Fitmind
Welcome to Foyer Fitmind, the team responsible for providing counselling and a wide range of psychological services aimed at improving psychological awareness and skills among staff and clients at Aberdeen Foyer. Our team of practitioners includes registered professionals with HCPC, BPS, and BACP, ensuring that we provide services of the highest professional and ethical standards.
At Foyer Fitmind, we believe that by working closely with staff, we can create a safe, trauma-informed environment for all. We provide training, workshops, produce resources, and offer consultations to equip staff with the tools needed to create a culture of psychological safety within Aberdeen Foyer. This culture of support leads to improved outcomes for clients as staff members are better equipped to recognise clients' strengths.
We recognise the impact of trauma on individuals and communities and aim to respond in a sensitive and supportive way. Our team leads the trauma-informed journey at Aberdeen Foyer, providing foundation trainings to all staff and leading the assessment process.
Counselling
Aberdeen Foyer’s Psychology & Counselling Service offers specialised therapy experience, tailored to the needs of each client. Therapy is offered on an individual (1:1) basis, with weekly sessions that can take place either in-person or virtually (via phone or video). We aim to provide a safe and confidential space, in which clients can share openly and at their own pace.
Currently, our team includes therapists providing a wide range of therapeutic modalities, including; Person-Centred/Humanistic; Cognitive-Behavioural; Psychodynamic; Existential; Pluralistic; and Transactional Analysis.
Clients may spend a few months on the waiting list, before we are able to make initial contact. Following completion of an initial phone assessment, the service would then look to allocate the client a therapist to work with.
Please note: There are several factors which influence allocations, e.g. the client’s hopes/expectations of therapy, and the availability of both the client and our therapists. We do our utmost to accommodate the client’s needs and preferences, where possible.
We see clients with a wide range of presenting concerns/issues, including [but not limited to]; depression and low mood; stress and anxiety; relationship problems; bereavement; trauma or adverse childhood experiences; isolation and loneliness; underlying mental health conditions or neurodiversity; physical health problems; self harm or suicide thoughts or behaviours; low self-esteem or confidence; prison/criminal justice experience; and drug or alcohol recovery.
Looking to make a referral?
Our current funding enables us to accept referrals for Aberdeen City residents (age 16+, both young persons and adults), and Aberdeenshire residents (age 16-24, young persons only).
We can accept self-referrals, as well as referrals from professionals and loved ones. To submit a referral, please complete our online referral form here – Click to fill in a form online
If you have any urgent questions or require assistance in completing a referral, please email our team at Counselling@aberdeenfoyer.com We look forward to welcoming you into the service.
Gender, Sex, and Relationship Diversity (GSRD)
All members of our team are LGBTQIA+ friendly and aim to provide a trusting and non-judgmental service for anyone who identifies as gender, sex or relationship diverse. We welcome referrals from anyone who may need a safe space in which to explore their subjective experience, as it relates to their sex, gender or relationships with others.
Suicide Prevention
Suicide – Let’s talk about it.
About 1 in 20 people at any given time will experience thoughts of suicide. These may be experienced as passive, fleeting, persistent or active thoughts. Sometimes, the person will contemplate acting on their thoughts, or engage in suicidal behaviour. Although thoughts of suicide are very common, they can be distressing or cause a person to feel unsafe, and due to the stigma, many people struggle to talk about suicide. Please know that you do not need to suffer in silence, and help is available. If you have been in any way impacted by suicide, you can discuss this with your therapist at Aberdeen Foyer. Additionally, you may benefit from accessing crisis supports or self-help resources. We have shared a few examples below which may be beneficial to consider.
*Samaritans, Breathing Space and HopelineUK (Papyrus)
Psychological services
Foyer Fitmind focuses on improving client outcomes by providing psychological services to support the staff.
By providing trainings, workshops, producing resources and offering consultations, the team is able to provide staff members with the tools they need to create a culture of psychological safety within Aberdeen Foyer. This culture of support leads to improved outcomes for clients, as staff members are better equipped to work with clients in recognising their strengths.
The team also focuses on producing and rolling out resources and toolkits that are specifically tailored to the needs of our services.
Trauma-Informed Framework at Aberdeen Foyer
We recognise that trauma can have a significant impact on individuals and communities, and can manifest in a variety of ways, including physical, emotional, and mental health issues. Trauma -informed organisations are those that recognise the prevalence and impact of trauma and respond in a sensitive and supportive way.
Aberdeen Foyer is constantly evolving and adjusting its practices to make sure we are creating safe, supportive, non-judgmental environment to support our clients. This constant evolution result in better engagement from clients and higher chances of them retaining the positive outcomes. As part of that process we are also aiming in creating safe working environment that protects staff from burnout and compassion fatigue.
Our team leads the trauma informed journey at Aberdeen Foyer providing foundation trainings to all staff and leading the process of assessment.
Our Counselling service provide a safe, non-judgemental environment to enable you to explore issues which may be causing you distress. We will work with you on individual one to one sessions or a group therapy.
You can refer yourself to our Counselling service, or you can be referred to us by any professional you are working with.
Our counsellors can work with a wide range of concerns/issues including but not limited to; anxiety and stress; depression and low mood; low self-esteem or lack of confidence; self-harm, suicidal thoughts or behaviours; trauma and more.
Our counsellors will listen to your views and experience and will work with you to determine the best type of counselling for you.
What happens when I submit a referral?
Once you near the top of our waiting list, a member of the team will contact you to schedule an initial assessment. This is a chance for you to learn a bit about the service and ask questions you may have. Additionally, the staff member will aim to gain a brief understanding of your hopes/expectations for therapy. Following your assessment, the service will allocate you a Counsellor to start working with.