A County Durham man who almost died from drinking is now transforming people's lives as a therapist and personal trainer. Paul Woodhouse, 40, is five years sober after his battle with drink nearly claimed his life while grieving for his mother.
"I was very unwell for a long time and realised that if I didn't get sober, I was on the path towards dying," he said. Now a health and performance coach, Paul uses his unique combination of therapy and personal training qualifications – a blend he says is unique in the North East.
PLW Fitness and the three pillars
From his studio in Darlington’s West Park, Paul runs his trademarked brand PLW Fitness, coaching professionals privately and semi-privately. The system is built on three pillars – build, burn and restore.
"PLW Fitness has three pillars – build, burn and restore – and it recognises that exercise alone isn’t enough; You need to allow yourself enough time to recover, improve your resilience but more than anything, change your behaviour," Paul said. "The system helps build strength, resilience and confidence while developing lasting behaviours, and I take pride in knowing almost everything about my clients’ lives and the barriers they face."
Client transformation: Nikki Todd
One client, Nikki Todd, Managing Director of Fortis Vision, felt burnt out and unmotivated. With Paul's guidance, he lost almost five stone of body fat and boosted his strength and confidence. "Our Group turnover is in excess of £50 million in 2025 and 2026 - I don’t think I’d have carried on as MD without the transformation both physically and mentally," Nikki said.
Paul's own journey
Having qualified as a therapist in 2015, Paul said his background gives him an understanding of barriers to change. At his lowest point, he was sleeping rough and suffered serious frostbite. "I didn’t deal with grief well and I became a daily drinker. Eventually I ended up in rehab and that’s where I realised the devastation alcohol can cause to lives – both your own and those around you. When I left rehab, I just worked extremely hard – I paid off debt, exercised and lost over 20kg myself - the change was immense and I’ve rebuilt my life in the process," he recalled.
Paul says many clients feel intimidated or unsure where to start in a traditional gym. His approach combines therapy and training to address mental obstacles. "The message outside my door is take the body and the mind will follow," he said. "The message I want to get across is simple; change your behaviour, change your life. I understand behaviour change and how it can literally transform someone’s life, because I'm a living embodiment of what I do now."
