You Don’t Have to Be a Superhero

Every now and then we see an image that quietly says something important.

This one does exactly that.

A figure who looks a little like Superman. Strong. Capable. Ready for anything. The kind of person who seems able to carry the world on their shoulders.

And yet the real message underneath is simple and human.

You don’t have to be a superhero.

WOULDN’T IT BE NICE IF SELF CARE WAS AS EASY AS TICKING OFF ALL THE LITTLE ICONS IN THIS PICTURE.

A cosy day. A walk outside. A bit of sunshine. A tidy list of goals. A jumper that magically makes you feel better. In real life self care is never that neat. It is messy. It is inconsistent. It depends on how much sleep you had, what life threw at you, and whether you have the energy to do more than survive the day.

COUNSELLING OR PSYCHOTHERAPY. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE AND WHICH ONE DO YOU NEED

People often ask me what the difference is between counselling and psychotherapy. The honest answer is that the lines are softer than most websites make them sound. Both offer a safe and confidential space to talk. Both help you understand your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Both can move your life forward in a meaningful way.

The difference is usually in how deep the work goes and what you want from the process.

A GENTLE PRE CHRISTMAS REMINDER FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS IT

December has a very strange energy. People talk about Christmas like it is a cosy film scene. Mulled wine. Smiles. Matching pyjamas. Everyone getting along.
In reality most people are somewhere between tired, stressed and wondering how it is suddenly the end of the year again.

THE PRESSURE OF FATHERHOOD: WHY MEN CARRY MORE THAN THEY SAY

Fatherhood can be one of the most meaningful experiences in a man’s life.
It can also be one of the heaviest.

MASKING, BURNOUT, AND THE EXHAUSTION OF BEING A NEURODIVERGENT ADULT

Many neurodivergent adults arrive in therapy with a quiet, heavy exhaustion that they can’t always explain.
They’re coping.
They’re functioning.
On the surface, life looks “fine.”
But internally, they’re running on fumes.

GRIEF IS NOT SOMETHING YOU GET OVER — IT’S SOMETHING YOU LEARN TO CARRY

People often come to therapy worried that their grief is taking too long.
They say things like:

“I should be over this by now.”
“Everyone else has moved on.”
“Why does it still hit me out of nowhere?”

The truth is simple and gentle:
grief does not follow a timeline, and you are not behind.

WHY MEN WAIT TOO LONG TO ASK FOR HELP — AND WHY THEY DON’T HAVE TO.

For so many men, asking for help feels like admitting failure. We learn from an early age to cope alone, stay strong, manage it, get on with things.
But the truth is this: isolation is exhausting, and it catches up with all of us eventually.

In therapy, I hear a similar story again and again.