My name is Stephen McCabe and I am an enthusiastic ecotherapy practitioner who is inspired by mythology, tarot, Buddhism and person-centred principles.

I grew up in the working-class suburbs of Liverpool, England, and now live in rural Midlothian, Scotland. I adored wild animals as a child, who I would encounter in city parks amongst the broken glass and litter. However, I lost touch with my nature-connection in my adult life. When I was in my late 30’s, I tried my first mindfulness exercises in a local park and it changed my life: it was an awakening to my connection with everything. Little did I know I was practising ecotherapy! Ecotherapy is now at the centre of my therapeutic work, which also encompasses tarot, meditation guidance, counselling and storytelling.

I am a fully qualified person-centred counsellor and I am an Accredited Registrant with the National Counselling Society (UK). I have completed the ‘Ten Directions’ ecotherapy certificate run by the Tariki Trust; a year-long course informed by Buddhist psychology. I am proud to have now become one of the core tutors for this amazing training programme.

I am a professional storyteller and author of folktales, a trained meditation guide, ordained Zen Buddhist and I have read tarot for almost 20 years. All of these interests influence my work. (You can read/watch more about my work with storytelling and ecotherapy in my interview with the Naturally Balanced website here.)

I have run many ecotherapy groups and events in the Lothians, Scotland. I am proud to be the resident ecotherapist at Health All Round, a beautiful community health project based in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh. I have years of experience providing mental health support in counselling settings and I coordinated Scotland’s national LGBT Helpline for almost a decade.

I am fully PVG checked, insured and First Aid trained. Feel free to ask to see these documents or copies of my qualifications. I hope to meet you soon, either in-person or online!

(Below is a video from Tariki Trust’s 2021 online conference, ‘What is Ecotherapy?’ where I discuss my work.)