MBS THERAPIES

A NON-IDEOLOGICAL, EVIDENCED BASED AND CRITICAL THINKING APPROACH TO MENS MENTAL HEALTH

Native English speaking Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (BA Hons, MSc, PGDip) based in Friedrichshain Berlin and Online in the EU and UK. Accredited with the British Association of Behaviour and Cognitive Therapists (BABCP) and the European Association of Behaviour and Cognitive Therapies (EABCT).

I Can help you with: Depression - Generalised Anxiety - Social Anxiety - Panic Attacks - Obsessive Compulsive disorder - Phobias - Health Anxiety - Life meaning - Procrastination - Mens Sexual Dysfunction/ disappointment - Partner abuse, Mental, Emotional and Physical - Confidence - Body Image - Porn/Screen addiction - ADHD

MY APPROACH

I work predominantly with men— Straight, gay, and bisexual. That includes those struggling with shame, stuckness, sexual dysfunction, anxiety, or the weight of never being allowed to feel lost. While my work centres on men’s mental health and well being, I also work with women who value clear thinking, evidence-based practice, and a straight-talking, bullshit-free approach.

My ultimate aim is to empower you to become your own therapist. This isn’t just about managing distress—it’s about helping you step back from unhelpful thinking patterns, shake off dysfunctional problem-solving, and build a compassionate, grounded relationship with yourself. Together, we’ll work toward a life that feels meaningful, authentic, and driven by your values—not your pain.

To get there, I use tried-and-tested Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), along with emerging, evidence-based approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), and mindfulness-based CBT. These methods draw from both Western science and Eastern philosophy—practical, flexible, and deeply human. I also weave in coaching techniques to help you take your insights off the therapy couch and into your life.

I work primarily with adults facing depression, low self-esteem, and anxiety-related conditions—generalised anxiety, social anxiety, health anxiety, OCD, and all the tangled thoughts and feelings that come with them.

At the core of my work is the belief that how you see yourself shapes how you live. If you believe you’re “not good enough,” you might shrink, overthink, or avoid challenges—reinforcing the very belief that’s holding you back. In therapy, we’ll uncover these self-limiting patterns and challenge them directly. You’ll engage in tailored behavioural experiments that put your future self in the driver’s seat—learning not just what you think, but how to act in ways that reveal your real potential.

CBT is built on critical thinking—and I take that seriously. My approach goes beyond personal psychology to help you question the cultural scripts and social narratives shaping your beliefs. Drawing from Socratic questioning, Stoicism, and Existentialism, I’ll support you to explore uncertainty, develop resilience, and build genuine self-knowledge. I’m not here to reinforce victim mindsets or identity politics—I’m here to help you cultivate autonomy, self-compassion, and real agency.

What the typical therapy process would look like

If, a 30 minute intro chat and at least one nights sleep, you decide you would like to proceed, we would find a regular time that works for us both.

First 2-3 sessions: an opportunity to tell your story so I can understand how you got to where you are.

Sessions 3-4: an assessment of what your current difficulties are and goal setting to set the direction we are going in.

From here it will be person specific, and the duration of therapy will depend on your goals and if it is a clinical presentation, what the evidence base

suggest. CBT is a time limited intervention, not one that lasts indefinitely.

ABOUT ME

I’ve worked in mental health for over 25 years, from secure psychiatric units and prisons to NHS clinics and private practice. Before that, I spent a decade living fast—festivals, travelling, hedonism, and philosophical soul-searching—while working in frontline mental health roles. I’ve seen how therapy goes wrong when it becomes ideological, sentimental, or afraid to challenge.

I trained in Occupational Therapy, and later specialised in CBT through a Postgraduate Diploma programme. I’ve managed a department in a five-ward psychiatric hospital, leading a multidisciplinary therapy team and building a recovery college. I’ve also served as a union rep, supervisor and clinical educator. I’m not averse to conflict or difficult conversations—developing the confidence to be disliked has been a hard-earned strength, shaped by high-pressure environments and ethically murky systems.


Before all that, I studied Art and Philosophy at undergraduate level—an experience that set the tone for my lifelong relationship with philosophy. The philosophical method—questioning everything, challenging assumptions, suspicion of authority, never mistaking consensus for truth—has shaped not just how I think, but how I practise. I am averse to dogma, whether religious, political, or therapeutic. I believe in asking better questions and holding space for complexity.

I specialise in helping men unlearn shame, confront fear, and stop mistaking silence for strength. If you’ve been burned by affirmation culture, or you’re tired of hiding behind competence—this is your space.

My clients tend to be thoughtful, high-functioning, and often sceptical of therapy. They’re not falling apart, but they’re not thriving either. They want clarity, not coddling. They don’t need someone to co-sign their identity—they need someone who can help them think straight, feel honestly, and live with meaning.

I value personal responsibility, open dialogue, and therapy that respects your intelligence and your agency. I won’t pathologise discomfort or dress ideology up as care. If you’re curious but cautious, book a free 30-minute call. No pressure—just a proper conversation with a therapist who’ll actually listen, challenge when needed, and hold space where honest thought is welcome.

TESTIMONIALS

  • I learned a lot from you and you really helped me out the past few months dealing with all the different work/friendship/relationship/personal growth topics. I feel like Ican trust you and you‘re sincere and non-judgemental. And also fun to talk to.

    (Tip, 2024)

  • Thank you for all you have done for me. I am truly living a different life due to your guidance and patience :) 

    (Rita, 2024)

  • Mark is an extraordinary therapist. His ability to help you bring clarity and focus to an issue, resulting in profound life changes, is remarkable. He is uniquely personable, genuinely caring, and most importantly, wise. I am forever grateful for his guidance.

    (Keith, 2024)

  • My work with Mark taught me invaluable lessons about love, compassion, and trust that I will carry with me throughout my life. From the start, Mark supported me in taking an active approach to my own healing, while allowing me the space to process things at my own pace. I not only gained a deeper understanding of the patterns that were causing me pain, but learned to harness the tools to work through and ultimately overcome them. Berlin is tremendously fortunate to have such a caring and competent practitioner working here. 

    (Alison, 2024)

  • Mark is a phenomenal therapist - he‘s kind, empathetic, reliable, knowledgeable, and extremely effective. I‘ve become so much happier and emotionally stable since Istarted working with him and I really cannot recommend him highly enough.

    (Greg, 2024)

  • I can‘t recommend working with Mark enough. He is a great listener and I really appreciated his approach to therapy. Our work together helped me identify the areas in my life I wanted to change and make actionable steps to work towards those goals. We ended up speaking about way deeper issues than I planned on, and I am very grateful for his help. It is not an overstatement to say it has truly changed my life.

    (Corey, 2023)

  • I contacted Mark after experiencing some deep traumas dealing with personal relationships and work/finance issues which I was completely unable to cope. Mark led me through this dark period and enlightened my situation with his helpfulexercises and calming therapies. It was so great to have someone like him to talk to in such a dark period, and I might not be here had we not engaged. I credit Mark for shedding some light on past issues and allowing me the resourcesto find my strength and push through. He is warm, sensible, and an incredible listener, teaching me many ways to cope with my issues of impulsivity and emotional instability. I am a better person today because of him and I would recommend his services to anyone experiencing difficulties of any degree. His personal attention and weekly assignments allowed me to take my issues into my own hands and come to resolution within myself to overcome the obstacles I was facing. I regularly utilize these techniques in my current life and thank him greatly for showing me the way.

    (Julian, 2021)

  • Thank you for all your help over the past few months. You really created a foundation of support, which allowed me to build towards managing my OCD. Thanks for the clarity and understanding too, this really helped. I’ll miss our sessions and the perspective they gave me – it has kept me on track. You are a credit to our health system.

    (Anthony, 2018)

  • Thank you for helping me to put my brain back together! My course of CBT has taught me so much about myself and I feel like I finally have the insight to take charge of my mental health. I´m eternally grateful.

    (Phil, 2018)