Stephen Padfield, NCPS

Stephen Padfield is an NCPS counsellor in the United Kingdom with five years of experience. He works with adults on stress, anxiety, grief, self-esteem, relationship difficulties, addictions, trauma and codependency among other concerns. He also supports people facing issues such as gender dysphoria, intimacy-related worries and coping with life changes.

Stephen practises from a pluralistic stance, which means he draws on different approaches depending on the person and the problem. He uses client-centred work to listen to what matters most to the individual. He also uses cognitive behavioural techniques to look at thoughts and behaviours that keep problems going.

Mindfulness skills feature in his sessions as short, practical exercises you can use between meetings. He is interested in existential ideas too, so conversations can include how values, meaning and practical life choices connect to current struggles.

Sessions are conversational and focused on what the client wants to change or understand. Stephen aims to help people notice patterns - for example people-pleasing or difficulty saying no - and practise small, doable steps to shift those patterns.

He has worked with adults across life stages and on a wide range of issues including bereavement, sexuality and trauma. His MA in Psychotherapy informs how he combines approaches to suit each person. People who prefer a direct, practical style often find this helpful.

How Stephen blends approaches for online work