Every person who walks into my consulting room brings more than symptoms. They bring the story of how they came to be; shaped by relationships, personality, strengths and struggles, all of which influence how they experience illness, cope with adversity, and recover.
After almost 15 years in general practice, I’ve come to appreciate that understanding a person’s story is often the first step in knowing how to help. That philosophy has shaped the way I practise today.
People rarely seek help because of a diagnosis alone. More often, they come because something in their life has stopped working: a relationship has unravelled, work has become unbearable, or they are disoriented and wake exhausted each morning. Some people have achieved everything they thought would make them happy, yet feel strangely empty. Sometimes there is no overt crisis – only the weight of years spent neglecting themselves, their relationships, or the things that once gave life meaning.
I’ve found that lasting change rarely comes from a single conversation or treatment. Rather, it develops through a therapeutic relationship built on trust, curiosity and a willingness to explore difficult questions. That’s why I’ve structured my practice around longer consultations and longitudinal care, helping people better understand themselves as change unfolds.
Over time, one question has become central to my practice: “What has happened to this person, and what is trying to happen next?”
It means understanding a person beyond their symptoms and integrating appropriate investigations, medical treatments, psychotherapy and complementary therapies with a strong focus on the foundations of health: sleep, nutrition, movement, relationships and values-based action.
Recovery happens when people reconnect with the parts of themselves they had lost, integrate the experiences that have shaped them, and move forward as the person they were always destined to become.
If any part of this resonates with you, I’d be honoured to help you better understand your own story. I work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, burnout, addiction, and life’s inevitable challenges, with a particular interest in men’s mental health and the transitions that accompany work, fatherhood, relationships, loss and midlife. My aim is to help people build lasting health, resilience and a greater sense of agency.
I consult with inpatients and outpatients at Avive Health Mornington Peninsula, Mount Eliza, where I am often accompanied by my therapy dog, Alfie.
