Blog Posts

There’s a familiar narrative we’re fed every January. Fresh start. Clean slate. New habits. New energy. New you. And yet, for many people, January doesn’t feel like a beginning at all. It feels like something to get through. This year, I noticed that for myself. Leading up to the holidays, there was a lot of the usual self-reflection for me. Thinking about who I wanted to be and how I wanted to be. I’ve actually enjoyed January for a long time now. I like the quieter pace, fe

I started writing this weeks blog on the train home on Wednesday. I had been in London for a meeting and then delivering a talk to managers in the entertainment industry. It had been a couple of great working days, and as usual on the way home I reflect on my privilege to be in a position to spend my time talking about the importance of wellbeing in and out of work. Seeing managers genuinely consider how they can take better care of themselves and their teams is inspiring. An

Over the past week, I’ve had countless conversations with people about my recent Huffington Post interview, a piece that focused on the father–son relationship, emotional literacy, and the importance of raising boys differently. It’s sparked a lot of discussion, some expected, some surprising, and some that’s stayed with me long after the conversation ended. But the biggest thing it stirred in me was this: If this is what we hope for our boys… what kind of world am I raising

Have you ever felt like you’ve outgrown a version of yourself that other people still expect you to be? I’m Joseph the psychotherapist, the father, the friend, the husband-to-be.... These are all parts of who I am, and I wear each of them with pride. But every now and then, I find myself wondering what about me? Not the titles, not the roles, not the things I do for others. Just me, as a person continually changing and evolving. Change can be overwhelming. It can arrive quiet

We all play roles in our lives, sometimes without even realising it. The strong one. The funny one. The calm one. The one who gets things done. The one people come to for advice. On the surface, some might say some of these sound positive, admirable, even. Who wouldn’t want to be seen as reliable, resilient, capable, or kind? But over time, those roles can start to define us. We build a version of ourselves around them, and people come to expect it. And quietly, we start to e

It’s been my first week back at work after six weeks of parental leave. I’m grateful, I really am. Grateful to have had that time with my family. Grateful for a supportive employer. Grateful for a loving partner and a job I love. But if I’m honest, I was also longing to get back to work, to routine, purpose, and the sense of making a difference beyond my own four walls. That feeling caught me off guard at first. There was a part of me that thought, “ You should just be gratef

Whenever I share a new blog, there are a select few friends who’ll message me with something along the lines of, “This stinks of AI.” They mean it as an insult, but honestly, I take it as a bit of a compliment. One of them is an English teacher who, early in my career, would very kindly proofread my work and help me tighten up my grammar. I’m still genuinely grateful for that. But he’s also noticed something else over time, that my writing style has “vastly improved.” And I w

We’ve all said it: “I’m fine.” It’s polite. It’s quick. It keeps things moving. And most of the time, it’s easier than saying what’s really going on. But behind those two small words, there’s often something much bigger... stress, sadness, worry, loneliness, fear ... feelings we’ve learned to keep neatly tucked away because opening up feels uncomfortable, or even unsafe. Sometimes it’s said with a small smile, sometimes with a shrug, sometimes with a deep breath that gives aw

Every year on World Mental Health Day , my social feeds fills with posts from organisations, leaders, and brands sharing messages about...

Something I hear quite often from new clients is: “I wasn’t sure if my problem was big enough to bring to counselling.” It’s a really...

Something I often hear from new clients is: “I should have come sooner.” There’s a common belief that counselling is only for when life...

It’s a question a lot of people ask themselves quietly: “Do I really need counselling?”  Sometimes it comes late at night when you can’t...

Starting therapy can feel like a big step. For many people, it comes with mixed feelings — a bit of hope, a bit of worry, sometimes even...