Making therapy more accessible by design
Affordable Counselling in Chesterfield
Spire Therapy CIC is a community interest organisation providing affordable counselling in Chesterfield. We work with local partners to make high-quality therapy more accessible, while supporting clients, trainee counsellors and the wider community.
Mental health support and counselling placement opportunities in Chesterfield
If you've never had therapy before, you're not alone, and this is a great place to start.Too many people in Chesterfield feel caught between long NHS waiting lists and private therapy that costs £50–£80 per session. Others simply don't feel therapy is "for them"—whether they don't know what to expect, can't afford it, or don't feel comfortable in a traditional clinical setting.
Qualifying as a counsellor means clocking up supervised hours with real clients, and placements are hard to come by nationally. That lack is one of the biggest things slowing trainees down. If you live in Chesterfield or are not too far, this might interest you.
None of that should stop you getting the support you deserve.
Background
Between March and July 2026, our founding Director Rob Knight-Strong set up a pilot project with Chesterfield FC Community Trust to explore opportunities for creating affordable therapy programmes within a trusted community space. Over 5 months, the project delivered:
35+
hours of 1-to-1 counselling
7
clients supported
2
clients met their therapy goals
15+
enquiries for therapy
Affordable Counselling Services
Spire Therapy CIC offers low-and no-cost, one-to-one counselling, provided by practicing students.No jargon, no lying on a couch, no being told what's "wrong" with you.Just a private, one-to-one, face-to-face conversation with someone trained to listen properly and help you work through whatever's going on.
• Who it's for: Anyone connected to Chesterfield FC Community Trust or Chesterfield FC, including players, staff, volunteers, supporters, and those participating in the club's many community programmes.
• Who this is NOT for: Anyone in crisis and is considering immediate harm to themselves or others. Please use the Mental Health Support information at the bottom of this page.
• Location: The Hub, SMH Group Stadium, Sheffield Road, Chesterfield, S41 8NZ
Everyone's different, so we don't stick to one rigid method. We draw on three proven approaches and use whatever mix actually helps you.
You don't need to know which of these you need. That's our job. You just need to show up and be open to the process of therapy.
"Rob has helped me with various issues, but the most important thing is he's given me self-belief and the toolkit to believe in myself, using different exercises and diagrams. It's all been very helpful!"
• Pricing: £25 per 60min sessionConcessions are available for those in receipt of an approved government benefit, or if you are participating in one of the Community Trust's programmes.
Employees of the Trust also benefit from concessionary rates.
Meet Our Counsellors
These are the trainee therapists you'll meet at Spire Therapy CIC in Chesterfield.We believe it's important to know who's supporting you before your first session.All counselling is provided under professional clinical supervision and follows the ethical standards of the BACP.
Ingrid is currently completing an MSc in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Derby and is a BACP student member. Under supervised clinical placement, she supports adults experiencing anxiety, depression, bereavement, relationship difficulties and perinatal mental health, using an approach tailored to each individual.Before training as a therapist, Ingrid spent over a decade working across education, psychology and community support. Holding a MSc in Educational Psychology, she has worked as a teacher, support worker and Positive Discipline educator, and also volunteers with the PANDAS Foundation, supporting parents experiencing perinatal mental health difficulties.Drawing on person-centred, attachment-informed and cognitive behavioural approaches, Ingrid believes therapy should be compassionate, collaborative and accessible. She is passionate about breaking down barriers to mental health support while helping create opportunities for the next generation of counsellors.
Meet Our Directors
Lauren brings more than 15 years’ experience in executive support, business administration and organisational effectiveness, having worked closely with company boards, committees, management teams and senior leaders across a wide range of sectors.She has also built and grown her own award-winning Virtual Assistant business, supporting organisations to strengthen their day-to-day operations, improve ways of working and create more effective systems and processes.As a Director of Spire CIC, Lauren brings strong organisational and operational expertise, alongside first-hand experience of running a small business. She is passionate about creating the foundations that enable people and organisations to flourish, and about making sure good ideas are supported by practical, effective ways of turning them into action.
Rob founded Spire Therapy CIC to help make therapy, and the opportunity to become a therapist, more accessible.He brings a unique mix of integrative psychotherapeutic training and senior leadership experience.Before retraining as a therapist, Rob spent almost 20 years in senior public-sector roles and qualified as both a chartered accountant and executive coach.Today, he is completing an MSc in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Derby and is a BACP student member.Rob designed and ran the pilot that became Spire. It showed him first-hand how easily cost can determine who gets access to therapy and who can afford to train as therapists.His ambition for Spire is to build a professional, financially sustainable organisation that destigmatises therapy and makes it more accessible; whilst creating a lasting asset for the local community.
Could this be you?
We are looking for a voluntary Clinical Director to shape and support our mission.
Counselling Placements in Chesterfield
Spire Therapy CIC gives you a genuine alternative:
Let's get started
Complete our enquiry form - we'd love to hear from you.
We aim to respond within 2 working days.
Please don't use this form if you are in crisis. If you need urgent support,
call 999, or NHS 111 (Option 2)
All therapy takes place in-person at:
The Hub, SMH Group Stadium, Sheffield Road, Chesterfield, S41 8NZ
Can you support us?
For placement enquiries, partnership discussions and opportunities to support us:Email: [email protected]Phone: 07533 871962
Mental Health Support
Chesterfield Safe Haven – Evening crisis support (4:30pm–12:30am) -
01246 949410.
Shout – Text SHOUT to 85258 (24/7)
Mind - 0300 123 3393 | mind.org.uk
NHS 111 - Crisis teamIf you are in immediate danger,
call 999 or attend your nearest A&E department.
Spire Therapy Community Interest Company registered at Companies House (17314606)
Registered address: 106 Lansdowne Road, Brimington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S43 1AY
Spire Therapy CIC licenses its materials and processes from the Selrok Therapy Network