Steve Gray

Working Days: Monday to Wednesday 

If you are only available outside my usual working hours, please contact me to discuss your availability. Where possible, I will do my best to accommodate you.

Choosing a counsellor can feel like a big step. With so many counsellors to choose from, it can be difficult to know who might be right for you. I hope this gives you a sense of who I am and how I work.

Perhaps life feels difficult at the moment. You may be feeling overwhelmed, lonely or disconnected, going through change, or unsure where you are heading. You might have thoughts or feelings that are difficult to carry alone, or want space to understand yourself better.

If you are a counselling student looking for personal therapy as part of your training, I welcome the opportunity to work with trainee counsellors. As a former tutor on the MSc Counselling Psychology programme at Keele University, I supported many students through their training and understand some of the particular experiences and challenges that can arise.

I offer person-centred counselling in a warm, quiet and supportive space where you can slow down, feel heard and explore what is happening for you. I work alongside you with empathy, acceptance and genuine understanding, helping you make sense of your experiences and consider how you might move forward.

I work with adults experiencing a wide range of life's challenges, with particular experience supporting people through bereavement, grief and loss, including significant life changes. I am also interested in the deeper questions that can arise in life about who we are, what matters to us, where we are heading and what gives our lives meaning.

Alongside counselling, I bring over 20 years' experience in the voluntary sector and higher education, including almost 10 years working in a hospice setting supporting people through bereavement and end-of-life care.

Counselling can give you the opportunity to step back, explore what is happening in your life, and gain greater clarity and self-understanding.

My work is grounded in the person-centred tradition developed by Carl Rogers. I believe that the therapeutic relationship itself can provide the conditions for growth, healing, and greater self-understanding.

 I aim to create a confidential, accepting, and non-judgemental environment where you feel heard and respected. Together, we can explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences at a pace that feels right for you, helping you make sense of your life and discover your own direction.  

Choosing a counsellor is an important decision. Before committing to counselling, I offer a free telephone 15-minute consultation this is an opportunity for us to introduce ourselves, for you to ask any questions about counselling or how I work, and for us to discuss whether I may be the right counsellor for you.  If you decide you'd like to go ahead, we can then arrange an initial session.

If you decide to proceed, the first counselling session is an opportunity for us to begin getting to know one another in more depth and to explore what has brought you to counselling. We will discuss what you hope to gain from the process, any questions or concerns you may have, and the practical aspects of working together, including the counselling agreement.

There is no pressure to share more than you feel comfortable with. You are welcome to take things at your own pace, and counselling can develop in a way that feels right for you. 

Fees

Initial telephone consultation (15 minutes): Free

Counselling session (50-minutes): £50

Trainee counsellors: (50-minutes) £40