A state in which desire and impossibility coexist is often perceived as weak willpower or indecisiveness. At MindCareCenter, however, ambivalence is understood as a complex internal conflict of choice that reflects how the psyche operates under contradictory impulses. Dr. Daniel Reinhardt emphasizes that the simultaneous presence of “I want” and “I can’t” is not a logical error or a lack of motivation – it is a sign of an encounter between different internal forces, each serving its own protective function.
Ambivalence arises when a meaningful aspiration collides with an equally meaningful limitation. Desire may be connected to growth, closeness, or change, while impossibility is often linked to anxiety, fear of losing stability, or a threat to a familiar identity. In such a state, the psyche is held at a point of tension where any movement is experienced as risky, while inaction feels like a loss of opportunity.
In the clinical practice of MindCareCenter, we frequently observe how ambivalence manifests through recurring oscillations. A person makes a decision, then withdraws from it, returns to the choice, and becomes stuck again. These cycles are accompanied by guilt, internal pressure, and a sense of being trapped. At the same time, ambivalence itself performs a stabilizing function – it prevents abrupt changes that the psyche is not yet able to tolerate.
It is important to understand that ambivalence does not mean the absence of desire. On the contrary, desire is often very clear but becomes blocked by internal prohibitions or conflicting expectations. At MindCareCenter, such states are viewed as the result of misalignment between different levels of psychological experience – emotions, beliefs, bodily responses, and past relational patterns.
The bodily dimension of ambivalence is often overlooked. Tension, fatigue, heaviness, or a sense of internal “braking” may accompany attempts to make a choice. Within the clinical approach of MindCareCenter, attention is given to how the body signals conflict, often before it becomes conscious at the level of thought.
Therapeutic work with ambivalence is not aimed at accelerating decisions or forcing choice. At MindCareCenter, the focus shifts toward exploring both sides of the conflict – what pulls forward and what holds back. This makes it possible to understand which needs are protected by the “I can’t” and which risks the psyche is attempting to avoid.
As therapy progresses, ambivalence becomes less paralyzing. Individuals begin to differentiate where internal resistance reflects a genuine need for protection and where it is driven by outdated mechanisms that no longer correspond to current life conditions. This creates space for more conscious and less traumatic choice.
Importantly, resolving ambivalence does not always lead to immediate action. Sometimes it appears as an internal shift – reduced pressure, greater tolerance for uncertainty, and restored contact with personal desire. At Mind Care Center, we observe that this inner softening often initiates movement on its own.
Ambivalence as an internal conflict of choice is part of a living psychological process. It points to areas of growth where the psyche seeks balance between preservation and change. Therapeutic work allows this process to unfold without self-violence, maintaining internal coherence and respect for personal limits.
Understanding ambivalence not as an obstacle but as a signal of internal dynamics opens the path toward more sustainable decisions. This approach creates the conditions for change grounded not in pressure, but in integration and internal alignment.
Previously, we wrote about psychological reactions to events as reflections of inner personality structure and MindCareCenter clinical perspective on adaptation and breakdown