Thoughts on Mental Health

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

Interoception is simply your ability to sense what’s happening inside your body: the uncomfortable feeling in your stomach before a tough conversation; the tightness in your chest when stresses pile up; and the warmth in your legs after a long exhale. These signals are the raw data your brain uses to decide whether you’re safe, stressed, hungry, tired, threatened or ready. If you can read those signals earlier, you can respond sooner and more appropriately.

Procrastination isn’t about laziness or lack of discipline. It’s often a sign that your nervous system is in protection mode – a body-first signal to slow down. In this piece, Stephen Hall explores why men struggle to get started, what’s really happening beneath the surface, and simple, body-based ways to move through resistance with compassion.

Explore whether a “good addiction” exists. Learn the difference between passion and addiction, with insights from Dr Gabor Maté on habits, freedom, and healing.