Untold and Retold: Finding courage to speak with Gerwyn Tumelty

For many of the authors contributing to our collaboration book, Untold and Retold, the decision to put their story on the page came from a personal desire to complete a final step in their healing journey, and an equally strong hope that, by speaking honestly, they might help someone else feel less alone. For Gerwyn Tumelty, that intention sits right at the heart of his chapter.

Gerwyn is the CEO of Coron Projects, a project management consultancy supporting engineering and construction businesses across South Wales and beyond. But behind the professional success lies a deeply human story — one shaped by years of silent struggle, chronic pain, burnout, and the emotional weight men often carry without ever speaking fully and openly about it. His contribution to Untold and Retold is fictionalised, but it draws directly from lived experience.

Storytelling as a therapeutic step

As Gerwyn discovered while writing it, storytelling can be far more powerful and far more therapeutic than we expect. 

“The main thing that inspired me to join the Stories That Heal collaboration was Debs herself, who came up with the idea,” Gerwyn says honestly. “Her bravery in taking on a project like this, and her ability to bring so many different people with different experiences together, just made it feel natural for me to get involved. I felt like I had a story to tell, something I’d carried for years, and this gave me a chance to try writing it down properly. In a way, I was looking for a bit of accountability too.”

For years, Gerwyn had carried the story yet hadn’t quite found a way to put into words — experiences, emotions, and internal battles that never seemed to have the right place to land.

“The central idea behind my chapter, at first, felt like a selfish one,” he reflects. “I needed to get something out that I’d been holding in for a long time. Beyond that, I wanted to share something that might help other people, especially men, to open up and talk. Writing it gave me a lot of satisfaction and an emotional release. It ended up being far more therapeutic than I expected.”

The power of reframing and fictionalising your story

Gerwyn’s chapter centres on a fictional character, Tom, during his sailing weekend away with two long-term military service friends. It should be an easy, carefree getaway but instead becomes the moment where everything he has been holding in finally surfaces.

“The combination of alcohol, closeness and trust, plus months of internal struggle, suddenly gives him the space to open up,” Gerwyn explains. “And he breaks.”

What pours out are truths which so many men keep hidden:

• trauma from years of chronic pain

• suicidal thoughts

• burnout

• frustration with work

• feeling lost, useless, and directionless

Being heard becomes the next step towards Tom’s recovery.

For Gerwyn, writing it was anything but easy.

“I’m not a writer, so getting started was challenging. But once I got into the flow, something released. I found a deep sort of therapy in it. It wasn’t just about me anymore. I started thinking about how all of this affected the people around me too — the people who care so much.”

There were tears both during writing and editing, as the characters deepened and mirrored aspects of the real people from his past. What surprised him most was how the story expanded beyond himself.

Listening to create space and lead by example

Despite the vulnerability of his chapter, Gerwyn is clear how he can help others now, in the context of his work.

“I’m not a therapist or a counsellor,” he says simply. “The most powerful tool I have is listening — proper listening. Not waiting for my turn to speak, but actually listening. Because I ask questions and listen, people talk.”

This practice underpins both his coaching work and the way he supports friends and business connections. He also works with two other essential approaches:

• Permission: asking before stepping into deeper emotional territory instead of assuming entitlement to someone’s personal story.

• Autonomy: letting people discover their own answers rather than being led by advice.

Gerwyn’s noticed that questions like, “What’s on your mind?’ ‘And what else?’ ‘What’s the real challenge here?’ ‘How does that feel?’” all create space to think, breathe, and peel back layers people have been avoiding.

These tools may seem simple, but Gerwyn has seen how profoundly helpful they can be when used with care,  especially in environments like engineering and construction, where emotional support is lacking, usually because the projects are so incredibly busy.

His personal experience deepened this understanding even further in September 2024, when he shared a vulnerable LinkedIn post for World Suicide Prevention Day. It was the first time he spoke publicly about his struggle with trigeminal neuralgia and the darkest thoughts it brought.

“The response shocked me — emails, messages, comments, conversations. People told me I gave them permission to talk. Telling the truth helps people more than you realise. It helps you, and it helps them, even if it’s small ripples.”

Healing through writing: stories that heal

Gerwyn’s journey into storytelling transformed not just how he understands healing, but how he supports others. Now when he suggests writing or reflection to his clients, he recommends it from deeper experience.

“Writing showed me the real power of words on a page. Journaling never worked for me like this did. For anyone starting — honestly, just start writing. Whatever’s in your head, get it onto paper. Find someone to support you — a coach, a friend, a group. Accountability helps draw your story out of you.”

Outside of work, Gerwyn stays grounded through simple but disciplined daily practices: rest, movement, nutrition, and connection. He enjoys early mornings after good sleep, with either gym sessions or ice baths, decent food and moderation with treats, and then surrounding himself with people who truly listen — these all support what he calls his four internal empires: mindset, health, heart, and soul.

And if he could offer one message back to his younger self? “I listen for a living,” he says, “but I need to be listened to too. For men especially, being able to ask for help is a big step. Don’t be afraid to talk. Don’t be afraid to tell your story. Healing isn’t about being broken, it’s about being human. Everyone needs different levels of healing at different times.”

His inspiration now comes from the people closest to him — his wife, parents, friends, and especially his sons.

“My youngest has additional learning needs and inspires me in ways I can’t fully explain. My boys’ values and choices inspire me. My wife inspires me. And I’m grateful.”

Connect with Gerwyn

Readers can connect with Gerwyn through Coron Projects, which supports engineering and construction SMEs through training, coaching, and project delivery, with a digital platform launching soon for global access.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gerwyntumelty

• Website: www.coronprojects.co.uk

• Email: gerwyn@coronprojects.co.uk

“I’m always open to conversations,” Gerwyn says, “whether that’s about projects, personal growth, or the kinds of stories this book explores.”

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