joshconnolly.co.uk

I wanted to wait before writing this…

I wanted to wait before writing this review.You see, I have a bit of an issue with the wellness industry, particularly in the private coaching/therapy space. I often find people making outlandish claims, promising they can "heal your trauma" and help you "manifest your dreams" all within an overpriced 1-2 day seminar or similar event. But more often than not, these experiences consist of the usual routine: someone shoves a life wheel in your face, talks endlessly about limiting beliefs, while flitting between meditation sessions and making you jump around to some awful music, usually the Black Eyed Peas or Coldplay. Sure, you might feel good for a day or two, but then it’s back to the same old stuff, realizing you’ve gained very little.But what Josh has created with Inner You! is different. This is special.First of all, there are no false promises. No one here is telling you that you will heal—only that it has helped others in the past, so it might help you too. I understand people crave certainty, and certainty sells, but lying to vulnerable individuals just to make money is wrong. There was none of that here.Secondly, the focus is on creating a sense of belonging, wherever you are in your journey. If you want to show up each week and bare your soul, you’re welcome. If you prefer to hold back, keeping your camera off, that’s perfectly fine too. No judgment here, just acceptance for wherever you are right now. And that level of acceptance is incredibly welcoming.Thirdly, there is a clear recognition that this is a journey. The structure of Inner You! allows you to approach it as such. Each week, you have activities to complete—activities that help peel back the layers of your problems. Yes, you need to take responsibility for your progress, but what I loved most was that there was no shame placed on people for where they were or what they were doing. Even if all you could do was show up to one Zoom call when you’ve never reached out before, that was still recognized as progress. And I think we often forget that in this space.Now, let’s talk about the actual work. The relationship you have with yourself forms the foundation of your healing. If you can’t learn to be compassionate with yourself, your foundation will always feel like quicksand. From the very beginning, Josh had me doing written exercises that helped me build a relationship with myself that I had never experienced before. I thought I liked myself, but I realized I was still rejecting and abandoning parts of myself without even knowing it. Going through this process allowed me to reconnect with those parts I was pushing away.I’m going to admit, some of this work was tough, especially when it came to being brutally honest about how I was treated growing up and expressing what I needed during that time. But if you want to grow, you have to go where you often don’t want to go. These exercises took me exactly where I needed to be, at a pace that suited me, helping me heal old wounds while allowing me to express emotions I hadn’t fully processed—something that felt incredibly liberating.Finally, the breathwork. Josh wasn’t exaggerating when he said the first round of conscious connected breathing before the hold would be hard. In fact, I’m going to admit—it was more than hard. I hated it. I found myself mentally telling Josh to "F off" and wanting to quit every time. But each time I chose to stick with it and push through, it was worth it. The emotions I was able to express, the deeper connection I built with myself—it all came together through the breathwork.Sometimes, I stop and ask myself if it was really as good as I remember. But honestly, the relationship I have with myself has never been as strong as it is now. And it’s showing in the way I show up every day.As someone who is highly skeptical of most wellbeing practices, Inner You! has definitely turned me into a believer. Thank you, Josh.

Date of experience: Nov 25, 2024