My Story: Everyday Catastrophe

In many ways, I’m an everyday guy.

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If you asked me to introduce myself, I’d probably say: I’m married, we’ve got kids, I try to show up for my community, I like to play basketball, and I’m often juggling bills like everyone else. Nothing flashy. Just real life.

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But even everyday life can sometimes feel like a catastrophic struggle.

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I still remember the first time my wife and I found ourselves teetering on the edge of separation. She was on the computer looking up flights to take the kids across the country to her mother’s. I was at the kitchen table, head in my hands, wondering how we got here—and how to stop everything from falling apart.

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And it wasn’t because of some huge betrayal or single failure. It was the accumulation of small moments where we didn’t know how to handle our own difficult thoughts and feelings—let alone each other’s.

We were both trying hard, but our aim was off. And we didn’t know it.

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We scraped by that time. And a few more times after that. And each one left a mark we needed to recover from.

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Not long after, I landed what seemed like a dream job: providing counselling and support to church congregations across a wide region. It felt like a real step forward. And for a while, it was. But after years of trying to balance work, family, marriage, and community, I hit burnout.

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I kept pushing—thinking that if I just worked harder or gave more, things would eventually fall into place. But the demands were endless, and my reserves were running dry.

My family was getting the leftovers.

I was, too.

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I was grateful, of course. I had a family, good work, and meaningful community roles. But that made it even harder to admit something internal was breaking down. Who was I to complain when I had it so good?

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Then came 2020. The world was strained under a global pandemic — and I was strained under life's pressure. I decided to take a voluntary demotion at work and move my family to a quieter place. It helped... a bit. But eventually, I realized that changing my circumstances wasn’t enough. I had to start making some internal shifts—the same ones I’d spent years talking about as a therapist with clients.

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I had to:

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• Build better awareness of what I was thinking and feeling — and how I was reacting.

• Sit more fully with uncomfortable emotions without ignoring, stuffing, or letting them steer.

• Get clearer on what really mattered — and take action in that direction.

Those changes didn’t fix all my external problems. But they got me back in the driver’s seat. They helped me notice when I was off-course, and made it easier to reset without shame or delay. They helped me shift...

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...away from reacting to pressure.

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...toward acting with purpose.

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Instead of just going along and getting by, I started building a life that was rooted in my deep sense of purpose and identity. One that was built on my foundational values and that put first things first. One that felt rich, full, and meaningful—even when things were still hard.

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That’s the foundation for Well Now Counselling.

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I know the strain of everyday life. I know what it’s like to feel underwater, even when things look fine from the outside. I’ve lived the silent pressure to perform, to provide, to be strong—and the wear and tear that inflicts when you try to carry it alone.

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That’s why I’ve built this service: not to add more to your to-do list, but to help lighten the internal load. No extreme routines. No pressure to become someone else. Just practical, principle-based support that helps you right where you are to:

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• Quiet the noise of automatic reactions.

• Free up more attention and energy for what matters.

• Build a life that feels aligned and steady—even in the middle of the mess.

You may need to change some things in your external world. But the real shift happens inside. That’s where the groundwork for effective change is laid—and where lasting strength is built.

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I’ve come to view this internal work as 3 foundational pillars of mental strength:

Awareness.

Openness.

Engagement.

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I’d be honoured to help you build those pillars — and put them to work in your real, everyday life.