Stephen Matthews, BACP

Stephen Matthews is a UK-based counsellor with three years of professional experience, offering focused support for people facing stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, grief, and depression. A member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) - a recognised professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists in the United Kingdom - he combines formal credentialing with practical experience gained both in clinical roles and voluntary bereavement work.

He volunteers as a counsellor at a bereavement service, where he supports individuals through loss and other deeply personal challenges. His practice also includes work with neurodiverse clients, including those with ADHD and autism, and he has supported people who report feeling heard and understood when discussing their experiences.

Stephen’s main therapeutic approach is person-centred therapy, which prioritises the client’s perspective and personal goals. He complements this with a range of evidence-based techniques and practical tools tailored to each person’s needs, drawing on strategies suited to reducing distress and improving day-to-day functioning. His style emphasises an open, nonjudgmental environment and a collaborative partnership aimed at increasing autonomy and resilience, with the option to step away from therapy when clients feel ready and return if needed.

Person-centred and evidence-based approaches for online therapy

Stephen primarily works from a person-centred framework, which places the client’s experience at the heart of therapy and focuses on understanding thoughts and feelings from the client’s point of view. This approach is well suited to people seeking a supportive, empathetic space to explore personal challenges such as relationship difficulties, grief, or low mood.

Alongside person-centred work, Stephen integrates evidence-based techniques and practical skills tailored to the presenting issue. These tools are applied flexibly to help with stress, anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, and coping strategies, aiming to build day-to-day resilience and clearer coping plans.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the process, and Stephen supports clients in a collaborative way to identify methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences. He will work together with each person to try approaches and adjust them as progress is made.

Online therapy offers practical benefits including flexible scheduling and easier access to regular sessions by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it simpler to fit therapy into busy lives and to maintain continuity of care when in-person meetings are difficult, while allowing therapists and clients to focus on meaningful, goal-oriented work.