Introducing Ciaran, our new Head of Centre for James’ Place Birmingham

Introducing Ciaran, our new Head of Centre for James’ Place Birmingham

My name is Ciaran and I have lived in Birmingham most of my life (a Brummie through and through!). Outside of work, I train every week in a community gym and have a busy home life. I originally started my career working with children and young people/ young adults in residential settings across Birmingham. Most of the residents lived with complex mental health, behavioural and/ or additional needs or disabilities. Whilst undertaking this meaningful work, I studied for an MSc in Counselling Psychology and qualified as a BACP registered counsellor in 2015.

My career has taken me from setting up counselling services for a leading charity, managing teams in a digital mental health space and leading the management of multiple complex mental health projects, with clinical, operational and safeguarding responsibilities across all these roles.

The golden thread through all my work has been working with men from a variety of backgrounds navigating suicidality, so when I was found out that James’ Place was coming to Birmingham and the West Midlands, I felt compelled to be a part of it. I’ve heard time and time again from men in my area, that services just don’t exist that suit them, and I know that James’ Place can be part of the solution for those men in a suicidal crisis.

Let’s be real — speaking about mental health doesn’t always come easily. For a lot of men, it can feel awkward, uncomfortable, or just not something we’re used to doing. Many of us grow up learning to just “get on with it”, keep busy, and deal with things on our own.

But life doesn’t always make that easy.

Worries mount up, sleep gets worse. Work pressures, money worries, relationships, parenting, or feeling stuck can start to take their toll. It can be heavy to carry and can lead men to a dark and distant place. A lot of men don’t struggle because they don’t care about their mental health — they struggle because they don’t know where to start.

For many men, reaching out feels like a big step. Some will tell themselves that their problems “aren’t serious enough”. Others worry they won’t have the right words. And some just don’t want to sit in a room feeling awkward or misunderstood.

James’ Place is a service designed specifically for men in mind. It’s a welcoming environment where men can talk when things have become too much, in a way that feels relaxed, straightforward, and supportive. It’s about understanding what’s going on and finding ways to make things feel more manageable.

Birmingham is the fourth James’ Place centre and is located just outside the city centre near Five Ways in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, easily accessible by public transport. Men in suicidal crisis can expect to receive free, structured therapy, focused on what feels helpful for them – a welcoming environment where men can be themselves. Sessions are about having honest conversations at a pace that feels comfortable without judgement. We use a set of cards called ‘Lay Your Cards on the Table’, which helps men quickly articulate what is going on for them without having to necessarily explain it in words. The cards have different thoughts, emotions, feelings, scenarios on them and men can choose which cards are relevant to them. This is designed to get to the core of the suicidal crisis quickly and compassionately.

Our approach recognises the pressures many men face and the different ways men experience suicidal crisis. The support we offer is respectful and grounded in real-world experience.

James’ Place is for ALL men in Birmingham, Solihull and the surrounding West Midlands who want support for a suicidal crisis.

To any men who might be reading, James’ Place is here for you.

Getting support doesn’t mean you’re weak — it means you’re taking yourself seriously.

To find out more or to get started you can refer here.

We’re ready when you are.