Stephen Mclaughlin, BACP

Stephen Mclaughlin is a psychotherapeutic counsellor who combines formal training with five years of private-practice experience to support people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship difficulties. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma and an Advanced Diploma in Transactional Analysis, a qualification in Person Centred Counselling Skills, and the BACP credential - qualifications that inform a reflective, relationship-focused way of working.

Stephen creates a compassionate, non-judgmental space where clients can explore difficult thoughts and feelings and begin to make sense of past experiences and present challenges. He works with people who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from their emotions, offering help with anxiety, anger, panic, low mood, and trauma-related reactions, as well as issues around identity and sexuality. His practice also addresses attachment and abandonment concerns, family and relationship problems, compulsive or impulsive behaviours, and recovery from self-harm.

Interested in the stories people tell about themselves, Stephen pays attention to the patterns that shape relationships and self-understanding. He collaborates with clients to uncover those patterns and to develop clearer ways of relating to others and to themselves, with a focus on practical change and greater emotional wellbeing.

Evidence-informed approaches for online support

Stephen draws on Transactional Analysis and person-centred counselling skills to guide online work. Transactional Analysis looks at repeated patterns in how people communicate and relate to others - by identifying those patterns clients can better understand relationship difficulties, attachment issues, and emotional responses that come from earlier experiences. Person-centred methods focus on empathetic, non-directive listening and creating a supportive space where people can explore feelings and build self-awareness; this approach often helps with low mood, self-esteem, and processing difficult emotions.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the process, and Stephen treats it as a collaborative effort. He works with each person to clarify goals, test what helps, and adapt techniques to suit individual needs and preferences, so the work evolves from a shared plan rather than a fixed format.

Online sessions by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging offer practical flexibility for busy lives and for those who find in-person meetings difficult. These formats make it easier to maintain regular contact, access support from home, and fit therapy into different routines while still working with a registered professional and an experienced therapist.