Knowing Better but Not Being Able to Do Better… Yet

Learning to heal is more than insight. Somatic therapy can help.

There’s a painful tension in growth work—whether in therapy, self-development, or everyday life. You know better. You understand the patterns you fall into, the triggers that send you spiralling, the ways you hurt yourself or others. You have insight. Awareness. Clarity.

And yet… you still do the thing.

You snap when you don’t want to. You shut down when you know connection matters. You repeat a pattern you promised yourself you’d leave behind. The frustration, guilt, and shame that come with this are real. And if you’re honest, sometimes it can feel like failure.

Here’s the truth: knowing better is step one. Doing better is step two—and step two takes time, repetition, and patience. Change is not linear. Our brains, nervous systems, and emotional habits are wired over years, sometimes decades. Awareness alone isn’t enough to override deeply ingrained patterns.

This is why therapy and consistent self-reflection work the way they do: they create space for repeated practice. They give you tools, structure, and accountability. They let you try again, fail again, and—crucially—experience what it feels like to not succeed perfectly, without judgment. Because “doing better” isn’t about perfection; it’s about gradual, embodied learning.

So if you’re stuck in that space—knowing better but not being able to do better—lean into it with curiosity rather than shame. Notice what happens when you try. Notice what triggers the “yet-not-yet” response. Give yourself credit for knowing, and compassion for not being there yet.

Change is always possible, but it takes time. And the fact that you see it, want it, and keep showing up is proof that growth is already underway. One step, one moment, one choice at a time.

Because “not yet” doesn’t mean “never.” It just means you’re still learning. We can help you heal at a deeper level through somatic therapy. Reach out today!

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