Soft pastel painting has been frustrating, is strathmore paper the wrong type of paper?

That's what is wonderful about being an artist. There is no right way. You just stop listening to that voice telling you it's not right. It is right and you're creating. Don't envision the end result; just go with it. I think you're trying too hard to recreate what you think it's supposed to look like rather than letting it flow onto the paper.