The Full Circle Program is our way of exemplifying one of The Design Your Life Centre’s core values: making high quality psychological services accessible to as many people as possible. Being able to do this while also contributing to the training and development of those wanting to serve others in their journey to design their lives is an added bonus. Why? Because when more people have the opportunity to become their best selves, we all benefit.
Here’s how it works: The therapist in training gives their services under the supervision of one of our senior clinicians. The client receives the benefits of two trained clinicians for a minimal cost of $25/hr. Although receiving needed services. the client also gives the clinician the opportunity to further hone their skills, thus completing the circle of giving.
Fiona Smith
Fiona is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), completing her clinical placement at The Design Your Life Centre. She brings a warm and grounded approach to her work, with a commitment to creating a space where clients feel safe enough to explore their challenges and work collaboratively towards meaningful change.
Before training as a psychotherapist, Fiona spent her career in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector, working in senior management and leadership roles and holds an MBA from the University of California at Berkeley. Her 15 years working with individuals as a supervisor taught her that trust is the foundation of meaningful change — that when people feel genuinely partnered with and believed in, they are able to be more honest and authentic, and real growth follows. Fiona’s experience in leadership has also given her an understanding of the pressures that professionals and high achievers can face, including burnout, stress, and the challenge of balancing competing priorities.
Fiona also worked with the Distress Centres of Greater Toronto as a volunteer, where she supported clients facing anxiety, depression, chronic pain, terminal illness, grief, and social isolation.
Fiona is committed to culturally responsive practice and brings genuine curiosity about the role of race, culture, and identity in her clients’ lives. In her prior career she served on her organization’s first diversity, equity and inclusion committee, where her work included introducing conversations about race, identity, and impacts of bias. In the therapy room, she remains aware of the limits of her own perspective and experience and aims to create space where each client feels able to explore the full complexity of their identity.
Fiona’s approach is rooted in humanistic and person-centred principles, complemented by training in evidence-based practices including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. She supports individuals with a range of challenges, including anxiety, life transitions, grief and loss, relational difficulties, burnout, and perfectionism.
Fiona aims to help clients develop a more compassionate understanding of themselves and their experiences, reconnect with their strengths, and move toward a life that reflects their authentic self and deepest values.
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Full Circle Program FAQs
Why is there a fee for service if the clients you want to serve have limited means to pay?
Believe it or not, paying something for services leads to better outcomes. It is a meaningful exchange which increases the client’s perceived value of the services and their motivation to do the work.
How does the therapist’s supervision work?
The therapist in training meets a minimum of once/week with Dr. Thomas for supervision. At that time, the student therapist will review their notes from the sessions with each client with Dr. Thomas and Dr. Thomas will provide feedback and guidance as needed. Audio recordings of the sessions will also be shared with Dr. Thomas for her to review as needed on a case by case basis. Therefore, all clients involved in the program will also need to consent to having their sessions audio recorded. These recordings will be kept confidential and shared only with Dr. Thomas.
In some cases, some clients might be asked to allow the therapist to share a recording of their session with course colleagues and professors within his/her training program if required to provide recordings of sessions to fulfill course requirements. The purpose of the recordings are to evaluate the therapist’s skill level in delivering services not an evaluation of the client. Please note however, that the sharing of recordings with course colleagues and professors is not a requirement of participation in this program and there is no pressure at all to comply with this request.
How can I be assured that my concerns will be addressed if I am being treated by a therapist who is still in training?
There is no one who is more motivated and focused on your case than someone who is training to become an excellent therapist. They are not only super keen (which means that they are likely to read more, think more, and work harder to make sure they serve you well), our best research on psychotherapy outcomes shows that students often outperform seasoned professionals when it comes to delivering standardized, scientifically validated, treatment protocols. This is largely because they are more likely to actually follow tested protocols than those who have become comfortable with their own style (ie., those who have been practicing for many years). They also have the benefit of being more in tune with the latest technologies in their field, which is a value add.
Part of our reasons for taking on practicum students here is to ensure that our senior practitioners are also constantly upping their game. There is nothing like a student watching you work and asking questions to make sure that you are on point and are operating with full awareness at all times.
So, the beauty of this program is that each client will have the benefit of, not one, but TWO trained therapists, who are motivated and focused on helping you become your best.
If needed, can I meet with Dr. Stacy directly?
Yes. Dr. Stacy will always be available to meet with clients if and when needed. However, you will always be encouraged to discuss any issues with your therapist directly.
What forms of payment do you accept?
Credit card, or e-transfer. Payment is due at the end of the session and an invoice will be mailed to you after the session for your records.
