Mr Coco Nkrumah

A conversation with Coco Nkrumah

• What led you to choose psychotherapy or counselling as a profession?

  I was drawn to counselling through my work in conflict resolution, mediation and workplace wellbeing. I became increasingly interested in how people respond under pressure, how conflict affects mental health, and how men in particular often carry distress silently. Counselling gave me a way to combine practical support, psychological insight and meaningful conversation. My work now focuses on helping men understand themselves more clearly, regulate emotions, strengthen relationships and move forward with more direction.

• Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional development?

  My work is influenced by evidence-informed counselling, mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, cognitive behavioural approaches, compassion-focused work and evolutionary psychology. I am interested in how human beings are shaped by biology, culture, personal history, relationships, values and choice. I aim to hold both compassion and accountability: supporting people without judgement while also helping them face patterns, take responsibility and make meaningful changes.

• Which particular aspects of health or the human journey are you interested in?

  I am especially interested in men’s mental health, emotional regulation, relationships, masculinity, dating, attraction, shame, anger, anxiety, purpose and identity. I am also interested in how evolutionary psychology can help explain patterns in mate selection and relationship breakdown. More broadly, I am interested in how people build resilience, self-respect and direction after difficult life experiences.

• What methods do you use?

  I draw on ACT, CBT, mindfulness, solution-focused therapy, strengths-based approaches, compassion-focused principles and men’s mental health research. Where useful, I also use an evolutionary-informed lens to help men understand deeper patterns.

• When do you think the client will start to feel that progress is being made?

  Some clients feel a sense of relief after the first session simply because they have spoken honestly and started to organise what has been happening. Deeper change usually develops over time through reflection, emotional regulation, new decisions and repeated action. Progress may show up as clearer thinking, reduced reactivity, stronger boundaries, better communication, more self-respect, or a greater sense of direction. I encourage clients to notice small but meaningful changes along the way.

• How has therapy made a difference in your life?

  Therapy and reflective practice have helped me become more honest with myself, more aware of my patterns and more grounded in how I respond to stress, conflict and relationships. It has reinforced the importance of doing the work personally, not just professionally. I value therapy because it can create space to slow down, examine what is really happening, and make choices from clarity rather than reactivity, avoidance or old habits.

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

  I value the moment when a client begins to see themselves more clearly. Sometimes that means recognising progress they had overlooked. Sometimes it means facing a difficult truth. Sometimes it means taking responsibility in a new way. I enjoy working with men because many arrive believing they need to handle everything alone, and counselling can give them a practical, respectful space to think, feel, challenge themselves and move forward.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

  Yes. Like anyone, I have days where I feel tired, challenged or stretched. I think that is part of being human. What matters is having the self-awareness and discipline to manage that responsibly. For me, that means reflection, supervision, mindfulness, exercise, boundaries and continuing to do my own personal work. I do not believe therapists need to be perfect, but we do need to be accountable, ethical and committed to ongoing growth.

• What do you think is the most significant problem we face, in the world today?

  One major problem is disconnection: from ourselves, from meaningful relationships, from community, and from a clear sense of purpose. Many men are under pressure to perform, provide, stay composed and keep moving, while also feeling uncertain about identity, relationships, dating, masculinity and emotional expression. This can lead to anxiety, anger, shame, loneliness and withdrawal. I believe many people need spaces where they can speak honestly, understand patterns and rebuild direction.

• Can you share the name of a book, film, song, event or work of art that inspires you?

  One book that has influenced my thinking is Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. It speaks to the importance of meaning, responsibility and the human capacity to choose a response even in difficult circumstances. That idea strongly connects with my work. I am interested in helping men move beyond simply coping and begin building lives with greater clarity, purpose, self-respect and direction.