About me
A warm welcome to you...
Thank you for taking the time to consider whether the helping relationship that I can offer, is for you.
I do understand that reaching out and asking for help can be a daunting, unsettling prospect. Taking those first steps to find the right person to work with is a really courageous and important decision to make.
Us humans don’t have to struggle on our own, we were never meant to.
Me and my approach...
I am a naturally calm, empathic and whole-hearted individual that deeply cares about people from all backgrounds. When being with you, I am grounded in a humanistic, person-centred approach. I hold the belief that it is you, the client, that is the expert on their own life. You have the innate power within you to activate healing and growth. My offer to you is a safe environment that helps you to feel secure enough to build trust in the therapeutic relationship that we will create together. From this place of trust, your thoughts, feelings and emotions can be seen, heard and explored. I hope to always treat you with dignity and respect, listen to you without judgement and provide you with an empowering reflective space where we can work together on exploring whatever you choose to bring to a session. I will support you, as you arrive at your own understanding of what might be going on for you.
We will go at your pace, you matter!
My training in integrative counselling can provide opportunities to blend in other effective approaches that may suit your unique individual needs. Such as, an attachment-based approach that can facilitate exploration of your emotional connections within intimate relationships.
Informed by my years of counselling experience, ongoing professional and personal development, I continuously adapt my approach to ensure that I can work safely and competently with humans who's lives have been restricted/impacted by trauma, domestic violence and/or abuse.
I aim to be respectful, welcoming and attentive to cultural and diversity differences in our working relationship. These areas can form an important and necessary part of our explorations together.
However, I will remain open minded and curious as evidence suggests that the most important factor for successful counselling is the connection between us.
Services...
I can offer a free 30 minute conversation, for us to discuss if a psychotherapeutic relationship would meet your wants and needs at this time. Following this, our first session would focus on confidentiality and coming to an agreement for how we will work together.
I can offer face-to-face sessions from “The Therapy Quarters” counselling service in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Please see the following link to take a look at the counselling rooms and what you can expect when you arrive: https://thetherapyquarters.com/therapy-rooms/. There is disabled access to the service via a ramp on the ground floor and accessible toilet facilities.
I can offer you counselling sessions online and over the phone. You may feel that these ways of working together can provide you with flexible choices, further anonymity, comfort and privacy, without the pressure of physically travelling to the counselling service.
I will offer you an initial 6 sessions. At this point, we will then review our work together and discuss whether you are getting what you need from our counselling relationship. Our work can then be open ended, with regular reviews.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a fully qualified and accredited Psychotherapeutic counsellor registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). I completed my professional training in 2020. I achieved a BACP accredited Professional Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counselling (level 6) at Staffordshire University . I actively engage in ongoing professional development training to ensure my practice is safe, ethical and professional. I hold professional indemnity insurance and my work is supervised by two BACP approved supervisors.
I continue to work therapeutically across private, charitable and voluntary sectors with clients that have been affected by trauma, domestic violence and sexual abuse. I hold an extensive professional work history spanning 15 years in supporting vulnerable people therapeutically with their mental health and wellbeing recovery. Which has included social housing support, homelessness and mental health crisis services.
I have attained a Post Graduate (Level 7) Certificate in counselling and psychotherapy supervision (2025).
If you choose to contact me, I will be happy to answer any questions that might be surfacing from within you now. I can clarify, with you, any of the above information and provide you with a more in depth explanation if needed. I look forward to meeting you.
Client testimonials
"Steve gave me a safe and welcoming space where I learned how to view myself compassionately and without judgement. He was by my side every step of the way with care and concern for my experience. I gained a valuable understanding of myself and through this process am able to appreciate and like myself for the first time. I highly recommend Steve". - Emma
I initially didn’t think I needed counselling because I already had a strong support network around me, but I quickly realised I was wrong. Steve created a space where I could move at my own pace and focus on the things I genuinely needed to talk about, without ever feeling pressured. His approach helped me see my situation from perspectives I hadn’t considered before, something that no one else had been able to provide. He was always understanding and made himself available whenever I needed an extra session, which made a real difference. Overall, I felt truly supported and listened to throughout the whole process and I will be forever grateful for Steve's help. -Nat
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£55.00 - £65.00
Additional information
The session fee for counselling and psychotherapy is offered on a sliding scale from £55 to £65. Each session is for a duration of 50 minutes. You can choose a rate that best suits your financial circumstances.
The session fee for supervision is set at £60 for a duration of 60 minutes.
When I work
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Further information
If you feel that your mental health, pain and/or distress is of an urgent nature and/or you are in a crisis situation, please consider the following options:
Your GP.
You can now access mental health support through the NHS 111 service.
Mental Health Access Team: 24 hours, 03001230907 press option 1.
Mental Health Helpline: Open 7pm/2am weekdays, 2pm/2am weekends/Bank Holidays. Telephone: 08088002234.
Samaritans: 24 hours, call free on 116 123
SANE Call: 0300 304 7000. Providing emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness, including families, friends and carers (Helpline open 4.30pm-10.30pm)
Mindline Trans+ - Call: 0300 330 5468. Free confidential listening service for people identifying as trans or non-binary, and their friends and families.
Text SHOUT to 85258 in the UK to text with a trained Crisis Volunteer.
Papyrus – Call: 0800 068 4141. If you or a young person is having thoughts of suicide or are concerned for a young person who might be, you can contact HOPELINE UK for confidential support and practical advice
Visit https://hubofhope.co.uk/ for specialised helplines in your area if not mentioned above.
Finally, whatever you decide, I wish you a safe journey.
