Where This Project Began
My life has been shaped by questions, carried through classrooms, conversations, and long stretches of quiet. I have taught philosophy and I have worked in higher education up to senior leadership level, where the work was recognised with national awards. For more than twenty years I have walked beside leaders, educators, young adults, and community groups.
Over time, I felt a steady pull toward the quiet work of being with people. Not to fix or to direct, but to listen, and to share the road for a while. Consilium did not begin as an idea or a project. It took shape slowly through conversations, through moments of uncertainty, and through loss. I began to sense that something essential was being overlooked in the speed of modern life. Consilium is my attempt to return to what matters and to offer a place where others can return as well.
This is not a system and it is not a solution. It is a place for those who are moving through change, questioning their place in the world, or seeking a more grounded way of living.
You may carry a sense that something meaningful is at work in your life, even if you no longer name it in familiar terms. If that is so, I hope you feel at home here.
A Tradition of Careful Attention
The work I do is shaped by a long conversation with ancient philosophy, especially the old and generous Stoic tradition. It has nothing to do with the hardened and competitive version that has become popular in recent years.
The Stoicism that informs this space is a practice of steadiness, courage, and compassion, a way of walking through the world with openness and depth. It teaches us to care without being undone, to see clearly without hardening, and to live with others in a meaningful way. It is not about suppression or dominance. It is about becoming more fully human.
I draw on this tradition with care. At times, I also draw on art, poetry, silence, or practical frameworks like the Enneagram. These are not systems to follow. They are simply different ways of seeing more clearly.
Beneath everything is a belief in the value of careful attention, especially in seasons of change, fragmentation, loss, or reorientation.
What I Offer
My work takes a few different forms. Sometimes I host conversations, most often around leadership, work, or change. I support non-profit organisations that are trying to speak and act with clarity. From time to time I host small Hedge Schools at my cottage in the west of Ireland. I also write, both in book form and in the journal on this website. Income from the books goes towards panting my woodland as I do not receive any government funding for planting. I speak with groups in many settings, including schools, colleges, community circles, care homes, and retreat centres.
I don’t charge for any of this work. It is a form of giving back. I want this space to stay open to anyone who needs it.
*A note on visibility
The spotlight can weaken attention and distort a voice. I have seen it turn human things into performance or reduce them to content shaped for algorithms. I do not want that to happen here.
You will not find me on social media. This is a deliberate choice. I am not hiding. I simply believe this kind of work grows best in quiet conditions, away from the pull of performance and constant display. Presence, trust, and real conversation matter more than reach.
If the work is of value, I trust it will find its way.
If Something Here Speaks to You
If something here resonates, you’re welcome to book a conversation or write to me. I would be glad to meet you at whatever threshold you find yourself.
Consilium 