There’s a profound yet often overlooked skill that arises during driving lessons: The Power of STOP.

Many of my clients struggle with anxiety, fear, or explosive panic, and one of the hardest lessons is learning when and how to stop. Not just physically stopping the car, but mentally and emotionally pausing when things become too overwhelming. Finding the stop is not just about hitting the brake pedal—it’s about regaining control over emotions, thoughts, and reactions when driving feels too much to handle.

Why Stopping Matters

In my years of teaching, I’ve seen panic arise from moments when the world suddenly feels too fast, too chaotic. For anxious drivers, this can lead to a spiral of overwhelming thoughts and emotions that feel impossible to escape. But here’s the truth: you don’t have to do everything at once. It’s okay to stop, reset, and come back stronger.

Stopping, in this context, is not failure; it’s an act of courage. It’s recognizing when your brain and body are saying, “This is too much right now,” and responding with self-compassion. It’s pausing in a moment of overload before fear takes over, and this is where the power lies. The ability to stop, reflect, and simplify the task at hand is a critical skill for every driver—especially for those who are grappling with fear, stress, or trauma behind the wheel.

The Challenge in Learning to Stop

At first, many clients are resistant to stopping. They feel like they’re supposed to push through the panic, like stopping would be giving up. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. In my approach, stopping is taking control. It’s about reclaiming your space and your mental clarity, so you can approach the situation calmly. Learning to stop is hard because it feels counterintuitive. When you’re caught in a high-stress moment, your body might scream, “Go! Move! Escape!” But the true mastery comes from being able to override that instinct and say, “No, let’s stop. Let’s breathe.”

The Power of STOP for Panic-Driven Drivers

For drivers dealing with explosive panic or overwhelming fear, the ability to stop and recalibrate offers something invaluable: freedom from the spiral. The stop is the moment when you refuse to let panic take the wheel. It’s a reset button that brings you back to the present, allowing your brain to process the situation and find calm in the chaos.

Here’s a simple yet powerful scenario:

Cooper: “OK, please change lanes right now.”
Client: “NO.”
Cooper: “Excellent!”

That “NO” is a win. It’s the client asserting control, stopping the panic from escalating. It’s proof that they’ve learned to value their calmness over societal pressure to always keep going. This is what I call The Power of STOP, and it’s not just useful on the road—I have been told that it’s a life skill.

Building Confidence Through STOP

The stop helps my clients realize that driving isn’t about rushing through stress or pushing through fear. It’s about managing the flow, recognizing when things are too much, and having the presence of mind to hit pause. This isn’t just a driving lesson—it’s about training your mind to prioritize calmness and clarity in moments of high stress. The power to stop is the power to prevent accidents, both in the car and in life.

When my clients find their STOP, they realize they have the ability to step back from fear, breathe, and approach their driving with renewed confidence. It takes practice and patience, but once mastered, it becomes a powerful tool not only for driving but for navigating stressful situations of all kinds.

In the end, finding the stop is about finding yourself—finding your own voice and rhythm in a world that tells you to keep going, even when you know it’s too much. So, when the panic rises, when the stress feels overwhelming, remember: STOP. And in that stop, you will find your power.