Kelly McGonigal

When it comes to health, there is often a wide gap between what we know we should and what we actually do. Stanford University health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, author of The Willpower Instinct and The Neuroscience of Change, describes the latest neuroscientific and psychological insights into what keeps us stuck, and what makes change stick. Dr. McGonigal will explore the three sides of willpower (“I won’t” power, “I will” power, and “I want” power), and how they work together to transform old habits and build healthier ones. You’ll learn why stress, including health-related guilt or fear, can sabotage behavior change, and how to create a sense of control and hope that boosts motivation. Dr. McGonigal will also share strategies for going beyond the “self” of self-control, including outsourcing willpower to the home environment, and how to make change contagious. The new science of willpower will increase your empathy for patients struggling to change, while giving you fresh ideas for enhancing patient compliance, prescription adherence, and behavior change.