MY thoughts on mental health

Most stress advice fails because it speaks to the mind, not the body. A look at what the nervous system actually needs to settle - and what helps.

A psychotherapist's reflections from the Every Life Matters Suicide Prevention Conference 2026. Why the question we ask about men in crisis is the wrong one.

As a therapist, I reflect on the Camino that didn't go to plan, warrior energy, and what it means to keep going when the path shifts beneath your feet.

urviving a hard season takes real strength. But the habits that got you through don't always dissolve when the hard times end. Here's what Post-Traumatic Growth actually looks like - and how to begin moving beyond survival mode.

Productivity that looks like purpose The most dangerous exhaustion looks a lot like purpose. You’re doing meaningful work; ticking things off and showing up for other people. From the outside - and often from the inside - it looks like thriving. Frequently, in my experience, it’s running on empty. For men who lead businesses, serve communities, or work in the helping professions, this pattern is almost occupational. The work feels important. Stepping back feels like letting p

Why men avoid therapy - and the hidden cost of waiting until crisis. A grounded look at strength, stigma and early support for men.

There are times when motivation doesn’t disappear dramatically, but fades quietly in the background. Not enough to stop us entirely, but enough to make things feel heavier, flatter, and harder to sustain.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been aware of a subtle shift, both in my own experience and in the conversations I’m having with clients. The focus that often arrives at the beginning of January begins to wear off, intentions that were set with determination start to feel harder to sustain, and the familiar language of motivation and discipline no longer fits the reality of daily life.

Mental fitness for men isn’t about pushing harder or relying on willpower. This article explores how sustainable habits support resilience, regulation, and steadiness, especially at this time of year when motivation can waver and pressure starts to build in the background.

A reflective essay on completing 52 waterfalls in one year, exploring hope, despair, resilience, and what sustains men’s mental health when plans fall apart.

As the year winds down, stress can narrow perspective and pull men towards retreat. A personal reflection on the nervous system, connection, and finding balance through nature.

Why self-limiting beliefs show up during change, how they hold men back, and what helps us step forward with confidence and integrity.

This week’s blog is a write-up of my presentation at the Association for Outdoor Therapy Conference. It explores how Walk and Talk, Paddleboard Therapy, and other active approaches can create the right conditions for men to open up, reconnect, and heal.

Struggling with imposter syndrome? Discover how movement, nature, and Walk and Talk Therapy in the Lake District can help men find clarity and confidence.

Many men carry wounds that run deeper than they realise - old pain, shame, or loss that still shapes how they live. At Stand Tall Therapy in Cumbria, we explore how men can transform those emotional wounds into strength, purpose, and connection. Drawing on Robert Bly’s Iron John, this article looks at men’s healing, trauma recovery, and the power of nature-based therapy and men’s groups to turn pain into purpose.

Walking through the Valley of Desolation I was reminded how nature holds both the memory of the storm and the beauty of renewal. This reflection explores how the labels we carry - from diagnoses to the stories we tell ourselves - can shape, limit, or liberate us. Drawing on my own experience of PTSD recovery and my work in men’s mental health, I look at how we can honour our past without being defined by it, and how healing begins when we remember who we are beneath the word

Many men say they have no close friends. Discover why friendship gets harder with age, and how men’s groups help rebuild real connection.

Feeling overloaded? Stand tall by returning to the basics: sleep, movement, time outdoors, steady nutrition, boundaries, and good people around you.

Discover what overwhelm really is, the neuroscience behind it, signs to watch for, and practical tools men can use to manage it and protect their mental health.

Many men feel like they’re drifting through life. Discover how to realign with your values and start living a life that feels like yours.