Elizabeth Gessel, MFT

When you’re feeling stuck, be it in a relationship, at work or on a project, you likely are feeling some kind of block. A typical expression is writer’s block because it’s one most of us have experienced in school or work. It’s when the creative energy stops flowing, ideas don’t come to mind, it’s hard to find a satisfactory resolution or it’s impossible to write to the first line.

Creative blocks take many forms in our lives. In relationships you may find yourself feeling stagnant with the spark having left the romantic connection between you and your partner. You may wonder if you should try to fix the relationship or break up. At work you may feel a lack of interest, motivation or synergy between you and your boss or coworkers. This too can leave you wondering if you’re in the right line of work or should you find another job. You may feel plagued with doubt and can’t make a move due to indecision.

Blocks often indicate unconscious fears and it’s quite natural to want to avoid something fearful. But what we fear can also be our own potential that may have had to go underground early in our lives in order to tend to more important things. So when opportunities present themselves for us to take the lead or do something different we might not actually be able to see the opportunity for what it is.

Other times blocks are indicative of living too much inside the rational part of the brain. It’s like trying to be the editor at the same time as being a writer. It becomes too competitive an environment for creativity to emerge. This is a situation where we need to shift focus to get out of our own way.

Through a variety of techniques utilizing sand tray, dream work, journaling and mindfulness I can help you begin to unlock your creative potential. Science has been catching up with these therapeutic interventions and has found they actually improve brain functioning by creating new neuronal pathways. This means that even if you’re working on writer’s block these techniques can also help you in your personal relationships and job.