Interests

If only the skills around regulating emotion were taught at school. We are taught to think and analyse, but the subtle art of feeling gets overlooked. That’s problematic as emotion is an indispensable news feed.

Emotion, just like thinking, gives us vital information about the world and how to respond to it. The clearer the news feed, the better we operate.

Many clients find themselves either swamped by feeling or doing their utmost to ignore its existence. Both struggle.

I’m keenly interested in right-sizing our experience of emotion. This usually means accepting they exist, experiencing the feeling in your body, gathering the information it brings, and letting it move along.

When we can’t process emotions effectively, it can show up in unhelpful coping strategies, such as substance use.

Emotional regulation is about crafting a workable relationship with this inherent part of the human experience.

Treating trauma is about restoring a sense of safety, stability, and connection in the present. Not just revisiting those events that imprinted so terribly.

Trauma is held in memory, in the body and nervous system. It shapes how a person experiences threat and relationships, and sets the tone for self-regulation.

Therapy is about building resilience.

It is not about trying to “move on” from what happened, but more to lessen its jolt to the gut, that percussive blow that resonates in the present.

Perhaps even, with time and intention, to find the recognition that trauma invokes, to invite your past pain into the warmhearted steadiness of the here and now.

There be dragons, custodians who guard treasure. To claim that bounty, we as mere mortals must walk through their fire, as our mythology would have it.

Straight up: Recovery from addiction means building a life that is worth staying clean for. It is far more than simply not using, though that is the start.

Active addiction is an engaging task, it requires effort. So too does recovery. Just as addiction involves the whole person, so must recovery, for it to be given a chance.

Drugs, alcohol and behavioural addictions, such as sex and porn, initially get a foothold as a response to pain, even a lack of meaning. Then they get a life of their own.

Recovery must build new ways of living, while addressing the discomfort with life itself. Not for the faint-hearted. I understand what it is to bridge the gap between good intentions and lasting change.

I work with clients to develop a personalised recovery plan that taps all available resources. This includes coping strategies, physical health, relapse prevention, daily structure, rebuilding relationships, careers, and reconnecting with values and purpose.

Recovery is not a one-size-fits-all process. It is a gradual rebuilding of self.

We men struggle in silence, mostly. We have concerns: What is my purpose? Where has my self-worth gone? How do I show up fully in relationships? What do I do with anger without causing harm? Is vulnerability really weakness?

Most importantly: where can men have these conversations honestly?

I’m intent on creating a free zone where men can speak openly, become unashamedly aware of feeling, and find more transparent ways of relating to themselves and others. A space to set down the mask for a while.

Let’s talk about that 3am gnawing anxiety, the hidden addiction, the burying of feeling like your dad said you should. The partner who is asking more than you know how to give.

Let’s move beyond rigid expectations of masculinity and explore a more flexible, resilient, and authentic way of being.

For those further down the road, let’s talk about the legacy, meaning, change and mortality, the symptoms of midlife distress.

Stress is a normal part of life, but when it becomes relentless it can leave us feeling exhausted, detached, and overwhelmed. Burnout often creeps in unnoticed. The things that once brought meaning begin to feel like obligations, and even rest no longer feels restorative.

Together we’ll explore not only what’s creating the pressure, but also how your mind and body have adapted to carrying it. Therapy isn’t simply about reducing stress; it’s about building a more sustainable way of living. We’ll identify healthier boundaries, reconnect with your values, strengthen emotional regulation, and develop practical strategies that support resilience. The goal isn’t just to cope with life, but to engage with it again in a way that feels manageable, meaningful, and genuinely alive.

Relationships shape us. They can be a source of comfort, joy, belonging and growth, but they can also become places of misunderstanding, conflict and loneliness.

Many of us unknowingly repeat patterns learned long ago, finding ourselves having the same arguments, withdrawing, over-accommodating, or struggling to express what we really need.

Therapy offers an opportunity to slow these patterns down and understand what lies beneath them. Whether you’re navigating intimacy, family dynamics, separation, betrayal, or simply feeling disconnected, our work is about fostering greater awareness and healthier communication. Healthy relationships are not built on perfection, but on honesty, repair, and the willingness to keep showing up for yourself and for others.

Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE®) is a breakthrough in trauma therapy. As a body-based approach, TRE® helps reduce the physical effects of stress, anxiety, and trauma. Through a series of stretches, the body activates its natural tremoring mechanism, a reflex that can release tension and regulate the nervous system.

Many people notice a greater sense of calm, improved sleep, reduced stress, and an increased capacity to cope with life’s challenges. TRE® is not about reliving difficult experiences or talking through painful memories. Instead, it works with the body’s innate ability to restore balance. It can be offered as a standalone intervention or integrated into therapy where appropriate. Once learned, many people practice TRE® by themselves. For more information visit www.treforafrica.com or www.treforall.com.