Dianne Foy - Counselling

Hi – my name is Dianne Foy and I’m a person-centred therapist, working primarily with neurodivergent people. I am late-diagnosed autistic and also likely ADHD, albeit not formally diagnosed at this time. I have a postgraduate diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the University of Strathclyde and I previously undertook training in psychodynamic counselling.

My interest in becoming a counsellor initially came about as a result of having a positive experience of therapy myself and I first pursued counselling training as a way of equipping myself better to support colleagues and staff when I was a manager in a large public sector organisation.

During my training, between 2017 and 2020, I worked within counselling services in Paisley and Greenock which offered low and no-cost counselling to clients, where I gained a great deal of experience across a broad range of issues. I have had my own private practice since 2020, which over time has developed to specialise in working with neurodivergent people, with a high proportion of autistic, ADHD and AuDHD clients. Due to the intersectional nature of our identities, I have a lot of experience working in a supportive and affirming way with LGBTQIA+ clients and people with chronic illnesses and health conditions.

I bring experience from previous working and volunteering roles I have held. My experience working as a manager and as a Union representative in a large public sector organisation has informed my work supporting clients who are dealing with issues at work such as bullying and harassment or equalities issues such as reasonable adjustments for disabilities.

I have worked and volunteered in a variety of different organisations, including ones working with survivors of intimate partner abuse and sexual violence, working with vulnerable families and children, working with people with severe and enduring mental health conditions, working within communities with high levels of poverty and unemployment and working within communities disproportionately impacted by environmental and public health issues. I have served on a variety of third sector Boards and I currently sit on the Board of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, where I am a Disability Champion and aim to improve approaches to mental health, disability and neurodivergence more generally.