Hello

My Story

 

I grew up in a family that had its fair share of curveballs, and I learned early on how to listen, adapt, and find some kind of steady footing when life got wobbly. Growing up without a dad around much also taught me how important guidance, support, and someone who really listens can be and how frustrating it is when it’s missing. Those experiences shaped a lot of who I am, and they definitely nudged me toward supporting others, especially men who’ve been raised to “just get on with it” even when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

 

I emigrated to Australia when I was 28, which again brought about new challenges and the occasional moment of full-blown panic about whether I’d made the right call. And of course, becoming a dad added a whole new chapter and more full-blown panic to the life story. Nothing quite prepares you for the emotional rollercoaster of parenting: the joy, the exhaustion, the questionable nappies. It taught me patience, humility, and the kind of emotional flexibility no textbook ever warned me about. It also showed me firsthand how tough it can be for men to open up, ask for help, or even admit they’re struggling.

 

Alongside my counselling work, my love of making and movement found its way into the therapy room. As a craftsperson and drummer, I discovered how grounding it can be to work with your hands, carving, drumming, creating, especially when words feel heavy or hard to find. Sometimes the best way to understand what’s going on inside is to keep your hands busy and let your mind catch up.

 

Today, I bring all of this together through Wood for Trees Counselling: my lived experience, my training, my creative approaches, and a down-to-earth style that doesn’t take itself too seriously. My story, at its heart, is about helping men feel understood, move through the stuff that’s holding them back, and find a clearer, stronger sense of direction, one honest conversation, one deep breath, and sometimes one very questionable spoon carving at a time.