Stories that Heal – Revealing my truth after Trigeminal Neuralgia

This week, Coron Projects is appearing in the news as part of a wider conversation about men’s mental health, and the story behind it is deeply personal. Like most stories worth telling, it started with a casual chat, getting to know one of my team. When I met Debs in 2023, she was changing careers. Having worked for years in publishing and marketing, she was retraining in counselling to become a therapist. Her copywriting business, The Case Study Practice, was still operating, supporting a publisher with author success stories and working with a few clients, while she studied. Because of her background in marketing project management software, I invited her in to see how Coron was growing and developing.

At that point, Coron was gaining traction. I loved the idea of getting our clients to speak for us — to tell their own stories about what it was like to work with Coron, highlighting our strengths and our wins. Writing our case studies is a great way to build trust and confidence in our expertise in project management. Then when Debs joined the team, it quickly became clear she could support us in broader ways. She helped refresh our marketing plans, and revisit our strategy through the lens of solving client issues, then worked with me and the team at Cre8ion to develop our product frameworks. With her experience, it made sense for her to support Coron alongside her therapy studies. What I didn’t anticipate, was how much we would end up talking about men’s mental health because of the stress factors I was seeing in projects.

The parts of the story I hadn’t told

I’ve been open with the Coron team about my journey to build the business. There was a long period of wading through water — reaching for the surface — before I finally got onto solid ground and began to build the Coron brand, with Cre8ion’s help.

That journey wasn’t linear. It was uncomfortable and there were moments of doubt and exhaustion.  By September 2024, something shifted. I felt ready to start writing about it openly on LinkedIn. When World Suicide Prevention Day came around, I shared what I was feeling — honestly, and from the heart. Debs replied to me instantly. Although it was years ago, she was deeply affected by someone’s suicide. She understands, firsthand, the cost for the loved ones left behind. She encouraged me to keep writing. So, when she announced her idea for a collaborative book, I knew exactly what I wanted to explore.

Why this story matters – for improving men’s mental health

My chapter in the book, ‘Untold and Retold’ looks at what happened when I finally told my friends what had really happened during my illness. For those who don’t know my background, I live with the experience of trigeminal neuralgia (TN), a condition often described as one of the most painful known to medicine. I underwent microvascular decompression surgery in 2019, performed by Mr George Eralil, which brought significant physical relief. But while the surgery eased the physical symptoms, the psychological and emotional impact surfaced later. Several years after the operation, I hit an emotional wall. I had tried to move on and put it behind me. To convince myself it was “over”. But it wasn’t.

That delayed aftermath — the part we don’t talk about enough — is what affected me most. My chapter is fictionalised, but the emotional truth is real. It explores what happens when you stop carrying something alone, and what changes when you allow yourself to be seen. I want to encourage more men to talk in quiet, honest ways, to friends, to colleagues or to someone they trust. Because silence has a cost.

Stories that heal

The book, ‘Untold and Retold’ brings together coaches, therapists, healers, and writers, each contributing a short story that explores how stories can heal, connect, and change us. I’m proud to be part of it, partly because I hope my story might help someone else. Especially if there are men out there who read it but aren’t always great at talking about what’s really going on beneath the surface. I also signed up for the collaboration very deliberately as part of my own journey into writing because I’d like to write more. Writing this chapter was challenging and emotional. At times, it was deeply uncomfortable and also cathartic. Debs guided me through the editing process with care, patience, and insight. She later interviewed me about why I chose to write the chapter and what writing it was like. That reflective conversation helped me see my own story more clearly. Stories might heal the reader and they definitely heal the teller too.

Pain, reflection, and leadership

In 2025, I attended the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association UK Annual Conference in Cardiff, where I reconnected with Mr Eralil. I also took part in a patient panel. The room was filled with people at all stages of their journey; some newly diagnosed, long-term sufferers, those who had exhausted options, and those who had experienced relief. All of us had changed. Pain strips life back to essentials.

In projects, we don’t often talk about pain, but it’s there too. Loss of confidence. Burnout. Reputational damage. Fractured teams. The quiet pressure of responsibility. As a former Royal Navy Engineer Officer, I learned early on that choosing a harder path and stepping into discomfort is often where growth happens. 

That lesson has echoed throughout my life since leaving the Navy, building a family, and founding Coron. Leadership isn’t just about coaching people on their performance. It’s about recognising pain, dealing with them with compassion and offering them confidence that they have the capability to grow. 

Why I’m speaking now

So why talk about it now? Over the coming weeks, I’ll be appearing with BBC Cymru Wales as part of a series focused on male mental health. The journalist, Garry Owen, is particularly interested in how serious illness and pain can affect men psychologically, long after the physical symptoms ease. That’s a conversation I’m ready to have. Not because I have all the answers — I don’t. But because I believe visibility matters. If sharing my story helps even one person feel less alone, then it’s worth it. Growth doesn’t just come from external improvement. It comes from internal reflection too. And sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is tell the truth.

Media and links

Contact me if you’d like an interview or have more questions.