About Stephen
Stephen Padfield helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem and relationship concerns. He works with issues such as addiction, trauma, mood difficulties including depression and bipolar, ADHD and intimacy-related problems. He also supports people dealing with gender and sexuality questions, HIV/AIDS concerns, and challenges that come with ageing and end-of-life care.
Stephen uses straightforward, practical conversation to make room for what matters most to each person. He takes a pluralistic, person-focused approach that draws on a range of methods.
How Stephen works
Sessions are built around what a client needs that week, whether that is brief skills training, reflective conversation, or exploring life meaning. He trained to a postgraduate level and holds the NCPS credential, which appears after his name as NCPS. Stephen often uses cognitive behavioural techniques to help spot unhelpful thinking and try new behaviours.
He blends this with client-centred listening so people feel heard while they practise change. He also offers mindfulness exercises to help with overwhelming feelings and to build moment-to-moment coping. His style is calm and direct.
He aims to create a non-judgemental space where people can talk frankly about sexuality, kink, attachment issues and complex feelings such as guilt or shame. He explains ideas plainly and gives practical steps to try between sessions. Sessions are offered in English and delivered online by video, phone, live chat or text messages.
People start by completing a short matching questionnaire and then book sessions that suit their schedule.
Stephen lists 6 ways of working on the entry:
What Stephen works with
The areas below are the ones Stephen selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
Also listed
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Bipolar disorder
- Body image
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Coping with life changes
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Dissociation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Training and background
| Register | NCPS |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 5 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How Stephen blends approaches for online therapy
Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and understanding. The therapist offers an accepting space and follows the person’s lead to help them make sense of their experience and find their own solutions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions link together and introduces straightforward techniques to change unhelpful thinking and behaviour. This approach is useful for anxiety, low mood and stress.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Stephen will discuss options and adapt methods to fit a client’s aims and preferences. This is a collaborative process where the therapist and client agree which techniques to try and when to change course if something isn’t helpful.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging. Video is useful for a fuller conversation, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, and text or chat can suit short check-ins or ongoing support between meetings. These options give flexibility to fit therapy around work, family and travel.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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