When Pushing No Longer Works
For people who are still functioning — but at an increasing cost
Many people reach a point in midlife or later adulthood where effort itself begins to fail.
They are still coping outwardly. Responsibilities are being met. Life appears stable.
Yet inwardly, pushing through has become exhausting, recovery takes longer,
and familiar ways of motivating or managing oneself no longer bring steadiness.
This is not necessarily burnout, breakdown, or crisis.
It is often a quieter signal that the strategies that once worked are no longer sustainable.
This work is for that moment.
What this experience often looks like
People who come to this page often recognise themselves in some of the following:
feeling high-functioning but exhausted
relying on willpower and self-discipline to get through each week
cycling between over-effort and collapse
a growing intolerance for pressure, noise, or complexity
sensing that rest alone does not resolve the problem
What is failing is not motivation — it is an outdated relationship with effort and capacity.
Focus of the work
This work supports a recalibration of effort, rather than a push for change.
The emphasis is on:
understanding where effort has become compulsory rather than chosen
recognising subtle patterns of overdrive and depletion
loosening internal pressure without collapse or avoidance
developing a more honest relationship with limits and energy
restoring steadier functioning without self-coercion
The aim is not to do less or withdraw from life, but to function with less internal strain.
How we work
I work online, one-to-one, in time-limited formats.
Sessions are reflective and unhurried.
They create space to think clearly, rather than to problem-solve under pressure.
Direction is allowed to emerge, rather than being forced.
This work suits people who are ready to engage thoughtfully, not urgently.
Working together
All work is offered online, one-to-one, in time-limited formats rather than open-ended therapy.
Each piece of work is structured as a 6-session process (with an 8-session option available where appropriate), designed to support clarity, orientation, and sustainable functioning without urgency or pressure.
This approach allows the work to remain focused, reflective, and contained.
Fees
Fees reflect seniority, depth, and the finite nature of the work.
6-session process: typically £900 – £1,050
8-session process: typically £1,200 – £1,350
Exact details are discussed after an exploratory conversation, once mutual fit is clear.
Exploratory conversation
Before any commitment, I offer a 20-minute exploratory conversation.
This is a calm, practical discussion — not an assessment or obligation — intended to:
clarify what brings you now
check whether this way of working fits your situation
decide together whether working together feels appropriate
If it is not a good fit, I will say so openly.