Looking back, I can see that working with moods has been the quiet thread running through my life—the light that guided me when things felt unclear or overwhelming. It was powerful moods—especially anxiety and depression—that first drew me toward both philosophy and psychology. These weren’t just academic interests; they became lifelines, helping me find direction and meaning when I needed it most.​

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By learning to stay with these moods rather than avoid them, I eventually found my way into practice—as a psychologist and philosophical counsellor. I didn’t arrive here in spite of my moods, but through them.

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Over the years, my academic work has also centred around moods—what they reveal, how they shape us, and how they open new possibilities. Whether I’m working with psychologists, psychotherapists, leaders, managers, or parents, I keep returning to one truth: moods matter. They shape how we think, relate, act, and become.

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​I’ve written two books on the role of mood in leadership and management, and I’m currently writing two more—one on moods in the history of philosophy, and the other on the emotional and existential wisdom in Nelson Mandela’s leadership.

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