Dr. Stephen Bentley, LPCC

Dr. Stephen Bentley is a licensed professional clinical counselor with over 32 years of experience. He helps people who are coping with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma, ADHD, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, and many other life challenges. He practices in Kentucky and works with individuals who want steady, respectful support as they make changes.

He begins by building a working relationship that feels safe and respectful. His style is person-centered, so sessions focus on each person’s needs and goals rather than a one-size-fits-all plan. He emphasizes acceptance, sensitivity, and compassion and avoids stigmatizing labels.

Clinically he blends several approaches to meet practical needs. Cognitive behavioral techniques are used to identify unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. Attachment-informed ideas look at how relationships shape feelings and patterns. Mindfulness and emotionally focused ideas help people notice feelings and slow down reactivity.

Dr. Bentley has worked in hospitals, run groups, done crisis intervention, and spent many years supervising and directing a practice. That background informs his work with people facing complex or overlapping problems such as chronic illness, caregiver stress, abandonment issues, and co-occurring conditions.

If someone is juggling busy days or prefers remote options, he has used tele-health as a way to keep therapy practical. To begin, prospective clients follow the site’s start process to match and schedule a session according to the listed options and availability.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Dr. Bentley often uses cognitive behavioral techniques to help people notice thoughts that lead to unhelpful feelings and try practical behavior changes. CBT can be useful for anxiety, depression, addictions, and many day-to-day struggles.

He also draws on attachment-based ideas that look at how relationship patterns affect emotion and coping. This approach helps when intimacy, grief, abandonment, or caregiver stress are central concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapy process. He works collaboratively to identify which methods fit a person’s needs, goals, and preferences and adjusts as work progresses.

Tele-health has been part of his recent practice, and he has found it helps people fit therapy into busy schedules. Before booking, confirm which session options are currently offered. Online work can make it easier to have shorter check-ins, avoid travel time, schedule sessions around work or caregiving, and continue sessions during life transitions.