Dr. Kennedy Oberhiri Obohwemu, a Nigerian doctor based in the UK, is making waves in the world of mental health with a breakthrough tool designed to help people better understand how they cope with stress and emotional struggles.

It’s called the Self-Comforting and Coping Scale (SCCS), a simple but powerful way to measure the little things we do to calm ourselves down when life feels overwhelming. Whether it’s taking deep breaths, going for a walk, or talking to a loved one, the SCCS helps professionals understand which of these habits are helpful, and which ones might be harmful in the long run.

Dr. Obohwemu created the SCCS after years of working with emotionally distressed patients and realizing that many people don’t have the tools to manage their emotions healthily.

“In my years of medical practice, I’ve seen firsthand how many people struggle with emotional regulation,” he says. “The SCCS is my way of giving both patients and clinicians a clearer path—one that leads to deeper understanding, effective coping, and sustainable healing.”

Helping More Than Just Patients

The best part? This tool isn’t just for psychologists. Teachers, employers, and caregivers can all use the SCCS to better understand how people around them respond to stress. It can help prevent burnout, boost resilience, and support mental well-being in schools, workplaces, and homes.

So whether you're a student dealing with academic pressure, an employee navigating work stress, or someone simply trying to stay afloat emotionally, this tool has something to offer.

What’s Next?

Dr. Obohwemu isn’t stopping here. He plans to expand the SCCS to work across different cultures and communities, because, as he explains:

“People express and practice self-comfort in different ways depending on their background. Cross-cultural understanding is essential.”

He also continues to teach and mentor students in public health, psychology, and social care—passing on his passion for making mental health care smarter, kinder, and more effective.

Why It Matters

We all face emotional ups and downs, but tools like the SCCS are helping us move from simply “getting through it” to truly understanding and supporting one another. And thanks to trailblazers like Dr. Obohwemu, emotional self-care is becoming more than just a buzzword, it’s becoming a science.