Introductions Are In Order: My Journey
From the war-torn environments to the therapy room, my journey has been shaped by a singular mission: to guide those who've faced extraordinary challenges toward healing, purpose, and resilience.
My story began in the British Army, where I served as a Military Police Officer specialising in Close Protection. Over two operational tours, I led complex investigations, honing skills in structured problem-solving and leadership under pressure. But when transitioning to civilian life, I became the person I now strive to help: unsure, disconnected, and clinging to unmanageable expectations and unhealthy behaviours in a bid to regain my lost identity.
After joining the UN system and carrying out missions in South Sudan, Jordan/Southern Syria, Ethiopia, and Uganda, particularly in UN Security and Humanitarian Logistics—areas I knew well—these experiences evoked memories of a past life. Yet, I felt an emptiness, like a mask I wore while inwardly wrestling with the question, “Who am I now?”
During this period, I observed similarities between service members and humanitarian aid workers. Although their roles differ—one in conflict and the other in peace and reconstruction—they both operate in dangerous environments and are seen as extensions of the crises they address. Both face constant risks to safety and mental health, endure long deployments away from home, and return to a society that struggles to empathise with their experiences. While expected to be resilient, they often lack adequate support.
This realisation was a turning point. I saw how mental health frameworks for aid workers were often borrowed from other areas, such as first responders—a mismatch that ignored their unique pressures: moral dilemmas of neutrality, exposure to systemic suffering, and the erosion of purpose after missions end. Just as veterans are reduced to stereotypes of “heroes” or “victims,” aid workers are often misunderstood as purely altruistic, their complexities overlooked, and I knew this gap demanded specialisation.
Driven by personal experience and curiosity, I earned a Master's in Psychology and a Postgraduate Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). My aim is to create spaces for those who feel lost to reclaim their narratives without judgment. My practice combines evidence-based techniques with an understanding of the toll that service—whether in uniform, as a humanitarian, or in personal roles—takes on identity and self-worth.
I design mental health programs that address trauma-informed CBT for moral injury, workshops on finding purpose post-deployment, and initiatives for culturally aware care. For aid workers, this involves going beyond mere “stress management” to address the deeper existential challenges of their roles and debunking the myth that seeking help weakens resilience.
My military and aid worker experience isn't just a footnote—it's the foundation of my work. It's why I understand the weight of silence in a room full of unspoken trauma. It's why I'm passionate about creating spaces where service-driven individuals feel seen, not “fixed.”
If you're seeking a therapist who balances professional expertise with genuine understanding—or a partner to develop mental health initiatives for those who serve—let's connect. Together, we can turn service-driven strength into lasting well-being.
