As a therapist, one of the most important reminders I offer clients is this: setbacks aren’t failures. They’re part of the journey.
Let me explain it like this: Healing is a lot like a long road trip. You’ve got a destination in mind—maybe it’s feeling calmer, building healthier relationships, or finally processing something painful from your past. You map it out, pack up, and get moving.
But then… something happens.
Maybe you miss an exit. Or your GPS reroutes you. Or you choose to pull over for a while because the drive just feels overwhelming. Suddenly, you’re not where you thought you’d be. It’s easy to feel frustrated, discouraged, or even tempted to give up.
But here’s what I remind clients: getting off the highway doesn’t mean you’re lost. Even more importantly, it doesn’t mean you were teleported back to your starting location.
Sometimes, those detours are necessary. Maybe your nervous system needed a break. Maybe you hit a part of your healing that felt too intense, and your body said, “Not yet.” Maybe life threw you an unexpected curveball and you had to slow down. Or maybe you just needed something different.
That doesn’t erase how far you’ve already traveled.
When you’re ready, you can get back on the road.
Maybe with new tools. Maybe with more rest. Maybe with a full tank of gas.
Always with more understanding.
So the next time you feel like you’ve “gone backwards” in therapy, remember:
You didn’t fail. You still have traveled the distance you traveled. And you can get back on the road whenever you feel ready.
