I went for a walk in a familiar place recently but found that my usual path was blocked by a fallen tree.  It got me thinking about the feeling I had of suddenly not know where I was going.  There are times in life when you feel you can't find your direction, you don't know where you're going and you feel lost.  No matter which way you turn, the path seems unclear and sometimes it feels as though there are barriers in your way.  They can be external barriers, like trees blocking the path.  Or there can be internal barriers: procrastination, confusion, lack of purpose, uncertainty and anxiety.

You may feel stuck and that you have no way forward.  Well meaning friends and family may give you advice about what to do next but nothing feels quite right.  You really want to find the path that is right for you, rather than one that others suggest you try.  Perhaps you feel that you have lost yourself a bit?  Maybe a life event has come along which seems overwhelming or you are coping with big changes or transitions: a job or a relationship ending.  Or it could be you just feel your own needs have got lost while you are focusing on the needs of others.

How can therapy help?  It can help to acknowledge your feelings rather than trying to push them away.  To talk without fear of judgment to another person who is really listening can be the first step in navigating your way out of that stuck feeling.

Therapy can also provide an opportunity to:

• gain clarity and insight and identify the underlying causes of your feelings
• find ways of managing the anxiety that arises from your situation
• identify what matters to you and begin to find meaning and purpose.

It can help you to find your path.