Our Team

Services Manager – OUT Spoken

Aisling is the Service Manager for the OUT Spoken Service at We Are Survivors (formally Survivors Manchester), a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic and advocacy support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims/survivors of sexual abuse, rape and sexual exploitation.

Aisling holds a BA in Social and Community Development obtained in her home country of Ireland, a BA in Humanistic counselling from the University of Nottingham and a Post Grad Diploma from University College Cork. Aisling completed her Certificate in Supervision in 2024.

She began practicing as a psychotherapist in 2018 and has worked with trauma and survivors of sexual abuse since.

Aisling’s career began in substance misuse services and followed this path for 10 years until a job advert for We Are Survivors came up on her Facebook newsfeed, at the time she was working in a Yorkshire prison on the substance misuse team. She had seen the need for a trauma therapy service within the prisons, therefore when the advert was seen she immediately applied. Aisling joined the OUT Spoken Team in 2021, initially as a Senior Trauma Informed therapist.

Aisling is the Drug and Alcohol lead in prisons and within this role has held events to raise awareness.

In 2022 she held a remembrance walk on 31^st August which is Overdose Awareness Day. With support from colleagues and service users both in custody and community services, a remembrance tree was created. She held a screening of the Recovery Film Festival in September attended by colleagues.

In Oct 2022 Aisling organised and facilitated a Stitch Away the Stigma group, in HMP Buckley Hall. Aisling has networked with different agencies and gained support and training for the staff teams.

Trauma Informed Therapist

Allison is a Trauma Informed Therapist at We Are Survivors, a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims / survivors of sexual abuse, rape and sexual exploitation.

Having worked for over 30 years in local government across Greater Manchester, Allison chose to take a new direction in 2013 by re-training as a Counsellor and Psychotherapist at Salford University. She combined this training with a new role as Centre Manager at Trafford Rape Crisis, providing support to women who have experienced sexual violence at any point in their lives, and successfully launching a therapeutic support service once qualified in 2016.

By 2018 her commitment to focussing solely on therapeutic support was rewarded with a role as a Trauma Informed Therapist at We Are Survivors, along with a sessional Counsellor role at Greater Manchester Rape Crisis. By 2019 she had also begun her role in HMP Buckley Hall offering trauma informed therapy to male prisoners as part of an early project to work with men in the prison estate in Greater Manchester and Merseyside.

She has continued this work through being part of the implementation and delivery of the OUTSpoken Talking Therapy Service across the prison estate in the North West of England. Her commitment to supporting the voluntary sector is also reflected in her role as a Trustee on the Board of Greater Manchester Rape Crisis since 2022.

Trauma Informed Therapist – OUT Spoken

Becky is a trauma informed therapist working in the OUT Spoken Team of We Are Survivors (formally Survivors Manchester), a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic and advocacy support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims/survivors of sexual abuse, rape and sexual exploitation.

Becky has always had a passion for supporting people who have difficult lives as a result of trauma. Her career began in teaching and as a special needs primary school teacher for years, worked with and supported many children who have survived early childhood trauma. After training as a therapist, her experience in education was the foundation for Becky to begin her work with male survivors in prison. She is passionate about supporting people who are labelled in a way that adds to the many barriers that are already there silencing them and preventing them from disclosing and getting help for what they’ve been through.

During the Covid-19 pandemic Becky volunteered each week for a Manchester charity who are part of GMMH’s single point of access service. In 2021, she and the charity were awarded a Queens Award for Voluntary Services for the counselling work she and the charity did during Covid.

Due to her interest in trauma, Becky then undertook a year-long trauma focussed therapy training course which led her into starting work in September 2022 with the Outspoken team as a trauma focused therapist.

Trauma Informed Therapist

Ben Amponsah, an ex-army officer, is a psychotherapist, trainer, lecturer, consultant and coach. He qualified as a counsellor in 2004 and took his life coaching qualification in 2011. Ben has been a trainer since qualifying as an instructor in the army and has completed several lecturing assignments at universities in the Northwest and London.

Ben’s journey as a psychologist has been a long one that started back in the late 1980s! After completing his therapy training he part-completed the Independent BPS course for the Qualification in Counselling Psychology (QCoP) and then commenced a professional doctorate (part time) in Counselling Psychology at Glasgow Caledonian University in Sept 2018. He expects to qualify in September 2025. Ben has always loved psychology and for him becoming first a therapist and then a qualified counselling psychologist have long been cherished aims. Ben qualified as an Eye Movement, Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) practitioner in 2016 and became accredited in 2022.

Ben has worked for several charities both as a practitioner and as a Trustee and then Chair – he very much values this work and has a keen eye on social justice. Ben has long wanted to work at We Are Survivors having worked alongside Duncan Craig when they were both junior therapists and when the opportunity to spend his third stage placement here came up it was too good for both to resist! Ben has been at We Are Survivors since September 2023 and supports clients with both EMDR and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT).

In his free time Ben considers himself an amateur creative writer and is active on many fan fiction gaming forums, as such, and is a published writer in two psychology and coaching textbooks.

Community Services Director

Caleb is the Director of Community Services at We Are Survivors, a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic and advocacy support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims/survivors of sexual harms

Over the last decade, Caleb has worked in the voluntary sector in various roles, including local Mental Health Charities in Greater Manchester and national roles supporting programmes in various nations. Caleb has also volunteered in various organisations, from therapeutic volunteers to events volunteers to trustees.

Caleb has a strong background in mental health and vast experience delivering work programmes to various beneficiaries. He is a qualified therapist, clinical supervisor, and accredited service designer.

He joined We Are Survivors in January 2024 as the Director of Community Services, supporting the community offer as it grows to support more male survivors of sexual harm and their loved ones across Greater Manchester and the wider region. Caleb is passionate about working closely with the operations and criminal justice directorate to ensure that the quality and efficacy of the service are exceptional.

Caleb has a thematic lead under Adult Education focusing on Career Development. This means he focuses on supporting the team in developing their skills and building experience to move into the roles they would like to be in. This includes encouraging the team to take on apprenticeships.

Caleb is always keen to connect with other professionals/organisations that are interested in supporting men and boys.

Community Development Co-Ordinator

Before taking on his current role within the Community Development Team (CDT), Christopher was a long-standing client at We Are Survivors (WAS) and spent two years volunteering as a much-valued member of WAS’s Expert Reference Group (ERG). As part of his CDT role, he chairs ERG meetings, ensuring each member is well-supported and heard.

Since becoming a member of the team, Christopher finds great pride in knowing that the support once vital to his own recovery has come full circle, allowing him to guide and advocate for fellow survivors, ensuring they too have the opportunity to heal, be heard and to thrive.

Over the years, Christopher has shared his survivorship at events across the country, speaking openly about his experiences of sexual harms, domestic abuse, addiction, and incarceration. He is passionate about the role of Lived Experience in raising awareness and driving meaningful change. He recently helped establish the Manchester Trauma and Sexual Violence Network and is developing a project focused on “healthy responses to disclosures of sexual harms,” ensuring survivor voices are heard loud and clear.

Christopher credits WAS with helping him to find his voice after so many years of silence and strives to empower others to discover their own survivor voices, in whatever forms they may take.

Outside of work, Christopher is a writer and storyteller. His short story ‘The Monster Under The Bed’ was recently published, as was an audio drama he authored – both works based around his personal experiences of sexual harms. Christopher believes in the power of words; how re-framing trauma can aid recovery and how happier endings can be created on the page.

Services Manager – Community

Daniel is the Community Service Manager at We Are Survivors. Daniel has been with We Are Survivors since 2019. Daniel started at We Are Survivors (then Survivors Manchester) as an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor, and after 5 years of supporting male survivors through the criminal justice system, in 2024, he was promoted and now leads the Community Development Team, in what he felt like a full a circle moment.

Daniel is a survivor and was engaged with We Are Survivors (then Survivors Manchester) attending the Drop In and The Safe Room. Daniel found peer to peer support beneficial to his own healing journey, ‘being with fellow survivors, gave me a sense of understanding of the ups and downs of survivorship, knowing I was believed and it wasn’t my fault’. He volunteered at the Drop In before the opportunity arose for the ISVA role, he then decided to apply and join the We Are Survivors team to support survivors navigating the criminal justice system.

Daniel now leads the Community Development Team, ensuring that those who are engaged in the service, either on the waitlist for therapy, engaged with ISVA support, or finished therapy are connected to the organisation, either with check in calls or survivors knowing they can access the variety of group and community activities, whether that is at our Hub or spoke sites across Greater Manchester, have a look on Community Activities page on our website and see our offerings.

Daniel is co Sexual Health and HIV lead for the organisation, developing the sexual health centre map for Greater Manchester. From going to various meetings across Greater Manchester to ensure Male Survivors are in the conversation for Sexual Health. Daniel who co developed and co-created ON IT www.onit.org.uk ‘ON IT’ is a source of relevant information about Sex, Chems, HIV and Consent, to inform, understand and help you stay safe. ON IT aims are provide a non-judgemental, harm reduction and informative approach to ChemSex.

Independent Sexual Violence Advisor

Eleanor is one of our Independent Sexual Violence Advisors here at We Are Survivors.

Before joining the team at We Are Survivors in January 2024, she graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and a Master’s degree in Human Rights. Both of her academic studies focused predominantly on modern slavery and sexual exploitation, which deepened her understanding of the complex and often hidden issues facing vulnerable populations.

Eleanor developed upon her knowledge through volunteer and professional work providing advocacy support within refuges, which housed female survivors of modern slavery and children impacted by it. She also has experience supporting young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Her commitment to social justice and passion for supporting for survivors led her to take on her role within We Are Survivors’, supporting male survivors of sexual violence through the criminal justice process, advocating for their rights and providing emotional and practical support.

Eleanor is now the organisation’s lead on Modern Slavery, where she applies her specialized knowledge to assist individuals affected by sexual harms and modern slavery and to lead the organisations approach to eliminating modern slavery our supply chains.

In her spare time, Eleanor enjoys travelling, cooking, and trying to look after her houseplants.

Service Manager – Out Spoken

Gareth is one of the OUTspoken service managers at We Are Survivors, being a qualified Counsellor since 2017.

He started off his counselling career working with the service users at HMP Styal and then moved onto working with young people in schools in Preston, Chorley and South Ribble.

In his time as a therapist Gareth found that he was working with a lot of hidden traumas with his clients and working with individuals who did not understand their reactions to events and found that the clients had a lot of blame for themselves. This led Gareth to do more research into trauma and the impact it had on people and how it affected their brains and therefore their lives. Looking into trauma in this way it led to Gareth completing courses on trauma and how to help clients work with theirs in a positive healing way.

After working with young people for 3 years Gareth decided to change directions back to work with male trauma survivors in prisons by applying for a job with OUTspoken in 2022, using his newfound knowledge of trauma work and his existing knowledge of prisons to help in his new career path.

Since working as a counsellor and obtaining enough clinical hours, Gareth gained his accreditation with the BACP in 2022.

Gareth has helped set up, run and manage 8 out of the 15 prisons successfully for OUTspoken in the Northwest as well as holding his own caseload.

Service Manager – ISVA

Gayna is the first ISVA Services Manager at We Are Survivors, having been a qualified ISVA since 2017.

Her career in the health and social care sector, working within Drug and Alcohol services on both the front line in needle exchange / harm reduction, and later in treatment as a member of the Community Detox Team; and working within personal care and mental health.

During her time in Drug and Alcohol Services, Gayna often found herself engaging with individuals at and pushed to the very edges of society, supporting homeless injecting drug users, and both male and female sex workers.  It was this work, supporting individuals with a range of vulnerabilities and complex needs that then led her to work on a ground-breaking project “Safer Streets”, a collaboration between Survivors Manchester (now We Are Survivors) and The Men’s Room, which focused on engaging with young men at risk of sexual exploitation.

In this position as Outreach & Engagement Worker, Gayna was pivotal to our work with Greater Manchester Police and the wider city effort to tackle child sexual exploitation, attending many outreach sessions and joint operations as part of Operation Hopedale.

Her work in this area also involved her engaging with and supporting male survivors who were under investigation for or convicted of RASSO offences, as part of Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioners joint Home Office funded project, Accord – A whole system response to management of sexual offenders in Greater Manchester.

In late 2016 / early 2017, the need to further expand the ISVA service within We Are Survivors became necessary and Gayna undertook her ISVA training with Lime Culture CIC, later becoming the ISVA Lead in 2021 and presenting her with an opportunity to grow, learn and continue to make a difference.

However, it was mid-late 2017 when Gayna’s work began to take a highly influential turn upon the arrest of Reynhard Sinaga and the opening of Operation Island, which resulted in the conviction of the most prolific rapist in the UK and Greater Manchester being the ‘home’ of the biggest rape case in British legal history. In her role of Operation Island ISVA Co-Ordinator, Gayna was responsible for ensuring that all 48+ male victims attending court had an ISVA and for the 150+ other male victims has access to referral and assessment to survivor services.

Gayna steered the ISVA service through the global pandemic, as the Criminal Justice System responded and has spent the last few years focusing on developing ISVA protocol for male victims in Prison, successfully installing ISVA access in all 15 North West prisons.

Community Development Co-Ordinator

George is one of our Community Development Co-Ordinators here at We Are Survivors.

Born in Hong Kong but possessing an inexplicably strong Australian accent, George emigrated to West London at a young age and is passionate about all things Brentford FC. After breaking his own silence on survivorship at a young age, he first heard of We Are Survivors during his studies at the University of Manchester and applied for a role in our community soon after graduating in order to help others speak out and regain their confidence.

He co-created our first dedicated community space for young survivors aged 18-35, the Hangout, and is one of our two thematic leads specialising in helping the organisation to support the needs of Boys and Young Men and raise awareness of the issues they face.

George also hosts our podcast, Beyond the Silence, which explores the impact of survivorship and the work ourselves and other professionals in the field undertake to help support survivors to live their lives and educate others about what they have overcome, in the hopes of removing wider societal barriers of shame and misunderstanding.

Trauma Informed Therapist – OUT Spoken

George is a trauma informed therapist working within the OUT Spoken team at We Are Survivors: a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic and advocacy support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims/survivors of sexual abuse, rape, and sexual exploitation.

Building on his degree in psychology, George completed an MSc in integrative counselling and psychotherapy at Bangor University in 2022, passing with distinction. Since then George has gained extensive therapy experience working with trauma and complex trauma at the East Flintshire Trauma Centre, the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre, North Wales and the St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Manchester.

From joining the OUT Spoken team in August 2024 George has supported male survivors to achieve their therapeutic goals within a range of prisons. He has recently increased his hours to work three days a week and, alongside his prison work, has set up a private practice supporting people in the community.

Design & Senior Communications Co-Ordinator

Grahame is the Design & Senior Communications Co-Ordinator at We Are Survivors.

In his role at We Are Survivors, Grahame is responsible for ensuring all in-house and forward-facing branded materials are consistent, professional, engaging and strictly within the brand guidelines of the organisation. As well as visual material, this includes the ‘tone’ of our communications.

Grahame has developed the We Are Survivors brand and oversees the ongoing development and creation of all branded elements with the support of the Communications and Public Engagement Team, the leadership team, the wider staff team and the ERG.

Grahame has worked within the design and communications function in the charity sector – primarily the LGBTQ+ sector – for almost 30 years. During this time, Grahame has gained experience of working in all key areas of communications including working with the press, writing engaging copy, developing national campaigns, creating high quality visual materials and being a spokesperson at various events and occasions. Design output during this time has encompassed all elements of print and digital, including organisational brand development, information resources, social media messaging, publications, merchandise, and packaging.

Between 2000 and 2015, Grahame was editor and designer of ‘outnorthwest’ magazine, an LGBTQ+ community title focusing on sexual health, mental health, community activism and cultural issues. Covering the whole of the northwest of England, the magazine ran for 121 editions and was published by The Lesbian & Gay Foundation (now LGBT Foundation).

Due to life-changing personal experience, Grahame is a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, and takes an active interest in this area, with specific focus on the HIV epidemic and its historic and continuing contemporary impact. This experience is brought to the fore at We Are Survivors, where he shares a thematic lead for HIV and Sexual Health with Daniel Griffin.

Grahame’s role at We Are Survivors is part-time, working three days a week. Outside of his role here, Grahame is a freelance graphic designer, offering design and branding expertise to the third sector and other organisations who are working to improve lives. Clients include the NHS, MASH, George House Trust, London Friend, IntraQuest, and various theatre companies.

More details at: http://www.grahame.design

Trauma Informed Therapist

Jane is one of the Trauma Informed Therapists at We Are Survivors, alongside this she runs her own private practice and delivers workshops to develop therapy practitioners.

Jane grew up in Wales with a mixed background of Black African and Indian heritage. Her desire to become a therapist stems from their own life experiences. Like many others, she has faced trauma, sadness, and loss and learned that we can’t truly be our best selves when burdened by unresolved issues and her goal is to provide the same support to her clients.

Jane has been working in therapy and counselling for over five years and is dedicated to creating a safe space where clients can discuss their challenges, realise their potential, and live fulfilling lives.

Jane practices a person-centred therapeutic approach, meaning she works closely with clients to understand their feelings and help them build a strong sense of self. Jane believes in tackling issues with kindness, openness, and compassion, working together with clients on their journey. Jane’s specialisms focus on helping survivors of abuse, as well as those navigating romantic relationship issues and issues of race and identity.

Trauma Informed Therapist

Jon is a trauma-informed therapist with experience of working in the prison estate at HMP Leeds, and in a hospice setting with Marie Curie in Bradford; Jon joined We Are Survivors in 2024. Jon has worked with male survivors of sexual harm whilst at Survivors and during his work in prison, which also includes experience of working with a perpetrator of sexual harm. He describes himself as a person-centred therapist, although has gradually integrated different techniques into how he practices, as a result of working with different client needs and material.

Prior to retraining as a therapist, Jon had a 25 year career in environmental science, gained in the public, private and academic sectors. Jon’s unique background in environmental science has fostered a deep connection to the natural environment, which he can bring into his therapeutic practice, in support of clients. He has undertaken specialized training in outdoor therapy, enriching his ability to support clients in a variety of settings.

Jon has enjoyed volunteering for a number of organisations including the Samaritans from 2021 to 2023. His commitment to developing helping skills and supporting the service, is evidenced by having spent over 280 hours on a mixture of daytime and overnight shifts with the Halifax branch. Furthermore, he acted as mentee to a probationary volunteer who has now become a full Samaritan. From 2014 to 2019, Jon volunteered with Bradford Nightstop (which provides emergency overnight accommodation to homeless young people), during which time he held a Trustee position on the management committee for 28 months, and acted as Line Manager to the Project Manager for 6 months. From April 2017, Jon fulfilled a volunteer role for 16 months on West Yorkshire Police’s Bradford Independent Advisory Group.

Services Director – Criminal Justice

Jonathan is the Criminal Justice Services Director of We Are Survivors, a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic and advocacy support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims/survivors of sexual abuse, rape, and sexual exploitation.

Jonathan joined We Are Survivors in March 2025 and brings with him 22 years of experience in the Criminal Justice System. As a Probation Officer and Manager within HM Prison and Probation Service, Jonathan has widespread knowledge of working with people who have committed offences, sexual and domestic abuse, victims and operated extensively in the multi-agency arena.

Now as Criminal Justice Services Director, Jonathan will lead the Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA), Outspoken, soon to be Outside Outspoken and We are Listening services. Jonathan is excited to deliver on the Criminal Justice Directorate and ensuring that no male survivor is left behind.

RASSO Pathfinder

Josh is the Pathfinder Worker at We Are Survivors, a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic and advocacy support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims/survivors of sexual abuse, rape, and sexual exploitation.

Josh secured a first-class BSc Psychology degree and achieved a distinction in MSc Psychological Research, he was driven by a curiosity of the human mind and a desire to improve the mental health of people that are suffering across society. Following his Healthcare Assistant experience and 2.5 years of being an Assistant Psychologist, Josh joined as the first Pathfinder Worker at We Are Survivors during the pilot stage of the Pathfinder Project. Pathfinder aims to identify clients with barriers to engaging in their sexual trauma healing journey, be that attending community activities, engaging with ISVA, and/or doing therapy. This involves spending time getting to know the client, their mental health, their mental health service engagement, and their preferences for support. Using this information, suitable support can be identified with the intention of helping clients to be more resourced to engage in recovery from their sexual trauma.

Josh joined in the pilot phase of the Pathfinder Project, an opportunity he used to help embed pathfinder into We Are Survivors. This was achieved by working with colleagues from each directorate to prepare the systems and produce the documents that support practitioners to utilise the Pathfinder Project offer. Josh continues to work with therapists, the community development team, and ISVAs to identify clients with additional mental health needs and work towards the client engaging in the support that can help them on their healing journey. Additionally, he provides 1:1 support through interventions such as trauma psychoeducation, emotional management, distress tolerance, and behavioural activation. He also supports clients to engage with other healthcare professionals and teams to improve their health and wellbeing.

Independent Sexual Violence Advisor

Kaelin is one of the Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) at We Are Survivors, a voluntary sector organization providing therapeutic and advocacy support to male, trans, and non-binary victims / survivors or sexual harms.

Kaelin graduated from The University of Manchester in 2023 with an LLB in Law. His legal education, alongside practical experience through mini-pupillages at top criminal chambers, meant he joined We Are Survivors later that year with a deep understanding of justice, ethics, and the role of advocacy in achieving fair outcomes.

Initially starting within the operations team, Kaelin gained a great overview of the work done by the organisation before moving to his current role. Now, Kaelin provides specialist tailored support to the clients we work with. This includes supporting people throughout the criminal justice process as well as supporting practical needs such as housing, benefits, or signposting to a wider range of organisations. Kaelin is also the thematic lead for homelessness and helps to ensure that homeless clients receive a equitable service and get any extra support they may need.

Outside of his work at We Are Survivors, Kaelin is a keen rugby fan and cook.

OUT Side OUT Spoken Navigator

Luke is the Outside Outspoken Navigator at We Are Survivors.

Luke began working with We Are Survivors initially as a contractor under Mandem Meetup in 2023, a grassroots men’s organisation, where he spent time working within prisons in the northwest conducting assessments and check-ins for men within the Outspoken service.

In 2024 Luke came on board as part of the Community Development Team, where he took responsibility for delivering sessions with the volunteers at the Royal Horticultural Society Garden Centre, helping clients develop their relationship with the outdoors, nature and the land. More recently, Luke has moved full-time into the Criminal Justice Directorate where he continues to develop the Outside Outspoken Navigator role to support men leaving the prison estate. Luke is currently studying towards gaining his qualification as an Eco Psychotherapist in Transactional Analysis.

Outside of work, Luke enjoys spending time outdoors, painting and performing Country Hits in his car.

Senior Trauma Informed Therapist

Mark started practicing as a psychotherapist in 2019. He joined the We Are Survivors team in January 2022 as trauma informed therapist. In May 2024 he was promoted to senior therapist in the community team. He has also gained experience within the organisation working as a therapist for the outspoken service, working with men in custody.

He works with therapists, arts organisations and teams as a trainee supervisor and runs a private therapy practice based in South Manchester.

Mark also works as a group facilitator, including delivering workshops and trainings.

Trauma Informed Therapist

Mary is a Person-Centred Trauma Informed counsellor at We are Survivors.  She joined the organisation in 2023 and works with the OUT Spoken Therapy Service offering trauma therapy to clients within the prison estate.

Prior to this Mary worked in education, teaching Modern Foreign Languages to GCSE level.  Towards the end of her teaching career, she moved to a Pupil Health Referral Unit where she taught and counselled teenagers with emotional and social difficulties.  Mary graduated with a Level 5 Diploma in Person Centred counselling in 2017, having studied at The Manchester College.

Mary uses the Person-Centred approach, believing that each client has within the capacity for growth and change by reframing past experiences and making healthier choices. She has also run parenting courses and uses this knowledge to support clients who are fathers and want improved relationships with their partners and children.

Senior Trauma Informed Therapist – OUT Spoken

Matt is one of the Senior Trauma-informed therapists with Outspoken, working across the Northwest Prison estate providing trauma therapy to clients in prison. Matt joined We Are Survivors at a full-time therapist with Outspoken in April 2023.

Matt qualified as a person-centred therapist in 2021. He worked with a number of third sector organisations offering trauma therapy to survivors of sexual violence in Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside. Those experiences changed how Matt viewed the role and importance of therapy and inspired him to embrace working with survivors.

Matt set out on his counselling journey in 2018 at Preston College. First, he completed a Level Two Award in Counselling Concepts followed by completed a Level 3 Certificate in counselling and a Level 4 Diploma. He volunteered with the charity, Counselling in the Community, in Blackpool, who offer free counselling, to complete his placement and gained invaluable understanding and knowledge of working with clients presenting with a range of issues and concerns. Since then, he has dedicated himself to learning, developing and growing as a humanistic therapist.

Before he set out on his counselling journey, he attended Liverpool John Moore University in 2010 to study Creative Writing and achieved a 2.1 BA Honours degree. He subsequently achieved a Master of Arts in International Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire in 2014. For nearly four years, Matt worked in digital marketing as a content writer, writing articles on fashion, food and cars for various clients. However, he realised that he wasn’t feeling fulfilled in that career and chose to take a different route into counselling.

When he isn’t working in prison, Matt can be found spending time with his husband in garden centres across the Northwest or taking walks in nature close to where they live. In his free time, Matt is socialising with friend, in the gym or stabbing people at his Fencing Club, which he has done for the past 20 years.

Trauma Informed Therapist

Monica is a Trauma Informed Therapist at We Are Survivors, a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic and advocacy support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims/survivors of sexual harms and trauma.

Monica has been working as a therapist in various different settings over the past 12 years, and has experience working with children, teenagers and adults. Monica specialises in working with self-harm and eating disorders, sexual harms and abuse and creative therapies. She is also a training provider and has developed several courses relating to different areas of psychoeducation around sexual harms and self-harm.

Monica’s involvement in We Are Survivors (WAS) first began in October 2021 when she was seconded from another charity to work on behalf of WAS in HMP Haverigg in Cumbria as part of the OUT Spoken Therapy Service, providing trauma therapy to male survivors of sexual harms, as well as supporting prisoners through other types of trauma. Monica found this role very fulfilling and rewarding, as well as really enjoying being part of the team at We Are Survivors, and with this she became an official WAS employee in September 2023. Monica is looking forward to continuing her work at HMP Haverigg, and is particularly passionate about ensuring that “no male survivor is left behind.”

Trauma Informed Therapist

Naomi is a Trauma Informed Therapist at We Are Survivors, a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic and advocacy support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims/survivors of sexual abuse, rape, and sexual exploitation.

Naomi was a professional dancer and youth worker, working in schools and prisons before deciding to take a different direction and training in Counselling and Psychotherapy at Salford University, qualifying in 2022. After qualifying, Naomi worked at a domestic abuse charity, leading Behaviour Change Programmes for those with harmful behaviours, before transitioning to We Are Survivors in 2024. Alongside this role, she delivers therapy to those struggling with eating disorders.

Naomi is passionate about seeing Survivors take back control of their lives and step into the freedom they deserve following their traumatic experiences.

Senior Information & Data Analyst

Nick is the Senior Information and Data Analyst at We Are Survivors. He began his journey with the organisation in January 2023 and has seen continued development ever since – moving from Data Entry Co-Ordinator > PA to CEO and Data Entry Co-Ordinator > Senior Operations: Data Analyst > Senior Information and Data Analyst.

During this time, he has supported and led on reporting data to Commissioners, whilst ensuring the processes and procedures within the organisation, facilitate the best possible support for clients. During his time at Survivors, Nick has also completed a Data Technician Apprenticeship, in which he achieved a distinction in August 2024.

As We Are Survivors continues to grow, he will continue to support the Central Operations, Criminal Justice and Community Directorates, by continuing to supply reports, providing data for new funding bids and guaranteeing high data quality in the organisation.

Service Manager

Njal is a Service Manager and Trauma-Informed Therapist at We Are Survivors, a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims / survivors of sexual abuse, rape and sexual exploitation.

In 2018, Njal qualified as a Psychotherapist where he achieved an Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling.

Njal also has a degree in BA (Hons) Psychology and Criminology, of which he graduated in 2005 at Sheffield Hallam University.

Prior to starting his journey at We Are Survivors in 2020, Njal worked in private practice as a Psychotherapist at a local Counselling Charity, where he supported both male and female adults. His work involved helping and supporting those who experience anxiety, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideations, and processing grief.

Since Njal joined We Are Survivors as a Trauma-Informed Therapist he has dedicated his work to supporting male survivors in both the Community and medium to high secure prison estates.

In 2022, he was promoted to Senior Trauma Informed Therapist, which came with the added responsibility of being point of escalation and support for those therapists in the Community.

At the start of 2024, Njal was promoted to Service Manager within the Criminal Justice Directorate where he was task with creating, overseeing and managing a 2-year pilot (alongside another Manchester Charity) co-commissioned by Probation and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). The service offered a whole system response to the provision of support for men with a conviction for sexual offences, but who are also survivors of sexual harms too. The service delivered by We Are Survivors in this wider project is focused on the small percentage of survivors that have committed such offences, with the aim of reducing the risk of recidivism and provide We Are Survivors with an active prevention service.

Njal feels integrity, respect, boundaries, and professionalism go a long way to creating a safe and secure therapeutic space and engagement with service users. Due to Njal’s commitment to holding such values, this led him to take on the role of Suicide Prevention Thematic Lead. This entails leading the organisation, to prevent death by suicide and support Greater Manchester with a focus on knowledge sharing and campaigning.

Njal strives to provide continuous support to those male survivors who have shown bravery and courage in breaking their silence by taking that first step, but also to those who are yet to.

Trauma Informed Therapist

Philip is a Transactional Analysis Counsellor and Psychotherapist and Trauma Informed Therapist at We Are Survivors, a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims /survivors of sexual abuse, rape, and sexual exploitation Philips professional journey began in 2013, working with a Mental Health charity and IAPT service in Bolton, where he supported clients facing a variety of challenges. His career expanded into higher education where he worked as a Counsellor from 2017 to 2023, offering guidance to young adults and mature students as part of a University Student Counselling and Wellbeing Service. Philip completed his advanced trauma therapy training in December 2022 and joined We Are Survivors as a Trauma Informed in March 2023.

Philip also has a small private practice in Central Manchester, where he provides therapy for individuals and couples. Therapy options range from short-term solutions to long-term explorative work, depending on each client’s unique needs he offer therapy sessions face to face and online.  Philip is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and strives to uphold the highest standards of ethical and professional care.

Trauma Informed Therapist

Rebecca began working at We Are Survivors shortly after qualifying as a person-centred psychotherapist in 2021; she has since achieved full accreditation with the BACP, and an additional postgraduate qualification in Person-Centred Experiential Counselling for Depression.

Rebecca comes from a community and youth work background. Since previously co-founding one of Salford’s LGBT youth clubs to foster and celebrate the experiences of LGBTQI+ youth, social justice remains at the heart of her work. Rebecca identifies as mixed race (White and Asian), neurodiverse and bisexual; her own experiences have informed her keen attention to structures of oppression and how she strives to support minority-identified clients to appropriately contextualise their difficulties. She is passionate about facilitating restorative experiences for those who have been left disempowered by difference and trauma. Additional training in critical incident stress management has attuned her to targeted intervention in the immediate wake of trauma, equipping her with tools to soothe and process trauma appropriately at all stages of a client’s healing journey.

Rebecca proudly stands on the board of trustees for another charity delivering arts and wellbeing projects to the local community. In her spare time Rebecca enjoys socialising, travelling, culture and music.

Senior Trauma Informed Therapist & OUT Side OUT Spoken Manager

Rob is a Senior Trauma Informed Therapist for the OUT Spoken Service, of We Are Survivors (formally Survivors Manchester), a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic and advocacy support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims/survivors of sexual abuse, rape and sexual exploitation.

Rob completed a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling in 2021 and began practising as a Trauma Informed Therapist working with trauma and survivors of sexual abuse straight away after qualifying. Rob is employed full time in prisons and currently works across 4 different prison estates within the North West.

Rob’s career began in education and sports coaching, as well as working with young offenders for a short period of time. He followed this path for over 10 years, whilst for the last 5 of those studying to be a therapist. As Rob was about to complete his Diploma in Counselling, he was introduced to ‘We Are Survivors’ while they were in the process of recruiting for the new OUT Spoken Service. Rob became the first cohort of therapists employed for this role.

Rob started as a Trauma Informed Therapist and was promoted to a Senior in 2023. Rob is also the Prison Resettlement Lead and has worked closely with the Executive Leadership Team to establish a way of better supporting our OUT Spoken clients who are released into the community. He is at the front of a new, exciting project which will come under the ‘Outside OUT Spoken’ part of the service regarding this. This project will combine a therapeutic space with physical activity and link to our partner organisation ‘Mandem Meetup’ to promote a sustainable method of support for those who have been released from prison.

For the last 2 years Rob has also ran a therapeutic music group in HMP Buckley Hall, utilising his other skills and passions to engage those who may struggle with more formal therapeutic interventions and emphasising the importance of using creativity as a way of processing difficult life experiences.

Rob is very passionate about helping men who are often forgotten about or have experienced very chaotic lives, typical to what you find in prisons. He lives by the philosophy of, although you may never know or get to see the impact of what you do, if it can help just one person improve their life by even 1%, it was worth the effort.

Information & Policy Co-Ordinator

Rory is the Information and Policy Coordinator of We Are Survivors, a voluntary sector organisation providing therapeutic and advocacy support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims/survivors of sexual abuse, rape, and sexual exploitation.

Coming from an academic humanities background, Rory is interested in the intersection of critical thinking with topics in the social and clinical sciences, as well as convening spaces for such critical discussions to take place. Whilst studying his Philosophy degree, Rory was involved in events coordination for the University of Dundee Humanities Society, including coordinating a Scotland wide undergraduate conference. They went on to study for a Masters in Psychoanalytic Studies at Birkbeck College, taking an interest in masculinities and psychosocial studies. Now a part-time Doctoral candidate in Philosophy, they are writing on topics in political philosophy and semantics, specifically with reference to European post-structuralist and biopolitical schools of thought. They have already spoken at a handful of inter-disciplinary humanities and social sciences conferences.

Shortly before commencing their part-time Doctoral study, they joined the Survivors Manchester (now We are Survivors) team as an Admin-Coordinator, being responsible for services data-entry entry and general operations. Having taken an interest in the Expert-Reference-Group, Duncan Craig offered them the extra role of Secretariat to the board, supporting them administratively in their steering of the organisation. Furthermore, as Thematic Lead for Research, Rory took on the responsibility of the majority of We Are Survivors’ external research liaison tasks. He led in the formulation of safeguarding procedures for survivor participants and collaborators in research, going on to co-author a ‘Male Survivor-Led Research Policy’ with academics at Lancaster, Coventry, and Leicester Universities.

Now as Information and Policy Coordinator they condense this array of experience into providing information, analysis, and summaries of policy and legislation to the organisation, along with leading in research and information dissemination, in the pursuit of the We Are Survivors’ charitable objectives.

Trauma Informed Therapist – OUT Spoken

Sam is a Trauma Informed Therapist working as part of the Outspoken Team at We Are Survivors, a voluntary sector organisaton providing therapeutic and advocacy support to male (and trans and non-binary) victims/survivors of sexual abuse, rape, and sexual exploitation.

Sam started his journey as a Trauma Informed Therapist working in the community for another organisation who provided therapeutic and wellbeing support to male, female (trans and non-binary) victims of sexual abuse, rape and sexual exploitation. He was doing this role whilst working at Lancaster Farms prison in a seconded role for Outspoken.

Sam’s passion for working with clients for the Outspoken service soon helped him make the decision that he wanted to work full time across the prison estate in the Northwest. He currently covers prisons – Lancaster Farms, Preston , Kirkham and Wymott.

Trauma Informed Therapist

Simon is a Trauma Informed Therapist at We Are Survivors.

Having completed a 4 year Diploma in Transactional Analysis in 2017 and becoming a Registered Member of the BACP later that year, Simon has been part of the community therapy team offering a safe space for males, and their allies, to stabilise, process, heal, and move on from their experiences of sexual harms.

In 2024, Simon successfully completed his accreditation process with the BACP, becoming an accredited counsellor/psychotherapist.  Simon believes in ‘walking alongside’ clients in order to explore their story and understand their needs. In this way, Simon looks to find the goals and outcomes that are most important for that client at that time.  By bringing in TA methods, and integrating these with other trauma informed approaches, Simon has supported many people over the years with their experiences.

Simon has a real passion for working with men, particularly in the field of mental health.  From his own experiences of mental health issues, he is an advocate of eliminating the shame related to men speaking openly about their mental health which keeps them silent and perpetuates their suffering and the suffering of their allies.

Professional membership: Accredited Member of BACP

Trauma Informed Therapist

Sj is an HCPC-accredited Art Psychotherapist with over seven years of experience facilitating Art Therapy and Creative Wellness projects both across the Northwest of England and internationally. Sj then expanded on this experience when joining We Are Survivors in 2023 as a trauma-informed therapist.

With a passion for supporting disenfranchised individuals, Sj brings a unique perspective to therapy as a neurodivergent, queer, and gender non-conforming therapist. Their approach is integrative, trauma-informed, and centred on the individual, aiming to empower clients to find healing and self-empowerment. Drawing on Gestalt psychology, SJ’s therapeutic practice focuses on understanding life experiences holistically. Recognising how different aspects of a person’s life interconnect and impact overall well-being.

Art therapy is particularly valuable for male survivors of sexual harm, offering a safe, non-verbal outlet for expression. Research from the Office for National Statistics (2020) indicates that 1 in 6 men will experience sexual harm in their lifetime, but many remain silent due to societal stigma surrounding mental health and help-seeking. This underreporting highlights the need for accessible, alternative therapeutic approaches like art therapy, which can provide a vital space for healing. We Are Survivors recognises the challenges faced by male survivors and prioritises tailored therapeutic approaches, using creative mediums to facilitate communication in a way that reduces the pressure of verbal articulation, helping clients process their experiences safely and effectively.

Trauma Informed Therapist

Stuart is a Trauma-Informed Therapist at We Are Survivors. He has worked at the organisation for 8 years, both in the community and as part of the OUT Spoken Therapy Service, offering trauma therapy to clients within the prison estate.

His involvement with We Are Survivors (then Survivors Manchester) began when he met Chief Executive, Duncan Craig, during the Manchester Pride march. Stuart is a BACP-accredited therapist who specialises in sexual abuse trauma work, integrating a range of different therapy models in his practice.  He also has a private therapy practice outside of We Are Survivors.

Prior to being a therapist, Stuart worked in the music industry for most of his life (and still does) as a professional musician, producer and mastering engineer. He was drawn to train as a therapist after accessing therapy himself and experiencing it as transformative, insightful and extremely valuable. He trained at The University of Manchester and began practicing in 2015.

Stuart has a special interest in Internal Family Systems and Inner Child Therapy, and finds these models very helpful in helping clients recover from trauma from sexual violence. However, he firmly believes that the therapy model should fit around the individual person and not the other way around, and using an integrative therapy model allows for flexibility and adaptability depending on each unique client and their presenting issues.

Operations Manager & PA to CEO

Tag is the Operations Manager of We Are Survivors and wears many hats to help keep our organisation ticking along behind the scenes.

With a background in music and film production, Tag enjoys employing creative solutions to the everyday issues that we face. In addition to his duties managing the facilities, Tag has been instrumental in developing and producing ‘Beyond the Silence’, We Are Survivors’ official podcast, which is going from strength to strength.

Tag Joined the organisation as the PA to our CEO Duncan Craig, and even though his role has developed over the last two years, Tag is still a crucial part of making sure that Dunc stays on top of all the many responsibilities.

Community Development Co-Ordinator

Tea is an accomplished professional with a background in business administration and management. Joining We Are Survivors in August 2024 as an Admin Coordinator, she has played a pivotal role in streamlining operations and supporting the charity’s mission. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for community engagement, Tea is dedicated to fostering positive change.

In April 2025, she will transition to the Community Development Team, where she will leverage her skills to strengthen connections and support initiatives that uplift and empower communities. Committed to making a meaningful impact, Tea is excited to continue their journey at We Are Survivors and contribute to the organization’s vision of resilience and support.

Digital Communications Co-Ordinator

Theo is the Digital Communications Co-Ordinator at We Are Survivors.

However, started off at We Are Survivors as a Content Creator apprentice coming from a company called The Juice Academy. Theo met Duncan Craig OBE at one of the boot camp days taking place at The Juice Academy where he spoke about his previous work in the media industry and what he has to offer to help the growth of their social media platforms. Theo completed his apprenticeship (2024) with a DISTINCTION and award nominations from the Manchester Publicity Association Awards, Manchester Young Talent Awards and Made in Manchester Awards two of which he won.

Theo was part of the re-branding of We Are Survivors formally known as Survivors Manchester, which he developed the social media presence and messaging across all their digital channels. Theo has storyboarded, filmed and edited many promotional videos for We Are Survivors such as for the magazine Beyond The Silence through his own initiative and professionalism, which you can see here https://bit.ly/4kiiQ2U . Theo also manages the We Are Survivors website, updating and refreshing content regularly.

Back in April 2024 We Are Survivors launched their training website in collaboration with Mandem Meetup called Survivor Ally. This was created to teach professionals that work in a public setting that may include physical contact how to support survivors of sexual harms. Theo was Project Manager for this campaign and developed content such as video, written copy and design assets which can be seen here https://wereallies.co.uk/

Outside of We Are Survivors Theo plays for two football teams and creates his own short films which he directs.

More details at: https://bit.ly/3DhD9ws

Community Development Co-Ordinator & Trauma Informed Therapist

Trung is a Trauma Informed Therapist and Community Development Co-ordinator at We Are Survivors.

Prior to joining We Are Survivors in May 2024, Trung worked within the Civil Service for 9 years in HMRC and the Home Office. They started their training as a psychotherapist whilst within the Civil Service, having qualified as a psychotherapist at the start of 2024 at the University of Salford. Their journey into becoming a therapist and community development co-ordinator was shaped and inspired by the support they had received when they were most in need. Their lived experience informs how they practice.

As a Trauma Informed Therapist, trained in delivering Person Centred therapy, Trung works with clients by building therapeutic relationships based in kindness, empathy and openness. They work alongside clients to understand, process and build on their life. They also run their own private practice, working with LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse individuals.

As a Community Development Co-ordinator, you will see them facilitating different community events and activities, offering 1-to-1 and group support. They co-facilitate the Art Room and are particularly passionate about expression as part of one’s survivorship and healing journey.

In their spare time, Trung likes to create, usually through drawing, cooking and baking.