Ben Stimpson (He/They/Them) is an integrative therapist, spiritual director, author, podcaster, and scholar of folklore and history. Originally hailing from North Wales, UK, he has lived much of his life in Ontario, Canada.

Ben’s academic and professional record is varied with focusses in social work, counselling, and the humanities. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies minoring in Classical, Medieval and Religious studies (University of Waterloo, 2023); a Diploma in Spiritual Psychotherapy (Transformational Arts College, 2019); and, a Diploma in Social Service Work (Humber College, 2007). He is professionally associated with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) as a Registered Member, working towards Accreditation.

One of Ben’s major interests is the intersection of storytelling and personal development, particularly the power of individual and communal narratives in our lives. Ben’s interest in folklore and spirituality collides with his other interests of fandom and geek culture in client’s therapy work. To discover more about this integrative approach, please visit the Counselling or Spiritual Direction pages.

Ben is the author of Ancestral Whispers: A Guide to Developing Ancestral Veneration Practices (Llewellyn, 2023), a guide for individuals to develop spiritual relationships with their ancestors. He is currently working on new projects to be delivered in 2025 with Crossed Crow Books.

Ben is the host of “Essence with Ben Stimpson” a weekly podcast where he interviews fellow authors and spiritual practitioners in the fields of NeoPaganism, Traditional Witchcraft, folklore, therapy, and the queer community. Essence is available both on Youtube and on major podcast hosting sites.

To support his professional and academic work, Ben has also developed a series of courses and classes on various topics connected to spirituality, folklore, history, and counselling. Ranging from the hour long ‘Introduction to Ancestral Veneration’ to the 20+ hour long “Introduction to British Folklore and Mythology.”

An internationally recognized speaker, Ben has presented at both virtual and in-person conferences and events in both Europe and North America on the topics of folklore, spirituality, queer identity, and counselling. In 2023, he delivered talks at the Salem Folklore and Witchcraft Festival; Queering Mental Health Conference; and the Ancestral Magic Summit. Ben has appeared on multiple podcasts and radio shows, to listen to his various interviews, please visit the Media page.