Hello, I’m Ben Sedley

Clinical psychologist, author & speaker

I never set out to be a psychologist. I first considered becoming a teacher, but quickly realised I was more interested in talking to the disengaged kid in the corner than leading a whole classroom.

That curiosity—wanting to understand emotions rather than just manage behaviour—set me on a different path. A chance conversation with a psychologist opened my eyes to a career where I could help people not just ‘fix’ their struggles, but find ways to live meaningfully alongside them. 

I studied psychology and went on to earn a PhD exploring how young people understand mental health. Since then, I’ve spent over 20 years working with children, teenagers, and adults, helping them navigate the complexities of life with greater self-compassion and clarity.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of seeing my work resonate across cultures, from Russian clinicians discussing my books to teens in New Zealand finding comfort in my words. These books have found their way into homes, schools, and even shelters around the world, providing support in places where it’s needed most.

It’s these connections—these moments of shared understanding—that drive me to keep writing, teaching, and exploring new ways to support mental health.

My approach

As New Zealand's only peer-reviewed ACT Trainer, I specialise in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a powerful framework that shifts the focus away from eliminating difficult emotions and instead helps people move towards what truly matters to them.

Mental health isn’t about suppressing pain, it’s about learning how to hold it, work with it, and still create a life filled with purpose and connection.

Through my work—whether in therapy, training, or writing—I aim to make mental health support more accessible, practical, and relatable for everyone.

I believe that:

  • Mental health support should validate, not dismiss, people’s experiences.

  • People aren’t ‘broken’, they are doing their best with what they’ve got.

  • Self-compassion and resilience go hand in hand.

  • We need to rethink the way we talk about mental health, moving beyond quick fixes and towards long-term, meaningful change.

Books by Ben Sedley

  • Holding the Heavy Stuff

    Finding room for critical thoughts and painful emotions.

  • Stuff That’s Loud

    A teen’s guide to unspiralling when OCD gets noisy.

  • Stuff That Sucks

    A teen’s guide to accepting what you can’t change and committing to what you can.

Learn more