18/02/2026
Something I often say in therapy is that our brains build well-trodden paths.
The more something is repeated, the easier it becomes to go that way again.
That’s how patterns form. Not because we choose them, but because they’ve been used enough times to feel automatic.
Even when things change, those older paths don’t just disappear. You can be trying something different, thinking differently, responding differently… and still find yourself pulled back into old ways of feeling or reacting.
That doesn’t mean the new way isn’t working. It often just means the old path has been walked for longer.
Change is less about getting it right every time, and more about using the new path often enough that it begins to feel familiar.The old ones do fade, but they take time.
Therapy can help make sense of these patterns and support change at a pace that works for you.