Rate Richard Hull

About me

My name is Rich and I specialise in supporting men with their mental health and well being.

I work primarily with men who feel overwhelmed, anxious, depressed and stressed out by multiple challenges including family issues, and feel stuck, dissatisfied and directionless.

Do you?

​- have a mind that's always racing and cannot find any peace? (anxiety)

- have so many troubles that you feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start? (burn out and depression)

- lack a sense of purpose and feel stuck and disillusioned? (meaning and purpose)

- have circumstances so heavy on your shoulders, that you feel weighed down and low? (sadness and depression)

- feel like you’ve lost your sense of identity and no longer know who you are? (existential crisis)

- feel fed up and tired in your relationships, but don't know how to change? (relationship and family issues)

If any of your answers are yes, then I'm here to support you.

How can I help?

I'll give you all the time you need to explain in depth how you feel and what is causing you your distress. This will be a chance to get everything off your chest. We can focus on your unhealthy habits, relationships and thoughts to understand what keeps you stuck in the same old groove. Together we can find new ways of seeing the world, give you ideas for responding differently to life’s challenges and we can reset your sense of direction and purpose.

How do I work with clients?

My approach is simple - by being honest, kind and genuinely myself, I hope you will experience the trust and confidence you feel with a very close friend, but with all the boundaries, safety and experience provided by my training in counselling and therapy. As well as listening deeply to your story, I will offer you the support, tools, strategies and insights you need to get back on your feet and regain control of your life.

What happens in a session?

Sessions last 45 minutes. We usually start by briefly reviewing the previous week and deciding what feels most important to focus on today.

You can talk as much or as little as you want about whatever’s on your mind — there’s no pressure to perform or explain things perfectly. My role is to listen closely, ask useful questions, and sometimes reflect back things I’ve noticed, including patterns or links with earlier sessions that might be worth paying attention to. If it’s helpful, we may slow things down briefly to help you think more clearly or steady yourself when things feel tense.

Towards the end, we check that we’ve covered what you wanted to, note what’s been useful, and, if appropriate, agree on anything practical that might help between sessions or carry something forward to next time.

When will I feel better?

Therapy is not a quick fix, and lasting change takes time. However, most men report feeling a sense of relief after the first session or two, just by knowing they have someone rooting for them and a place where they can share their troubles without being judged.

No two clients are the same. For some clients just a few sessions will be enough to resolve their issues. Other clients may find therapy so useful that it becomes part of their regular schedule.

Either way, as you gain a deeper understanding of yourself, you’ll respond to challenges with greater ease and confidence. Situations that once felt overwhelming will become manageable, and your relationships will feel more harmonious. With a clearer sense of who you are and where you want to go, you’ll stand firmly in your values and move confidently forward with purpose.

Why should men come to therapy?

Coming to therapy as a man can be a particularly difficult step to take. We tend to grow up unconsciously absorbing the message that being strong means that we should not express our emotions, that we should be self-contained and push through challenges using determination and grit. Asking for help can feel like admitting defeat rather than taking care of oneself.

Therapy is a different kind of space

Yet once you move through these initial hesitations, you will discover that the space is not like the one you had imagined. Instead of judgment, there’s room to breathe. Instead of pressure to perform, there’s an opportunity to understand yourself better—and often a quiet recognition that vulnerability isn’t a weakness at all, but a doorway into a steadier, more grounded way of living.

When Life Feels Directionless

Many men come to me for support and guidance because they feel lost and stuck. You may recognise a sense of lacking direction and purpose. What once motivated you might no longer get you out of bed in the morning. Overloaded with challenges from many directions, you may feel in crisis without being able to pinpoint exactly what is wrong. Instead, you may have an overarching sense that your life is no longer moving in the direction you want, alongside a few areas you suspect may be worth exploring. I often refer to this lack of direction and motivation as an existential crisis, as it can lead you to question the meaning and purpose of your life.

Issues I have worked with

Below are some of the challenges that my clients have brought with them to counselling.

Low mood and depression

Anxiety, rumination and overthinking

Emotional numbness

Addiction or compulsive behaviours, such as drinking or porn use

Difficulty expressing your emotions, leading to frustration and anger

A sense of being out of touch with your values, lacking direction and purpose

Relationship difficulties and communication breakdowns particularly with partners and family

Trauma, whether recent or from earlier life experiences, that continues to affect your wellbeing

Pressure to live up to masculine ideals or family expectations

A sense of isolation, loneliness, or emotional disconnection

Grief, loss, or unresolved bereavement for your past self, those close to you, or former roles and identities

Challenges related to neuro-diversity (ADHD, autism)

Infidelity, intimacy concerns, or sexual dissatisfaction

Low self-esteem or lack of confidence

A loss of meaning, direction, or spiritual clarity

Resistance to seeking help, even when you know something needs to change

Types of Therapy

If you have a single issue you wish to focus on, then I offer short term courses of therapy where we work in a structured way working towards a specific goal.

I also offer longer term counselling that adapts to your evolving needs. For clients who have an interest in Mindfulness, I can make this the foundation of the therapy, and also include Buddhist psychology and Yoga philosophy if this is of interest to you.

My Approach

As an integrative counsellor with a person-centred approach, I am gentle, kind, and committed to understanding what lies beneath your dissatisfaction or distress. I believe that with the right support, we all have the natural ability to heal and reconnect with ourselves. I draw on various counselling theories including Transactional Analysis, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy and Self Compassion.

If you have an interest in Mindfulness, then I can support you in developing the ability to exist peacefully and non-judgementally in the present moment.

We can naturally let go of future worries and stop ruminating about the past.

Mindfulness also allows us to learn to savour and appreciate the beauty of our moment-to-moment awareness, so that we can feel grateful and appreciative of the simple joys of life that we can so often overlook in our busy lives.

Training, qualifications & experience

I am a fully qualified counsellor following three and a half years of training at the Heartwood Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling at Dartington College in Devon.

I am a registered member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), adhering closely to their ethical standards.

Additionally, I am a British Wheel of Yoga certified teacher (BWYdip) and have practised mindfulness for over thirty years, which deeply informs my approach to counselling and well-being.