Our ability to control our attention, emotions, appetites, and behavior greatly influences our health, financial security, relationships, and professional success. Understanding the correlation between motivation and willpower and designing our environment to support desired changes can foster success.

This program, led by licensed mental health counselor Alison Issen, will offer tools and strategies to help transform habits little by little to empower us in building a life that inspires creativity, enhances wellbeing and aligns us with our values.

In this workshop, you can expect to:

• Identify strategies to develop systems of positive habit formation and discourage unhelpful patterns.

• Review how the four stages of the habit cycle have affected your ability to change in the past and learn how to use them to promote successful change.

• Understand the concept of “self-directed neuroplasticity,” as it relates to intentionally cultivating willpower, focused attention and mindful action to rewire our brain for desired change.

This program is presented by Alison Issen and hosted by the Winter Park Health Foundation.

About the Program Presenter

Alison C. Issen is a licensed mental health counselor and registered nurse. She is recently retired as the outpatient counselor at Orlando Health/UF Health Cancer Center. For several years, Issen coordinated the Sage-ing Center, a program which encourages and supports adults of all ages, but particularly those in the second half of life, to inventory, evaluate and intentionally plan a life of purpose, learning, fulfillment and community service. She brought this comprehensive program to the hospice several years ago and developed Hospice of the Comforter’s Quality of Life Education Program.

Issen has taught Psychology at the college level and has worked in the field of Health and Wellness for more than 35 years, including more than 10 years as a hospice nurse and counselor. Her areas of specialty include stress management, grief and loss, end-of-life, aging and relationship issues, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy and Positive Psychology.

She has a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from the University of Central Florida. Beyond her professional life, Issen is an “extreme gardener,” volunteers at a local animal shelter and performs with local singing and theatre groups.