Ovie Ukiri: Building a Safe Space for Men’s Mental Wellness
Tosin Clegg
Ovie Ukiri, a certified mental health and self-awareness coach, is building a transformative safe space through Gnosis—a movement helping men heal, grow, and reclaim their emotional wellbeing.
He made this assertion in a media statement recently, sharing how he is using Gnosis to challenge harmful narratives around masculinity by giving men a safe space to express emotions and heal.
Ukiri’s career in mental health support began over a decade ago, driven by a deep conviction to help men and young adults navigate emotional struggles, identity crises, and mental health challenges.
His work has been shaped not just by formal qualifications—a diploma in mental health and certification as a self-awareness coach—but by direct engagement with the lived realities of men who, despite outward success, quietly carry emotional wounds and unresolved trauma.
“Many of the men I’ve worked with are seen as successful by society’s standards, yet they carry the crushing pressure to ‘man up’ while silently dealing with pain no one sees,” Ukiri said.
This observation, repeated across hundreds of personal encounters, fueled his decision to create Gnosis—a platform rooted in empathy, emotional safety, and intentional healing.
Gnosis, as Ukiri describes it, is more than a coaching program—it’s a movement. It is a healing ground for men, a space where they can exhale, reflect, and rebuild.
“Here, they are free to express their emotions without judgment, guilt, or fear of being misunderstood,” he said, describing it as a platform that fosters emotional wellness, vulnerability, and reconnection to the authentic self.
Through weekly coaching sessions, guided meditations, open conversations, and identity-based healing modules, Gnosis has already helped over 20,000 men confront deeply rooted issues including shame, father wounds, emotional suppression, and feelings of failure.
Men arrive feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, and emotionally burdened. They leave, Ukiri said, “empowered, self-aware, and emotionally free.”
He highlighted the everyday mental health struggles men face—silent battles in relationships, careers, and within themselves. Without safe spaces, these battles often lead to isolation, depression, addiction, or worse.
“Mental health for men is not a luxury; it’s a necessity,” he emphasized.
One of the most pressing issues he identifies is the persistent cultural script that equates strength with silence.
As part of his approach, Ukiri encourages men to face what they’ve been taught to avoid. “You are not weak for needing help. You are not less of a man for wanting healing. You deserve to be seen, heard, and whole,” he concluded
Through his work, Ukiri is equipping men with the tools they need to heal, grow, and live more emotionally balanced lives.
