing new skills outside the therapy room. Without applying what you learn, sessions can become repetitive venting.
Why it feels comfortable: Reflecting and venting can relieve stress, and life is busy. It’s tempting to save the work for the session itself.
But: Behavioral change happens through repeated practice. Try journaling, completing therapy homework, using coping strategies daily or tracking your emotions. This engagement reinforces neural pathways and helps you notice progress in real time.
6. Overwhelming External Stressors
Therapy is collaborative. Insight without action often leads to stagnation. Televero Health emphasises that progress is subtle—small changes like pausing before reacting or noticing self‑critical thoughts are meaningful signs of growth. However, these shifts usually require practicing new skills outside the therapy room. Without applying what you learn, sessions can become repetitive venting.
Why it feels comfortable: Reflecting and venting can relieve stress, and life is busy. It’s tempting to save the work for the session itself.
But: Behavioral change happens through repeated practice. Try journaling, completing therapy homework, using coping strategies daily or tracking your emotions. This engagement reinforces neural pathways and helps you notice progress in real time.
7. Resistance to Change and Comfort Zones
Change threatens the status quo, and your mind and environment may push back. The Mentalzon article explains that homeostasis—the system’s drive to maintain equilibrium—makes us resist even positive change. Family, friends or colleagues may also subtly discourage your progress because it shifts familiar dynamics.
Why it feels comfortable: Staying in your comfort zone avoids uncertainty. Old patterns are familiar, even if they’re painful. There’s also a social cost to change; people around you may feel challenged by your growth.
But: Recognising resistance as a normal part of growth helps you work with it rather than against it. Acknowledge the discomfort, seek support from people who understand your goals and practice self‑compassion when setbacks occur. Learning to negotiate with resistance—rather than forcing change or giving up—makes progress sustainable.
8. Your Goals Have Evolved
Sometimes feeling stuck simply means you’ve reached the end of a particular therapeutic chapter. Talkspace notes that therapy isn’t meant to continue forever; therapists often begin new relationships with termination in mind and will help you review how far you’ve come. You might have resolved your initial problem and now need to focus on new areas or take a break to integrate.
Why it feels comfortable: Staying in therapy can feel safe, and endings can be bittersweet. You might worry that leaving therapy means losing support or that you’ll regress.
But: Graduating from therapy or shifting goals is a sign of growth. You can always return later. Alternatively, you might explore coaching, support groups or self‑guided programs to maintain momentum. The key is to recognise when the work you’re doing no longer aligns with where you want to go.
Break Free from Therapy Stagnation
Ready to explore your options? Book a complimentary session to discuss your goals and discover how we can help you break through your plateau. Reclaim your momentum and step into the next chapter of your healing.
Reclaim Your Growth Without Giving Up
Empower Yourself Through Reflection
Feeling stuck doesn’t mean therapy has failed; it’s a sign that something needs to shift. Reflect on which of the eight reasons above might be at play. Perhaps your goals have changed, you’re avoiding difficult emotions or you need to practice skills more consistently. Honest reflection is the first step toward change.
Take Concrete Steps
Talk to your therapist: Addressing the plateau directly can strengthen your relationship and lead to a renewed focus. Share specific examples of where you feel stuck and be open to feedback.
Revisit your goals: Are you still working toward the same objectives? If not, set new, specific goals to guide your sessions.
Try something different: This might mean adding group therapy, exploring a new modality (e.g., EMDR, ACT or somatic therapy) or temporarily increasing session frequency.
Engage outside sessions: Keep a therapy journal, practice coping skills daily, and track small wins. Even small shifts—like pausing before reacting or recognising a thought pattern—signal progress.
Evaluate fit: If the plateau persists despite your efforts, consider whether a different therapist or approach might better serve your current needs.
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Author Bio
Brooke Sprowl is an industry-leading expert and author in psychology, spirituality, and self-transformation. Her insights have featured in dozens of media outlets such as Huffington Post, Business Insider, Cosmopolitan Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Spectrum One News, Mind Body Green, YourTango, and many more.
As the founder and CEO of My LA Therapy, she leads a team of 15 dedicated therapists and wellness professionals. Brooke has been a featured speaker at prominent universities and venues such as UCLA School of Public Affairs, USC, Loyola Marymount University, the Mark Taper Auditorium, and Highways Performance Gallery, to name a few.
With a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Welfare with a Mental Health Specialization from UCLA, a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from USC, and certifications in peak performance and flow science from the Flow Research Collective, Brooke has helped hundreds of prominent leaders and CEO’s overcome anxiety, relationship difficulties, and trauma and reclaim a sense of purpose, vitality, and spiritual connection.
With 15 years of experience in personal development and self-transformation as a therapist and coach, she has pioneered dozens of original concepts and frameworks to guide people in overcoming mental health challenges and awakening spiritually.
Brooke is the host of the podcast, Waking Up with Brooke Sprowl. She is passionate about writing, neuroscience, philosophy, integrity, poetry, spirituality, creativity, effective altruism, personal and collective healing, and curating luxury, transformational retreat experiences for high-achievers seeking spiritual connection.
