Fiona Spencer
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This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
About me
I have over twenty years experience in providing psychological counselling in both primary healthcare and secondary mental healthcare, after having previously worked for two cancer charities. I currently work privately part-time with individual adults of any age, balanced with my own self-care, love of walking, the natural world, and my labrador dogs.
What can Counselling offer?
Are you struggling with low mood or anxiety, relationship issues, stress in your working or home life, illness, bereavement or threatened loss, or perhaps fearful of what is happening in our world? Counselling is available to help with these and many other problems.
We all need to find creative solutions to overcome disconnection and fear or actual loss. You may be looking for help to build your resilience to cope with life difficulties, or have problems that feel overwhelming. Being able to explore in the safety of a confidential counselling relationship can be helpful.
My approach
My approach to therapy will be tailored to your needs, and according to the time frame you wish to work within, be it focussed short-term counselling, or longer term personal development or support. Do check out my website to learn more about my practice, and resources about mental health.
How we would connect
Like many during the Covid-19 pandemic, I moved my practice to being all via phone or video link, using platforms such as Zoom, Whereby, or WhatsApp. Now I offer a choice of either face to face sessions from my practice in Dorking, or sessions by phone or video link. I find that all these means can be highly effective in allowing for successful therapy. For clients, virtual sessions give the convenience of avoiding the time and cost involved in travelling, and the flexibility of sessions from a distance. Others may prefer to meet in person, which is equally possible, subject to sensible precautions with regard to infection risks. I also offer some outside therapy - talking whilst walking - for those who are open to working that way.
I can offer flexibility of time availability on weekdays (daytime or evening), lengths of sessions (either 20 minutes or 50 minutes, priced accordingly), and frequency.
Training, qualifications & experience
My journey of training as a Counselling Psychologist spanned some 15 years in mid-life, and has involved the inter-weaving of training in counselling, counselling psychology and integrative psychotherapy. I draw from the insights I have gained through my own life experiences and from the many trainers and colleagues I have been fortunate enough to learn from.
Relevant qualifications
- MSc Psychological Counselling – Roehampton 1995
- Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy – Metanoia 2004
- Qualification in Counselling Psychology – British Psychological Society 2007
Registrations
- Bacp Senior Accredited Counsellor
- Hcpc Counselling Psychologist
- BPS Chartered Psychologist
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Member organisations
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
British Psychological Society
The HCPC are an independent, UK-wide health regulator. They set standards of professional training, performance and conduct for 16 professions.
They keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards, and they take action if registered health professionals fall below those standards. They were created by a piece of legislation called the Health Professions Order 2001.
Registration means that a health professional meets national standards for their professional training, performance and conduct.
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred).
Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision.
Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training.
All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Strengthening resilience; Post-traumatic growth; IVF/assisted conception; Life transitions; Adjustment to change; Life threatening illness;
Fees
£80.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
£80 per 50 minute session for self-funding clients, with some concessionary rates.
I am registered with health insurance providers for those that have such cover.
I offer a free initial 15 minute telephone consultation.
When I work
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I offer evening appointments Monday to Thursdays; and some daytime appointments, mostly mid to late afternoon, those same days.
Further information
Choosing a therapist is very personal; it is important that you feel able to connect with confidence and safety, and that the therapist has appropriate experience. Please do contact me by email or phone to discuss what you are looking for and whether I would be the right therapist for you. There is no charge for this.
