Physis Scotland
Tel: 07927 557217 Email: Physis Scotland FacebookTwitterLinkedIn

Meet the Physis Scotland Team

Meet the Physis Scotland Team

Training to be a counsellor or psychotherapist is all about relationships and the people you will learn with, so here’s an introduction to the Physis Scotland people you will get to know on your journey.

Fiona Firman - Partner and Foundation Year Core Tutor

Fiona Firman, PTSTA
Director of Training and Foundation Year Core Tutor

Working in partnership with Fiona Cook, Fiona has overall charge of the ongoing Physis Scotland Counselling and Psychotherapy training programme, its syllabus and accreditation with UKATA, UKCP and COSCA. She also has overall charge of the ongoing Physis Scotland Diploma in Counselling Supervision Programme, its syllabus and validation with COSCA and Advanced Specialist Recognition with the National Counselling Society. In addition, Fiona plans the annual calendar and CPD workshops.

Fiona co-teaches on the Foundation Year programme and liaises with all other trainers involved in delivery of the courses offered at Physis Scotland.  She is the contact point for all trainees currently attending the programme.

Fiona has a busy full-time psychotherapy practice in central Edinburgh where she works with individuals and couples, as well as being a qualified supervisor and trainer. She is an accredited COSCA Diploma trainer. Fiona is passionate about teaching TA and supporting people’s growth and development on a personal and professional basis through the use of TA.

Fiona has extensive experience in working with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse within the voluntary & statutory sectors, as well as in her private practice. She also has a special interest in working with clients who have a Borderline process, &/or a formal diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder.

Chrysallis Counselling & Psychotherapy

Fiona Cook – Partner and Foundation Year Core Tutor

Fiona Cook, PTSTA
Director of Training and Foundation Year Core Tutor

Working in partnership with Fiona Firman, Fiona has overall charge of the ongoing Physis Scotland Counselling and Psychotherapy training programme, its syllabus and accreditation with UKATA, UKCP and COSCA. She also has overall charge of the ongoing Physis Scotland Diploma in Counselling Supervision Programme, its syllabus and validation with COSCA and Advanced Specialist Recognition with the National Counselling Society. In addition, Fiona plans the annual calendar and CPD workshops.

Fiona co-teaches on the Foundation Year programme and liaises with all other trainers involved in delivery of the courses offered at Physis Scotland. She is the contact point for all trainees currently attending the training programme.

Fiona is a Certified Transactional Analyst and UKCP Registered Psychotherapist and has a small private practice in Edinburgh. She is also a qualified supervisor and COSCA accredited Diploma trainer.

Fiona has a background in the NHS as a Registered Nurse Teacher and Facilitator and has owned a successful freelance practice development consultancy business (smallchangeBIGDIFFERENCE).

Fiona is passionate about TA and having a TA presence in Scotland and uses her knowledge and experience in all aspects of her work with clients as a facilitator of personal change, transformation and enhanced autonomy.

Olivia Burroughs - Programme Manager

Olivia Burroughs, Programme Manager

Olivia runs a Marketing and Admin Assistance business in Kent which was established in 2020. She supports Physis Scotland in all aspects of the day to day running as well as assisting in developing processes in the business. Olivia enjoys working with small organisations, supporting their growth and development.

Olivia has a passion for Art and an obsession with her Goldendoodle Nala.

Dee Gillespie, Programme and Quality Assurance Advisor

Dee Gillespie, Programme and Quality Assurance Advisor

Dee is a TA Counsellor in private practice in Edinburgh.  She has considerable background experience in training programme administration and management, and has been involved with the TA training programme in Scotland since 2008.  Dee provides a variety of support for Physis Scotland, including policy development, the development of Physis publications and general programme support.

Tutors

Ben Groves - Foundation Year Core Tutor

Ben Groves, CTA (P)
Foundation Year Core Tutor

Ben is a qualified psychotherapist based in York.  Having previously worked as a social worker for over 10 years, Ben started his private practice ‘Flux Therapy’ in 2019.

In addition to offering psychotherapy and training, Ben also offers supervision and consultancy. Ben has a deep passion for working with and helping people in the most effective ways he can.

Ellaine Sweeting - Advanced Year 1 Core Tutor

Ellaine Sweeting, PTSTA (P)
Advanced Year 1 Core Tutor

Ellaine is a Certified Transactional Analyst, UKCP registered psychotherapist and qualified supervisor and trainer based in Surrey. She is working towards her PhD, researching how the education and examination of Transactional Analysis psychotherapists is impacted by videoconferencing.

In her private practice, Ellaine works with clients and supervisees worldwide. She has a particular interest in weight and food-related issues and has worked with many clients in this area.

In her work, Ellaine’s philosophy is to facilitate and support her clients, supervisees and trainees to understand and celebrate themselves at each stage of their journey towards fulfilment in all aspects of their lives.

Ellaine is Core Tutor to our Advanced Year 1 students.

 

Norma Mckinnon Fathi - Advanced Year 2 Core Tutor

Norma Mckinnon Fathi, PTSTA (P)
Advanced Year 2 Core Tutor

Norma is a UKCP Registered Psychotherapist, qualified supervisor, trainer and qualified Community Worker. For a number of years, she managed clinical services at a national charity. Norma is a Cofounder and Director of an organization that provides counselling services to Refugees and has authored work in several publications focussing on her clinical work with this group.  She works in Private Practice as a Psychotherapist and Supervisor. Norma is the Academic Director on an Integrative Counselling Diploma.

Norma is Core Tutor to our Advanced Year 2 students.

Helen Rowland - Advanced Year 3 Core Tutor, Exam Preparation Group Tutor and Visiting Tutor

Helen Rowland, TSTA (P)
Advanced Year 3 Core Tutor, Exam Preparation Group Tutor, Reading Group Facilitator and Visiting Tutor

Helen is a TA psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer based in Innerleithen in the Borders.

Helen has been practising since 1997 and she has a special interest in cross modality and contemporary forms of psychotherapy and counselling that focus on the use of self and the therapeutic relationship. She has been practising online since 2018, offering supervision, training, and CPD in large and small groups online.

Helen is also a coeditor of the Transactional Analysis Journal.

Helen is Core Tutor to our Advanced Year 3 students, Exam Preparation Group Tutor and Visiting Tutor to our Advanced clinical year groups, along with facilitating the student reading group  at Physis Scotland.

Helen Rowland

Ronen Stilman - Extended Training Group Tutor

Ronen Stilman, TSTA (P)
Extended Training Group Tutor and Certificate in Somatic Transactional Analysis Tutor

Ronen TSTA(P) MSc (TA psychotherapy) is a UKCP and COSCA registered psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer, working with individuals, couples and practitioners in his Edinburgh centre practice and in Cyberspace. He has a keen interest in Humans and how they relate and identify in the context of culture, politics and society, integrating his background in technology and organisational change.

Ronen is the Extended Training Group tutor and Certificate in Somatic Transactional Analysis tutor at Physis Scotland.

Ronen Stilman

Nicky Worrall - Diploma in Counselling Supervision Tutor

Nicky Worrall, TSTA (P)
Diploma in Counselling Supervision Tutor

Nicky is a UKCP registered psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer.

Nicky has been in practice since 2004 and has a special interest in supervision.  She has a private practice based in Winchester working with clients and supervises and is a Foundation Year Tutor at Peter Symonds College. She is also a member of the UKATA Ethics Committee.

Nicky is the Tutor for the Physis Scotland Diploma in Counselling Supervision.

Nicky Worrall Counselling

Vanessa Williams - Diploma in UndersTAnding Organisations Tutor

Vanessa Williams, PTSTA (O)
Diploma in UndersTAnding Organisations Tutor

Vanessa is a qualified TA practitioner (CTA), teacher and supervisor (PTSTA) in Organisational TA.  She has a passion for enabling others develop and achieve their full potential.  She teaches Organisational TA and supports students along their journey towards the professional exams.   Vanessa also holds an MBA and is a fellow member of the CIPD.

Alongside teaching Organisational TA, Vanessa is an organisation development consultant and executive coach.  She specialises in leadership and practitioner development (HRBP, OD, Consultancy, Facilitation and Coaching) as well as soft skills training.  She is also an associate trainer with Henley Business School and Roffey Park Management School.

Marguerite Sacco - Diploma in UndersTAnding Organisations Tutor

Marguerite Sacco, PTSTA (O)
Diploma in UndersTAnding Organisations Tutor

Marguerite is a qualified TA practitioner (CTA), teacher and supervisor (PTSTA) in Organisational TA with over 20 years’ experience in organisational development.  Marguerite has collaborated across various sectors, including government institutions, the South African Air Force, universities, schools, finance, manufacturing, and the service industry.  She has a passion for leading group sessions, fostering meaningful exchanges and facilitating learning.

Marguerite is the Vice President of the South African Transactional Analysis Association and the President-Elect of the International Transactional Analysis Association.  She is a board member of a NPO working among victims of poverty and violent crime in the townships of South Africa.

Bev Gibbons - Certificate in Group Work Tutor

Bev Gibbons, TSTA (P)
Certificate in Group Work Tutor

Bev is a TSTA (P) and has a BA Hons in integrative counselling.  She works as a trainer, supervisor and therapist in private practice.

Bev is the Certificate in Group Work Tutor at Physis Scotland.

Bev is passionate about getting TA ‘out there’ so that as many people as possible are aware of it and can have the opportunity to experience themselves positively through its great potential to transform. She is committed to working and developing work across all 4 TA fields, and to continuing to explore and experience the potential in relational, co-created processes.

Shoreline Training

Visiting Tutors

Andy Williams - Visiting Tutor

Andy Williams, TSTA (P)
Visiting Tutor

Andy has been working therapeutically since 1999 and has a psychotherapy and supervision practice  in Leeds, West Yorkshire. He has a passion for delivering training and workshops and has been a key speaker at several Physis “All Together Days”. Andy has a great interest in Eco-TA and taking his practice outdoors. His research interests include the supervisee’s experience of supervision, Eco-TA and the management of risk in private practice.

Andy is a Visiting Tutor with the Advanced Year 3 clinical year at Physis Scotland.

Jennie Miller - Visiting Tutor

Jennie Miller, PTSTA (P)
Visiting Tutor

Jennie Miller is a TA Psychotherapist based in Edinburgh, Scotland. In her private practice she sees individuals and couples, as well as being a qualified supervisor and trainer. With many years of experience in working with couples Jennie has also delivered training in her model The Key to Couple Work, a short-term dynamic programme of therapy with any two people in a relationship; this has included working with the MOD and their Welfare Officers.

A published author of “Boundaries, Say No Without Guilt”, Harper Collins, a self-help book on all aspects of boundaries based on TA as well as many articles in the popular press including the Times, Guardian, Telegraph and magazines. Jennie also enjoys therapeutic story telling which is included in her training as well as a one-day course in how to use this ancient art.

Jennie is a Visiting Tutor with the Advanced Year 2 clinical year at Physis Scotland.

Jennie Miller Counselling

 

Student Support

Mary O'Neill - Academic Student Support Advisor

Mary O’Neill, PhD, MSc (TA Counselling)
Academic Student Support Advisor

Mary O’Neill works in private practise in East Lothian; she has a UKATA Diploma in TA counselling (2006) and a Masters in TA Counselling from Queen Margaret University (2015). Her areas of counselling and research interest are in working with clients who’ve experienced a hostile and stressful work environment. She is also an EMDR accredited practitioner.

Prior to her career as a counsellor, Mary worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the universities of Leeds and Edinburgh in the field of molecular biology and genetics.  Since 2004, she has taught Physiology and Human Biology at Edinburgh college and uses her knowledge of biology to inform her work with clients who have experienced trauma.

 

Nea Clark - Learning Student Support Advisor

Nea Clark, PTSTA (P)
Learning Student Support Advisor

Nea Clark is a Psychotherapist (MSc), Supervisor, Trainer, Coach and NLP practitioner based in Leeds. Nea works with adults and specialises in neurodiversity. Most of Nea’s clients and supervisees are diagnosed with ADHD or other neurodivergent conditions. Nea works with individuals, couples and groups, supporting them to understand and embrace their personal wiring, so they can effectively minimize stress and maximize well-being.

Nea is neurodivergent herself with dyslexia and ADHD, and is also a mother of a teenager who has dyslexia and ADHD.

Nea enjoys empowering neurodivergent clients and trainees to discover their own potential. She is particularly interested in supporting her clients and trainees to become more aware of what drains them and how they can soothe themselves, learning to manage their emotions and unlock brain capacity.

 

 

Lisa Cherry-Byrnes - Placement Support Advisor

Lisa Cherry-Byrnes, Diploma in Counselling using TA
Placement Advisor

Lisa is a TA psychotherapeutic counsellor working in private practice in Edinburgh and Midlothian, she has been seeing clients since 2013. Lisa also holds her Diploma in Counselling Supervision and values and continues to grow through this co-created space of supporting other counsellors in this way.

Lisa works with Physis Scotland as the Placement Advisor to our students. She is committed to building solid working relationships with placement providers as well as working with trainees to assist at any stage of their placement journey; be it the first questions around placement, to the process of C.V. and supporting document writing and application form filling right up to queries in current placement and the 2nd placement search.

Over the last couple of years, Lisa has enjoyed the opportunity of supporting pre supervision groups of Physis TA trainees to prepare for their first placements and hopes to do so again. In addition, Lisa has taken on a few other pieces of work such as assisting with essay marking and offering observer feedback to Foundation Year students as a part of skills practice.

Sheila Beare - Physis Scotland Alumni Community

Sheila Beare, PTSTA (P)
Physis Scotland Alumni Community

Sheila is an experienced Transactional Analysis UKCP registered psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer, working with individuals, groups and organisations. She has a thriving full-time practice based in Markinch, Fife which she has developed since 2003. Sheila is a COSCA accredited Diploma and Counselling Skills trainer. Her philosophy of training is to bring what we read on the page to life.

Sheila helped develop the Physis Scotland Alumni community and continues working with this group to enable an ongoing connectedness for former students.

Administration

Fiona Melvin-Farr, Marketing Strategy

Fiona Melvin-Farr
Marketing Strategy

Fiona Melvin-Farr a marketing consultant and CIM accredited Chartered Marketeer, has been working with Physis Scotland since launch, advising, developing and implementing the marketing strategy, branding and communications.

Fiona established her marketing consultancy in 2001 and works closely with clients to support their development, across a range of sectors including professional services, health, not-for-profit and hospitality.  She has served as a Board Member for a number of organisations including a housing charity.

fiona melvin-farr consulting

Agnieszka Carruthers, Social Media

Agnieszka Carruthers
Social Media

Agnieszka is a BACP registered counsellor working online in private practice in Cumbria. Agnieszka holds a Diploma in Transactional Analysis and a Masters in Pedagogy. Her areas of particular interest are transgenerational trauma, Eco TA and neurodivergence, specifically ADHD.

She supports Physis Scotland by creating social media content and engaging with the public. Agnieszka is passionate about helping raise awareness of TA and promoting Physis Scotland through social media platforms.

Agnieszka has a passion for art and enjoys the benefits of being outdoors.

Please click here to book an event, or get in touch if you would like more information about our Training and CPD workshops.