About Me
Professional background
I’m a Psychotherapist (MNCPS Acc.) and Oxygen Advantage Level 2 Advanced Instructor based in Cumbria and the founder of Stand Tall Therapy, working predominantly with men online and outdoors through Walk & Talk therapy across the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. I also lead Stand Tall Empower CIC, delivering nature-based events for men on a Pay-It-Forward model, and deliver talks, workshops and training on men’s mental fitness to organisations. Before retraining as a psychotherapist, I spent years as a teacher, head of department and housemaster at a number of schools in the UK and overseas - an experience that shaped how I understand pressure, identity and masculinity. Trauma-informed and somatic approaches are integral to my work, which is why training in breath practice was so important to me.
Experience
My own path into working with the breath grew out of personal experience of burnout and recovery, alongside practices like Qi Gong and cold water immersion that continue to inform how I work. As an Oxygen Advantage Level 2 Advanced Instructor, I bring functional breathing into one-to-one therapy sessions, group work and Empower Events, and train other qualified therapists through the Stand Tall Walk & Talk Therapy CPD programme. I’ve also mentored veterans moving from military to civilian life and young people in the care system, and treat mental fitness as a landscape to be understood rather than a deficit to be corrected.
Whether delivering one-to-one sessions, working in schools, delivering talks at conferences and events, or providing training in workplace and corporate environments, my goal is to support others to overcome their challenges, reconnect with who they are and stand tall in their lives again.
What next?
If you want to find out more about how you can work with me or how I can support your organisation, get in touch to book in a free 30-minute conversation.