Richard Schafer, BACP

Richard Schafer helps people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, addictions, low self-esteem and the fallout from life changes. He also supports those dealing with relationship strain and issues such as abandonment, attachment concerns, control problems and isolation. Richard is named up front so readers know who they are reading about.

He brings 21 years of experience in talking therapies and holds BACP accreditation from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. His background includes long-term work as a clinical lead in therapeutic residential settings and many years in private practice. That mix shaped his practical, people-focused approach.

Richard uses an integrative way of working. He draws on psychodynamic ideas about how past experiences shape feelings, alongside Person Centred principles that prioritise an individual’s own goals and pace. This means sessions can look different depending on what someone needs at the time.

Sessions are straightforward and conversational. He listens for themes such as guilt, shame, impulsivity or feelings of emptiness, and helps people talk through patterns that cause distress. He also addresses practical problems like communication breakdowns, divorce and substance use concerns.

While grounded in those core models, Richard adapts his methods for each person. He aims to create a steady, respectful space where people can try out new ways of coping and make clearer choices. His practice is based in the United Kingdom and he offers work that suits varied life circumstances.

How Richard’s approaches work online

Richard commonly draws on psychodynamic ideas and Person Centred work. Psychodynamic thinking helps people notice how past relationships and early experiences affect current feelings and reactions. It can be useful for issues like attachment worries, emptiness or repeating relationship patterns.

Person Centred work focuses on the person’s own goals and pace. The counsellor offers active listening and practical reflection so someone can make clearer choices about communication, control issues or coping with life changes. These approaches can be used together to address addiction, guilt and shame, or impulsivity.

Choosing the right approach is part of the process. Richard aims to work collaboratively, listening first and then agreeing which methods to try. He adapts what happens in sessions to match a person’s needs, goals and preferences rather than using a single fixed method.

Online therapy makes those approaches accessible in different ways. Video calls recreate face-to-face conversation and allow fuller interaction. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can fit into a short break. Live chat or text-based messaging suit regular check-ins or moments when typing feels easier. Together these options offer flexibility to fit therapy around work, travel or family commitments.