Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

I wonder who or what this poem makes you think about.  Maybe someone you know, or maybe yourself.

It was written about a woman who felt stuck in a pattern of behaviour in terms of bad relationships. By the end of the poem she has taken responsibility for the choices she has made and decided to make changes.

On reading it, I thought it might be relevant to many people who feel stuck in a pattern of behaviour, from not being able to stop smoking or overeating, to feeling trapped, or even being depressed.

Counselling can help you work through unhelpful patterns of behaviour, and once you start seeing things differently you may realise that there is a way out of that vicious circle.

Anyway, here it is. See what you think.

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
By Portia Nelson

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost ... I am helpless ...
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place.
But it isn't my fault.
It takes a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

I walk down another street.

TRAPPED!

What does this word mean to you?

There are many different reasons why someone may feel trapped. Here are just a few:

Trapped: Stuck in a relationship that you want to escape from but can't.
Trapped: Stuck in a situation where it appears there is no way out.
Trapped: Overwhelmed with things that are happening in your life but can't see an end to it all.
Trapped: Lost in a hectic world when you can hardly even manage to wake up on a morning.
Trapped: At a complete standstill in life and feel like you don't know how to progress.
Trapped: In a stagnant job that doesn't fulfil you at all, but you don't have the courage to change.
Trapped: Unable to move forward in life due to financial difficulties.
Trapped: The feeling of having 'made your bed', now you feel you have to 'lie in it'.
Trapped: In an abusive relationship.
Trapped: Unable to live your life as the person you really want to be.
Trapped: By routine and/or responsibilities.
Trapped: Inside the body of someone you feel is not you.

As a counsellor, I can't change the situation you are in. I wish it was as simple as that. What I can do, however, is to help you understand the way you are feeling, make sense of yourself and the world around you and together we can work through it all. What may be a solution for others may not be right for you, so we would look at the best possible outcome for you in your unique situation and I would help you get there.

There is no need to struggle alone. Even if you have friends and family, it is often helpful to talk to someone who is independent of the situation you are in.

(If you are trapped and in danger right now, please call the Samaritans on 116 123 for immediate help)