Counsell was born in Birmingham in 1935, and was educated at Manchester Grammar School. He did service in the Royal Artillery in Hong Kong before matriculating at Pembroke College in 1956. In 1959 he went to Ripon Hall Theological College, and was made Deacon in 1961, and ordained Priest in 1962. Throughout his life he worked in a religious capacity in parts of Britain, Europe, South East Asia, and Africa. He went on to publish around 20 books later in his life, largely sermons, prayers, and poetry. He died in 2015.