Therapy can be a super rewarding way to sift through the emotional baggage thats holding you back. But because it involves being vulnerable and diving into some pretty murky subjects and feelings, you might find yourself indulging in self-sabotaging behaviors that halt your progress and you may not even realize it.

Therapists call these therapy-interfering behaviors (TIBs), and the fascinating thing about them is most of us dont realize when or why were getting in our own way.

Were quick to make excuses, and slow to recognize patterns of behavior in ourselves, said California-based licensed psychologist Caroline Fleck .

These behaviors function to protect us from feeling or thinking painful things in the context of therapy, yet paradoxically, interfere with our emotional growth. So whats the best way to get past them?

The task is to take notice of these red flags patterns of behavior in yourself and consider the thoughts, emotions and circumstances that precipitated them, Fleck explained. Only then can you show them whos boss.

Here, therapists reveal 13 red flags to look out for during therapy and exactly what to do about them:

You dont try to cope with problems until youre in your sessions

While therapy is a space for you to receive guidance on coping with your problems as well as make important changes, its meant to empower you to eventually do these things on your own.

One of the reasons people can become overly reliant on their sessions is theyve lost trust in themselves and believe that an outside source will have all the answers, said Chicago-based licensed clinical psychologist Roxy Zarrabi . This is a totally normal feeling to have, especially when youre going through a difficult time where everything in your life feels shaky.

The fix: When problems or roadblocks strike between sessions, reflect on what youve discussed in therapy, including suggested coping techniques, said Denver-based licensed psychotherapist Brittany Bouffard . Taking what youve learned for a spin can help you move past old patterns that youre stuck in, and rebuild self-trust in the process.

Any problem areas that just wont quit can be brought up in subsequent sessions, at which time you can create and execute specific game plans to tackle them.

You avoid disclosing big past events

Even if your therapist offered a thorough intake assessment with tons of questions (everything from family dynamics to trauma), being forthcoming about sensitive information youd rather not dig up can be challenging and you may not want to go there. Or perhaps you might think the issues youre seeing a therapist about (panic attacks, social anxiety) have no connection to certain experiences youve had. But its crucial to not withhold important information.

Therapists dont necessarily need to know all the details of your story, but its important for them to know the essential parts, such as the parts that bother you and may even cause shame, sadness or other painful emotions, Zarrabi said.

If your therapist doesnt know the essential highlights, they may use interventions or exercises that may not be the best fit for your issue, since they dont have the full story.

The fix: It takes time to get comfortable with a therapist, but once you feel ready, its important to be fully honest about the issues youre struggling with, and any backstory that might help shed light on your situation.

If you feel uncomfortable opening up about certain things, sharing this fact with your therapist can make for a great jumping-off point. From there, you can work together on disclosing significant intel in a contained, safe way.

You dont speak up when something happens in session that upsets you

If you have difficulty being honest in your relationships, you might struggle to let your therapist know if something isnt working or they said something that rubbed you the wrong way, Zarrabi said. (You might also not be giving feedback to your therapist because you dont click with them or feel uncomfortable around them.)

The fix: Decide if your discomfort with speaking up has to do with your own patterns, or if its because youre not jibing with your therapist and if its the former, let them know whats on your mind.

This can be an incredible growth opportunity, and a great way to practice communicating your needs and preferences in your relationships, says Zarrabi.

And if its the latter, consider breaking up with your therapist. You deserve to talk to someone whom you feel comfortable around.

Youre frequently late or cancel sessions

There are times when missing part or all of a session is nothing more than a scheduling snafu, but if it happens often, it might reflect an attempt to avoid therapy, the therapist or the feelings that are coming up in therapy, Fleck said.

The fix: Work toward noticing any urges to avoid therapy or your therapist along with the thoughts and feelings that precede them.

Sometimes avoidance is adaptive and reflects a need for change, Fleck said. Maybe you dont trust your therapist or dont feel safe with them, in which case you might consider finding a different provider.

If the urge to avoid is triggered by a fear of facing your emotions, or feeling spent after sessions, chat with your therapist about how you might organize the sessions so that they feel less heavy, Fleck suggested.

Making your therapist aware of how intense the sessions are for you gives them the chance to scale things back to a pace thats more comfortable.

Youre not doing what your therapist tells you to do outside of the room

Failing to apply the skills youre learning in therapy to your daily grind is usually a result of dysfunctional beliefs, Fleck said. (Think: that the situation is hopeless, that its other people who need to change, or that youre a lost cause.)

The fix: Dont believe your hypotheses about yourself or the world without testing them, said Fleck, who suggested pretending youre a scientist running a bunch of mini experiments to determine what works and what doesnt.

Through trial and error, were able to refine our beliefs about the world, and ourselves, Fleck said. The data you compile from experimenting outside of session is just as, if not more, valuable than any one outcome.