Bristol man becomes life coach following dad’s mental health struggles

The son of a man who struggled with his mental health became a life and behavior coach.

Ross Matthews, 30, from Bedminster, Bristol, said he had witnessed the difficulties his late father faced and it had affected their relationship.

Matthews’ father grew up in a verbally and physically abusive household, which he believes contributed to his struggles later in life.

“I don’t want anyone to go through what my father did,” Matthews said.

Throughout his life, Mr. Matthews desired a deeper connection with his father.

As a teenager, he wanted to learn about his “typical” father, such as DIY.

However, there was “tremendous pressure” on the father, who worked night shifts and was raising two children.

It wasn’t until Matthews grew up that she learned about her father’s difficult upbringing and mental health struggles.

“My father was a very quiet person. He was the typical type of person who kept to himself and didn’t like to talk about his problems.

“He was always a nice guy and never said anything bad about anyone, he just couldn’t express it,” Matthews said.

When Mr. Matthews was 16 years old, his father was amputated.

“I was scared something was going to happen, but it’s almost become normal,” Matthews said.

“It was really hard to watch, I felt frustrated and angry.

“I wrote him a letter to show my love for him…I naturally wanted to resolve everything.

“I wanted to help him, support him, rescue him. At the time, I didn’t realize that wasn’t something he could receive,” he added.

After her father was discharged from the hospital, she began running as a form of escapism for many years until he died of cancer in 2018.

“My inner child was lost and confused and was looking for connection, love and clarity,” Matthews said.

“That’s the foundation of why I do what I do.”