About Me
A thoughtful, grounded approach to counselling
I'm Steven Webster, a counsellor offering online individual and couples therapy. I work with people who may be experiencing anxiety, feeling stuck or disconnected, struggling in their relationships, or asking bigger questions about identity, meaning and the direction of their lives.
You don't need to arrive with a clear explanation of what's wrong or know exactly what you want from therapy. Sometimes the starting point is simply a feeling that something isn't right, or a sense that the way you've been living no longer fits who you are becoming.
My aim is to offer a space where you can explore these experiences openly, without judgement or pressure to find immediate answers. Together, we can begin to make sense of what's happening and consider what might help you move forwards.
My qualifications and professional commitments
I believe that choosing a counsellor should involve being able to understand their training, experience and professional responsibilities.
I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and I am committed to working in accordance with its Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions. This informs my responsibility to treat clients with respect, protect their privacy, work within the limits of my competence and approach the therapeutic relationship with care and integrity.
My professional training and development include:
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BA (Hons) in Counselling — providing an academic foundation for my counselling practice.
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Level 4 Diploma in Counselling — through which I developed practical counselling experience, including work with people affected by bereavement and terminal illness.
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Master's in Counselling and Psychotherapy — which I am currently undertaking, continuing to deepen my understanding of therapeutic practice and the experiences people bring to counselling.
I see professional development as an ongoing part of being a therapist. My practice is informed by reflection, continued learning and a commitment to taking the responsibilities of this work seriously.
You can find out more about the BACP Ethical Framework and the professional standards that guide its members.
My counselling experience
My experience includes supporting people through bereavement and terminal illness during my earlier counselling training, before moving into private practice.
These experiences brought me into contact with some of the most difficult and uncertain parts of being human: grief, loss, change and the challenge of finding a way to live when life no longer feels as it did before.
In private practice, my work has increasingly involved people experiencing existential concerns or asking fundamental questions about themselves and their lives. These might include questions of identity, meaning, purpose, belonging, choice and direction.
Sometimes these questions arise during a major life transition. At other times, they emerge when life appears to be going well from the outside, but feels unsettled or unfulfilling internally.
I don't see these experiences as problems that necessarily need a quick solution. They can be difficult to sit with, but they can also offer an opportunity to understand yourself more deeply and reconsider what matters to you.
Our
Story
My Approach
To Therapy
My approach is person-centred and informed by existential ideas.
A person-centred approach means that I place importance on understanding your experience from your perspective. Rather than assuming I know what is best for you, I aim to create a relationship in which you can speak honestly, explore difficult feelings and develop your own understanding of what is happening.
Existential ideas inform my interest in the questions that can arise as we navigate life: Who am I? What gives my life meaning? How do I live with uncertainty? What choices are available to me, and what do I want to do with them?
These questions can be particularly important during periods of change, when familiar ways of understanding yourself or your life no longer seem to work.
Our work isn't about finding a single correct answer to every question. It is about making space to explore what these questions mean to you, how they affect your everyday life, and what a more meaningful or authentic way forward might look like.
In couples therapy, I draw on emotionally focused ideas to help partners understand the patterns they become caught in, and the emotions and needs that can sit beneath conflict or disconnection.
Whatever brings you to therapy, I aim to approach our work with curiosity, respect and an openness to your individual experience.
My journey here
Before becoming a therapist, I worked as a language teacher and spent time living abroad. I also taught English to refugees and migrants.
These experiences shaped my interest in how we understand ourselves in relation to other people, the cultures we inhabit and the places we call home. They brought me into contact with the many ways people experience identity, belonging and the challenge of building a life in unfamiliar circumstances.
Living between cultures, adapting to new environments or finding yourself outside familiar roles can raise questions that aren't always easy to put into words. Who are we when the usual reference points change? How do we maintain a sense of ourselves whilst adapting to new surroundings? What does it mean to belong?
These are questions that continue to interest me, both personally and professionally. They also connect with my broader interest in the ways our circumstances and relationships shape how we understand ourselves.
My Current Research
Remote work, digital nomadism and identity
Alongside my clinical work, I am currently undertaking a Master's in Counselling and Psychotherapy. My research centres on the existential experience of being a digital nomad or remote worker.
Remote work and location-independent living can offer freedom, flexibility and new possibilities. They can also raise questions about identity, connection, stability, belonging and meaning.
What happens to our sense of self when our relationship with work, place and community changes? How do we create a sense of continuity when life is organised around movement, flexibility or working at a distance from others?
I am interested in exploring these experiences in greater depth, particularly the questions that can emerge when the freedom to shape our lives comes alongside uncertainty about where we belong or what gives our lives meaning.
This research reflects a wider interest in how people navigate the choices and uncertainties of contemporary life. It complements my interest in working with people who feel unsettled, are questioning their direction, or want to understand themselves more clearly.
A little more about working with me
Starting counselling can feel unfamiliar, particularly if you have never spoken to a counsellor before. You might be unsure whether your concerns are serious enough, whether you'll know what to say, or whether talking will make a difference.
You don't need to have everything worked out before getting in touch. We can begin with a conversation about what has brought you here, what you are finding difficult and what you hope might change.
I offer online individual therapy and couples therapy. You can find out more about each service via the links below.
If you'd like to explore whether working together might be right for you, you're welcome to get in touch.
