The Shadow Side of Writer's Block: What Resistance Really Tells Us
A lesson in approaching our stuck places with curiosity instead of criticism
The Familiar Pattern
Yesterday morning, I sat at my desk ready to write the next section of my chapter on trauma-informed shadow work. The cursor blinked. My mind wandered. I checked email, reorganized my desk, made another cup of tea—anything but write.
The internal critic was swift and harsh: You're procrastinating. You're being lazy. Just push through and write something.
But then something shifted. Maybe it was because I'd been immersed in research about approaching symptoms as signals rather than character flaws, or maybe it was simply the recognition that I was doing to myself exactly what I help clients learn not to do. Either way, I caught myself in the act of self-judgment and chose curiosity instead.
When Resistance Becomes Information
What if writer's block isn't laziness? What if it's wisdom?
Instead of forcing myself to write, I stepped back and asked: What is this resistance trying to tell me? The answer came quickly—my outline wasn't working. The structure I'd created didn't serve the content I needed to communicate. My psyche was protecting me from spending hours writing in the wrong direction.
This realization stopped me in my tracks. Here I was, writing about trauma-informed approaches that emphasize listening to symptoms as information rather than judging them as pathology, and I'd been doing the exact opposite to myself.
The Parallel to Shadow Work
In trauma-informed shadow work, we approach unwanted behaviors and difficult emotions the same way:
Traditional approach:
"This anger makes me a bad person"
"I need to stop being so sensitive"
"Why can't I just get over this?"
Trauma-informed approach:
"What is this anger protecting me from?"
"How did this sensitivity serve me in the past?"
"What does my system need to feel safe enough to change?"
The shift from judgment to curiosity changes everything. Instead of waging war against parts of ourselves, we become investigators, seeking to understand the intelligence behind even our most challenging patterns.
The Neuroscience Behind the Block
When we're stuck—whether in writing, relationships, or personal growth—our nervous system is often sending us information about safety and capacity. Writer's block can signal:
Structural issues: The approach isn't right (like my outline problem)
Capacity limits: We're trying to do too much too fast
Safety concerns: The content feels too vulnerable without proper support
Processing needs: Our psyche needs time to integrate before moving forward
These aren't character defects—they're protective mechanisms developed through experience.
A New Way Forward
Instead of pushing through resistance, I spent the morning restructuring my outline. I asked myself:
What story am I really trying to tell?
What does my reader need to understand first?
How can I organize this information so it flows naturally?
Once the structure felt solid, the words came easily. I wrote 1,500 words in a few hours, feeling energized rather than drained.
Practical Applications
Whether you're facing writer's block, relationship challenges, or any other form of stuck-ness, try this reframe:
Instead of asking:
"Why am I so lazy?"
"What's wrong with me?"
"How do I fix this?"
Try asking:
"What is this resistance protecting me from?"
"What information is my system giving me?"
"What do I need to feel safe enough to move forward?"
Then listen without judgment:
Notice your first instinct to criticize
Breathe and offer yourself the same curiosity you'd give a friend
Look for structural issues rather than character flaws
Consider what support or changes might help
The Deeper Lesson
This experience reminded me why trauma-informed approaches are so powerful. When we stop pathologizing our struggles and start investigating them with compassion, we often discover not only what's really wrong, but also the wisdom our psyche has been trying to share with us all along.
Our resistance isn't the enemy—it's often our most loyal protector, trying to keep us from harm we may not even consciously recognize.
The next time you find yourself stuck, remember: you're not broken, lazy, or defective. You're a complex, intelligent system responding to information. The question isn't how to override that intelligence, but how to listen to it more skillfully.
Moving Forward
Writer's block taught me something profound about my own work: the very principles I teach others apply just as much to my own creative process. Approaching our stuck places with curiosity rather than criticism isn't just good therapy—it's good living.
What resistance in your life might be trying to tell you something important? What would change if you approached it as information rather than inadequacy?
Sometimes the most profound insights come not from pushing through our blocks, but from finally learning how to listen to what they're trying to tell us.
Dr. Jennifer Hill specializes in trauma-informed shadow work and the integration of ancient wisdom with contemporary neuroscience. She is currently working on a chapter about trauma-informed approaches for an upcoming edited volume on trauma treatment modalities.