Beyond Willpower- begin 2026 harnessing the healing gift of connection

We live in a very confusing culture. Many have just celebrated Christmas and for most of us the message was “in order to be happy, you need to eat more, drink more and acquire more”. Now that January 1st has arrived this is replaced by “in order to be happy, you need to lose stuff, namely the weight and bad habits that you spent December indulging”. By February, a lot of the New Year resolutions will lie in ruins and the locus of change will shift to “How can I rid myself of the sense of failure or shame that is dragging me down?”

A common denominator in this roller-coaster ride is the assumption that by exercising will power we can conquer these very different challenges. Through will power I can host my umpteenth Christmas gathering even though I am tired and fed-up; through will power I can starve myself through the longest and coldest month imaginable and through will power I can “swallow down “ and forget those feelings of shame.

If you are wondering about therapy and how it might help you, let me invite you to consider a different way of moving towards health and wholeness. I invite you to explore with me what is getting in the way of your sense of connection and liveliness and to work on fanning those embers into a flame. As we embark on that journey we won’t be using will power, domination or the threat of punishment to motivate your growth, instead we’ll look to harness the gifts of compassion, kindness and understanding. Is 2026 the time for you to step off the roller-coaster, to turn aside from the dramatic emotional yo-yoing or to lay down some burdens ? If the answer is yes then I’d be delighted to meet you in my consulting room in Alwoodley, North Leeds and begin our work together.