Understanding the Chemistry Behind Habits (and How to Change Them)

This workshop is part of the Emotional Fitness Studio in Annapolis, a year-round wellness initiative offering FREE monthly in-person workshops and experiences.

*PLEASE READ: Tickets for this event are free as part of our mission to support wellness in our community. However, spots are limited, so we kindly ask that you PLEASE only register if you plan to attend. This ensures we can reserve spaces for those who are eager to participate. Your understanding helps us make the most of this initiative—thank you!

In this Event:

This experiential workshop helps participants understand how some default coping habits like alcohol, scrolling, smoking, overspending, snacking, gambling, or overworking—quietly undermine emotional fitness and keep them stuck in the same stress-response cycle.

Using Maureen's 4R Method (Recognize, Replace, Rewire, Renew), participants will identify the role their habit has been playing in their life (comfort, reward, escape, confidence boost, boredom relief), explore healthier alternatives that meet the same emotional needs, and begin rewiring their brain with one tiny, realistic new behavior they’ll uncover or discover during the session.

Participants actively move through each step of the method, gaining clarity, awareness, and a sense of agency in real time. They leave with a personalized plan, a small, realistic micro-habit rooted in neuroplasticity, and renewed emotional strength—tools they can use right away to reduce or shift any unhelpful “-ing” habits impacting their mental and emotional well-being.

About the Speaker:
I’m Maureen Benkovich, a life coach specializing in Gray Area Drinking, habit change, and personal growth. I help high-functioning adults strengthen their emotional fitness by understanding the brain–body chemistry behind stress, anxiety, and the coping habits they rely on. With a background in fitness, nervous system regulation, and neuroscience-based behavior change, I teach practical tools that help people feel calmer, clearer, and more resilient. My workshops are fully experiential, science-supported, and designed for real-time transformation—not passive learning.

The Organizer:

These wellness events are brought to you by Maria Winters, licensed mental health therapist and creator of the Emotional Fitness Studio in Annapolis, an initiative built on the belief that everyone deserves access to tools that can help us feel and live better. This work is made possible thanks to the support of amazing sponsors:

Thrive Gym https://www.thrivegym.org/

Premier Planning Group https://www.premierplanninggroup.com/

Thank you also to Swain Domain for partnering with the Emotional Fitness Studio and sharing your incredible talent in photography and videography. https://www.bethanyswain.net/

Questions? Contact Maria at (703)338-0017 or [email protected].

For the list of all events with The Emotional Fitness Studio, visit: https://thecoachingtherapist.com/emotional-fitness-studio/ and follow our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/share/g3mXNQheqCKu8vdD/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Disclaimer: This workshop is intended for informational and personal wellness and development purposes only. It is not a substitute for therapy, Medic*tion, or mental health or medical treatment. If you need mental health or medical support, please consult a licensed therapist or medical professional.

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