Learn more about Dr. Kelly Brogan’s signature health protocol, Vital Mind Reset here.
“You don’t need motivation to change—just a lemon and a willingness to get weird.”
In this episode, Kelly sits down with Britt Frank—licensed neuropsychotherapist, trauma educator, and author of The Science of Stuck—to unravel one of the most misunderstood inner states: stuckness. With raw honesty and sharp humor, Britt dismantles the myths around motivation, trauma, and change, showing us that what looks like inertia is often a disguised survival strategy.
You’ll learn why most people aren’t actually stuck—they’re just allergic to their available options. Britt dives deep into the psychological mechanics behind avoidance, procrastination, codependency, addiction (including addiction to people), and the quiet chaos of a “fine” life that’s missing fire. Expect mind-blowing takes on why motivation is overrated, how biting a lemon can rewire your nervous system in real-time, and why your “bad” behaviors might just be keeping you safe. If you’re ready to get out of your own way, this episode is your wake-up call.
You’ll Learn:
- How micro-yeses create momentum and override paralysis
- Why “I have no choices” is usually a perception problem, not a reality
- How biting a lemon can disrupt procrastination by shocking your nervous system
- How to reframe “I’m stuck” as a sign of hidden benefits, not just dysfunction
- Why motivation is not a prerequisite for action—and what to rely on instead
- How to identify the real payoff behind self-sabotaging behaviors
- What shutting down desire signals about nervous system regulation
- Why boredom and numbness can be harder to escape than rock bottom
Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[00:45] Why feeling stuck is the root of suffering
[01:32] How addiction to people can mask as relationship issues
[02:06] Motivation is not required for change
[03:01] Why therapists often professionalize their own trauma
[04:15] What “stuckness” actually means
[05:24] Why saying “I have no choices” is often a lie
[07:11] How to spot micro-choices even in extreme situations
[09:28] Why wondering is more effective than figuring out “why”
[13:45] How to recognize invisible choices
[15:08] What keeps people in harmful but familiar patterns
[16:52] The right time to explore your hidden motivations
[18:25] Why morality-based thinking keeps you stuck
[20:12] Why some people feel nothing at all—and how to move anyway
[24:06] Why a step in the wrong direction is still progress
[26:36] You’re always motivated—just not how you think
[28:56] Parts work as a strategy for inner leadership
[30:34] How to coach your inner parts instead of bulldozing them
[33:00] How pathologizing “bad” parts keeps you fragmented
[35:08] Symptoms are messengers, not malfunctions
[37:03] All behavior is functional—even the destructive ones
[41:17] The shift from pathology to injury-based thinking
[43:03] The value of having a pause between trigger and action
[45:12] Why internal structure matters more than symptom elimination
[51:13] Getting hooked on the highs and lows of chaos
[53:00] Pattern disruption as the key to change
[54:21] Why pattern breaks create choice windows
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Resources Mentioned:
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) by Dr. Richard Schwartz | Website
- Sonic Slider by Biofield Tuning | Website
- Get Britt’s newest book, Align Your Mind, here. You can also connect with her on her website and her Instagram.