Resistance: The Gateway to Healing & Growth
If you’ve ever felt yourself pulling back just as you were about to have a breakthrough in therapy, resisting the medicine in a psychedelic journey, or tensing up during somatic healing work, you’ve met resistance. It’s that inner wall that rises up when you’re about to step into deeper waters, the thing that says, “nope, not going there” or this is “too much, too fast”.
But here’s the secret: resistance is not the enemy. In fact, it’s often the most important part of the healing and growth process.
In therapy, psychedelic work, and somatic practices, resistance shows us exactly where the edge of transformation lives. It is the gateway, not the barrier, to both healing old wounds and growing into the next version of ourselves.
In this post, we’ll explore what resistance really is, why it shows up, and how to work with it so you can move through it with more compassion, courage, and curiosity.
What Is Resistance, Really?
Resistance is often misunderstood. Many people think of it as self-sabotage, fear, or lack of commitment. But in reality, resistance is simply your system’s protective mechanism.
When you’ve experienced pain, trauma, or big life challenges, your body and mind create patterns to keep you safe. These patterns might look like control, avoidance, or even perfectionism. Resistance shows up any time something threatens to change those patterns because on some level, your system equates change with danger.
It might look like:
• Changing the subject in therapy when things get emotional
• Feeling fear or anxiety before a psychedelic ceremony
• Physically tensing up during breathwork, massage, or somatic release work
• Overthinking instead of feeling during meditation or journaling
• Convincing yourself “now isn’t the right time” for that big leap in life or healing
None of this means you’re doing anything wrong. It simply means your body and mind are saying: Hold on. This is new. Are we sure it’s safe?
What Resistance Looks Like in Different Healing Modalities
In therapy resistance can look like:
• Intellectualizing emotions instead of feeling them
• Skipping sessions or procrastinating homework
• Saying “I don’t know” often when asked how you feel
• Downplaying or minimizing your experiences
In psychedelic work resistance might arise as:
• Fear leading up to a journey
• A need to control the experience rather than surrender
• Emotional blocks that stop you from going deeper
• Difficulty integrating insights afterward
In somatic healing resistance shows up as:
• Tight muscles
• Holding the breath
• Feeling frozen or numb
• Anxiety or agitation when focusing on physical sensations
Why We Resist: The Deeper Roots
Resistance isn’t about weakness or failure, it’s about protection. Here are the most common reasons it shows up:
The Nervous System Fears Overwhelm
Your body is wired for survival. When healing work stirs up intense emotions, your system may perceive it as too much, too fast and resistance kicks in to slow things down.
2. The Ego Fears Identity Loss
The part of you that has learned to survive through control, avoidance, or toughness doesn’t want to dissolve. Resistance is its way of staying in charge.
3. The Inner Child Fears Re-Traumatization
If you’ve been through trauma, parts of you learned to stay small, quiet, or hidden to stay safe. Resistance protects these tender parts from feeling exposed too quickly.
4. Change Feels Like Risk
Even positive change means leaving the familiar behind. Resistance arises when your comfort zone feels safer than the unknown.
Resistance as the Gateway to Healing and Growth
Here’s the reframe: resistance is a signpost. It points directly to the places where transformation lives.
Think of it like this:
• Without resistance, you stay in the comfort zone.
• With resistance, you find the growth edge the place where healing meets possibility.
In psychedelic work, for example, people often say the moment they resist the medicine is the moment they need to surrender most. In therapy, the topic you want to avoid is often the one that brings the deepest breakthrough. In somatic healing, the tightness in your body is the doorway to release.
Resistance doesn’t block the path. It is the path.
How to Work With Resistance
You don’t overcome resistance by bulldozing through it. That usually backfires, leaving you feeling even more shut down. Instead, here are some ways to move through resistance with compassion and skill:
1. Bring Curiosity, Not Judgment
Instead of shaming yourself for resisting, ask:
• What are you protecting me from?
• What feels unsafe about this moment?
• What would help me feel safer right now?
This shifts resistance from an enemy to a wise messenger.
2. Slow Down the Process
Healing and growth don’t have to be rushed. Sometimes resistance means you need:
• More grounding before going deeper
• A smaller, safer next step instead of a giant leap
• Time to build trust with yourself or a guide
3. Listen to the Body
In somatic work, resistance often lives in muscle tension, shallow breathing, or numbness. Instead of fighting it, bring gentle awareness:
• Place a hand on the tense area
• Breathe slowly into it
• Simply notice sensations without trying to change them
This signals to your nervous system: It’s safe to soften here.
4. Use Integration Tools
After therapy sessions or psychedelic journeys, resistance might show up as confusion, doubt, or emotional shutdown. Integration practices help you stay connected:
• Journaling or voice memos
• Grounding movement like yoga or walking
• Talking with a therapist, coach, or support group
• Creative outlets like art or music
5. Work With Support
You don’t have to face resistance alone. Trauma-informed therapists, integration coaches, or somatic practitioners can help you move at a pace that feels safe and supportive.
Welcoming Resistance as a Teacher
Instead of seeing resistance as the thing stopping you, try welcoming it:
• “I see you.”
• “I know you’re here to protect me.”
• “What do you need so we can move forward together?”
When you do this, resistance often softens because it no longer has to fight so hard to get your attention.
Moving Through to the Other Side
On the other side of resistance lives:
• Healing: releasing pain, processing trauma, finding peace
• Growth: expanding your emotional capacity, self-trust, and resilience
• Wholeness: feeling more fully yourself, more fully alive
Each time you meet resistance with compassion and curiosity, you grow stronger, safer, and freer.
Final Thoughts: Resistance as Your Ally
Resistance isn’t the problem. It’s the invitation. It says:
“This is the edge of who you’ve been. On the other side is who you’re becoming.”
Whether you meet resistance in therapy, psychedelic journeys, or somatic work, remember: it’s here to guide you. Welcome it. Listen to it. Move through it gently. Because beyond resistance lies not just healing, but your deepest growth and transformation.
