Meet the people behind The Counselling Foundation. If you’d like to be a part of the team, please visit our vacancy page and get in touch with us.
Emma Branch, CEO
“I am passionate about leading an organisation that is focused on personal growth. We make a difference through the education and training of people in skills they can use in their professional and personal lives in addition to the opportunities we provide our clients to explore their choices at times in their life which are proving challenging.”
Jo Spilling | Clinical Director
“I enjoy helping our counselling trainees work towards their goal of qualifying as a counsellor. Equally, I enjoy supporting our clients as they work towards understanding their inner emotional lives and improving their mental health.”
Becci Murtagh, Head of Marketing
“The thing I enjoy most about working for The Counselling Foundation is the rewarding feeling you receive, knowing that by getting our message out there, we can help people become aware of our service and access low cost, quality counselling.”
Stephen Anstee, Chief Finance Officer
A qualified accountant, Stephen’s wealth of experience includes periods in the accountancy profession and in a business financial advisory role, mainly supporting smaller and medium sized growing enterprises in their development plans.
Tracy McPhillips, Operations and Office Manager
“The Foundation gives me that balance where I feel I can be part of an extraordinary team of people that offer a valuable service to our community and can make a real difference to people lives and wellbeing.”
Mimie Hollist, Head of Training Operations
“We are in a unique position in the community. Being able to offer access to counselling as well as offer courses for those looking to train as counsellors or develop their listening/conversational skills and techniques is hugely rewarding.”
Jennine Carpenter, AQP Contract Manager
Jennine Carpenter initially joined the team in St Albans as an AQP Administrator in December 2015. A year later in November 2016 she was promoted to AQP Manager, and is now responsible for our submissions to the commissioner, contract negotiates and
co-ordinating the hub of AQP teams as well as our relationship with the many counsellors we now have across Hertsfordshire and the commissioning teams.
Judy Mallinson, Grant and Operations Manager
“We make counselling possible, whether it is giving people an enormous amount of choice for their GP referred counselling or putting long-term counselling within the reach of so many people.”
Nicky McDonald, Finance Manager
“I like the fact that what we do is valued and can improve the well being of people in the community. The Foundation helps people achieve a well balanced life and we help them manage and deal with the challenges they face.”
Henry Adeane, Senior Supervisor
“I have taken on the role at the Counselling Foundation of Senior Supervisor. I am very pleased to have been offered this position at a time when the Foundation is expanding and consolidating its success.”
Fiona Di Leo, Bedford Centre, Clinical Manager
“I relish the prospect of seeing students at the Bedford Centre develop and grow as practitioners whilst working to enhance and develop our services and initiatives within the local community.”
Christine Parsons, Stevenage Centre, Clinical Manager
“The thing I enjoy the most about the Foundation is being part of a highly motivated and skilled team of professionals who are focused on delivery of an excellent service. I believe, and have been told by our clients, that we provide a counselling service that is valued and appreciated by the local community.”
Helen Thomas, Luton Centre, Clinical Manager
Helen worked as our Bedfordshire Hub Manager since 2013 while training to be a counsellor. After studying our Foundation Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling, she went on to complete her advanced level training at Birkbeck College attaining her Masters in Psychotherapy and Counselling.
Helen Thomas takes on the role of Clinical Manager at Luton, having been interim Clinical Manager since September 2020.
Sue Adams, Broxbourne, Clinical Manager
“For me the biggest determinant of whether therapy is successful is based upon the quality of the relationship with a therapist. The Counselling Foundation has a wealth of warm, professional and non-judgmental counsellors who always work in their client’s best interests and I am thankful to now be leading a team of such people in Broxbourne.”
Sue Adams, completed her training at the Foundation up to Advanced Diploma level. As she was in placement at Broxbourne herself while in training, she is very familiar and understands the unique challenges and rewards of working at the Foundation and Broxbourne Centre. Sue possesses extensive commercial experience having managed her own businesses for many years and brings her strong skills in customer service and communication to this role.
Pam Firth, Foundation Certificate Programme Tutor
Valentina Krajnovic, Advanced Diploma Programme Tutor
Valentina joined The Counselling Foundation in October 2009, initially as a Training Supervisor and a later on as an Advanced Diploma Seminar and Programme Tutor.
Stuart Wilson, Diploma Programme Tutor
“It is encouraging to work with a committed team in the Foundation to provide students with a comprehensive and challenging training in psychodynamic counselling. Together with our students, we are dedicated to raise the standards of training and practice within the profession, and equip students to provide the professional service to those needing counselling.”