Whitestone Therapy

Integrative Psychotherapy & Counselling

Steve Perkins - Consultant Psychotherapist & Clinical Supervisor

MBACP (Accred), CSAccred (AAC) | Author, Moral Singularity

I work with individuals facing a wide range of personal, professional and psychological difficulties, from periods of anxiety, stress or feeling stuck, through to more complex or longstanding difficulties that feel hard to work through alone. My approach is formulation-led integrative therapy, grounded in depth and practical understanding. I also work with couples on a limited basis.

People come to therapy for all sorts of reasons. Some are dealing with a specific issue or moment of crisis; others are trying to understand difficulties that have been playing out for years. You don’t need to have everything clearly defined before starting - therapy often begins with making sense of what’s going on.

From there, the work can take different forms depending on your situation. Some people come for a focused period around a particular issue; others choose longer-term therapy to understand things more deeply. I also work with clients who find themselves caught in patterns of conflict - whether internal, relational, or around questions of identity, values or direction.

Over time, I’ve found that my practice tends to centre on thoughtful, capable adults who experience relational insecurity, chronic self-doubt, or difficulties that feel resistant to change. I am particularly interested in entrenched relational patterns, attachment anxiety, obsessive or over-analytical styles, and the longer-term effects of early emotional separation, including boarding school experiences.

You may find it helpful to read my testimonials to get a sense of how others have experienced working with me.

How I Work

My approach is formulation-led: we work to understand how your particular pattern developed, how it sustains itself, and what maintains it now. In the room my style is warm and engaged. I won’t sit silently nodding while you do all the talking - we'll work through things together - actively and directly where needed.

I offer professional and confidential psychotherapy and counselling in Shoreham-by-Sea and surrounding areas in Sussex, with online therapy available for clients throughout the UK and abroad. In addition, I work as a clinical supervisor for other therapists.

My clinical approach is integrative, drawing on cognitive, relational and depth-oriented traditions. This allows us to focus either on lasting psychological change or on immediate practical challenges, depending on what you need.

Taken together, this approach helps clients make sense of longstanding difficulties that may have felt hard to change. It also supports people in making better use of the deeply courageous - and often painful - process of challenging themselves, facing fears, and tackling the most difficult situations in life.

I spent over twenty years working in finance, with experience leading large departments in high-pressure settings. I have also undertaken consultancy work advising organisations on leadership, decision-making and organisational dynamics. This experience means I understand something of the pressures and complexities many professionals face. My interest is in helping people come through difficult periods and move towards the life they want to lead.

I work with a limited number of clients at any one time in order to offer focused and consistent attention to the work.

My practice is grounded in clinical judgement rather than adherence to any single theoretical or ideological framework. I usually work with clients on a weekly or fortnightly basis, depending on the nature of the work and what is likely to be most helpful. Where therapy continues over time, sessions often become less frequent as things stabilise and resolve.

Professional Standing

I'm an experienced psychotherapist and clinical supervisor, an Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and Founder of the British College of Therapeutic Professionals (BCTP), an emerging professional initiative focused on pluralistic and ideologically non-prescriptive therapeutic practice.

Alongside my therapy work, I write about the conditions that support reflective, open-ended therapeutic practice, and how these can be sustained within contemporary professional and institutional settings. Read selected pieces →

Author of Moral Singularity: Life Inside Closed Moral Worlds and Why Moral Conversation Breaks Down.

Qualifications & Accreditations

BSc (Hons)
PGDip Integrative Counselling & Coaching (Dist)
MSc Psychotherapy (Dist)
CSAccred (AAC) – BPS Accredited Certificate in Supervision
MBACP (Accred) – Accredited Member, BACP

Working Together

About Therapy

Many of us function well on the surface. We manage work, relationships, responsibilities. Yet beneath this, there can be recurring patterns - self-doubt, relationships that follow the same painful script, anxiety that feels out of proportion, or a sense of being out of step with oneself.

Some people come in the midst of a clear crisis; others with patterns that have built slowly over time.

You may understand why things are the way they are, and still feel unable to change them. Insight alone does not always bring relief. The question is often not whether you understand what is happening, but why it continues.

Therapy can help when:

you find yourself repeating patterns you thought you had outgrown
you are tired of second-guessing yourself
anxiety or low mood interferes with work or relationships
you overthink, over-analyse, or find it hard to settle internally
you are facing a professional or personal turning point
earlier experiences continue to shape present reactions
you feel capable in many areas of life, yet stuck in one that matters

These kinds of difficulties often reflect patterns that have developed over time. Therapy provides space to examine those patterns carefully and begin to loosen their hold.

Over time, this can lead not only to new strategies, but to deeper changes in how you relate to yourself and others.

I offer a confidential and non-judgemental space in which you can speak freely. Some people arrive with a clear aim; others feel they have exhausted their options. Either is fine.

Therapy is not only about being heard. Where it is helpful, I will offer challenge - supporting you to move beyond familiar patterns and towards the place you want to be.

See the Issues section below for further information about the kinds of difficulties I commonly work with. See my FAQ section for common questions about therapy.

Meeting

Seeking help can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but it is often the first step in making sense of what has been difficult to change.

A consultation is a chance for us to talk and decide if working together would be helpful. If you're unsure whether therapy would be useful in your situation, you're very welcome to get in touch briefly by email and I can suggest consultation times. I will also try to answer any initial questions you may have.

If I believe I am not the best fit for you, or that a colleague may have specialist expertise that could help, then I will say so and make a referral if you would like.

I have a particular interest in working with OCD, attachment-related difficulties, and issues relating to boarding schools. I also work with senior professionals from my London practice, offering focused consultancy around leadership pressure, professional identity, and high-stakes decision making.

Locations

Shoreham-by-Sea

My main practice is based in central Shoreham-by-Sea, a short walk from the train station.

Face-to-face sessions take place from a spacious, bright and private consulting room with straightforward ground-floor access, just a few steps from the street outside.

Full address and arrival details are provided once an appointment has been arranged.

City of London

London sessions are available by arrangement in the City of London, close to Austin Friars and Lime Street.

Full venue details are provided once an appointment has been arranged.

Online

I also offer online therapy and supervision across the UK and overseas. Details found here.

Contact

Email: steve@whitestonetherapy.com

WhatsApp/Text: 07970 362579