Dr. Stephen Bradley

Dr Stephen Bradley is a Clinical Psychologist working in a NHS mental health service for students with complex mental health needs. Stephen worked in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in Manchester before starting in his current role. Stephen has worked within psychology and mental health for almost 15 years and has experience working with children, adolescents, adults, people in later life, and people with intellectual and pervasive developmental disabilities. Prior to Clinical Psychology training, Stephen worked as Lead for a team of Behaviour Support Specialists working with young people with disabilities and behaviours that challenge. He was also an Adjunct Teaching Fellow in the School of Psychology at Trinity College Dublin.

Stephen obtained a BA (Hons) in Psychology from University College Dublin (UCD) and a MSc in Applied Psychology from Trinity College Dublin. Stephen completed his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Manchester. As a trainee Stephen worked on a feasibility trial for a brief Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) informed intervention for people who self-harm.

In his clinical work Stephen primarily works with clients using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT), Dialectic Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT). Stephen will draw on these therapeutic approaches to tailor an intervention to a person’s individual needs and their own manageable goals for change. This involves collaborative exploring the way a person thinks, feels and acts, and the events and relationships that underlie these experiences (often from childhood or earlier in life).

Day to day Stephen works with people who struggle with anxiety, depression, shame, self-criticism, self-harm/self-injury, difficulties with emotional regulation, low self-esteem, perfectionism, relationship difficulties, eating disorders, trauma (distressing events or experiences that can have an impact on a person’s ability to cope and function) and abuse amongst other issues.

Stephen is very aware that clients may feel nervous about coming to talk to someone they have never met before about their problems. This is natural and he will provide a safe and non-judgemental space in which clients are able to talk about what is troubling them at their own pace, irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, religion or other individual differences. Stephen’s approach has always been to identify and build on people’s strengths and resources whilst at the same time enabling them to creatively look at and overcome their problems

Stephen is originally from Ireland and moved to Manchester to train as a Clinical Psychologist.

Stephen is a registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (PYL040499).