Simon Spire, MA, MSW, LCSWA

Depth-oriented, somatic, and contemplative psychotherapist

I am currently accepting new clients, and I always respond within 24 hours.

Welcome! I’m Simon (he/him), and I am a licensed psychotherapist (LCSWA) based in the Triangle region of North Carolina. My practice is located at the edge of Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, and I see clients in person from Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham, Saxapahaw, Hillsborough, and surrounding areas. I see clients virtually from across the state. I grew up in New Zealand and have lived my adult life in the US after my career and life path brought me to Los Angeles in 2004 and then to New York. Since 2015, I have lived in North Carolina.

I partner with adults of all ages who are seeking psychotherapy within a setting that’s able to hold the fullness of who they are and the larger arc of their path. I bring to my practice 10 years of working with individuals and groups in counseling and facilitation roles, and I describe my approach as depth-oriented, somatic, and contemplative. Terms such as mindfulness-based and experiential could also apply. But more than that, I call it soulcentric. Why? Because the word soul points to the deeper dimensions of one’s life. It evokes the rich, sometimes veiled currents running through our lives and orients us toward our ever-unfolding genuine nature and authentic path. Within such a setting, there is room for all facets of who you are, for the wholeness of your humanity, and for exploring the underlying layers of your current experience. Here we can discover that by coming into relationship with the felt, somatic, and implicit levels of our experience in a supported and guided space, the way is opened for true shifts, healing, and emergence. If you resonate with the idea of therapy that is in service not only to navigating your present experiences and challenges, but also to recognizing the present edges as opportunities for coming into contact with the deeper currents of your life and your unfolding, then I would love to accompany you through what is emerging on your path.

To get in touch, simply call me on (919) 229-9110 or email me at simon@soulcentrictherapy.com
You can also use the contact form at the bottom of this site.
I’m happy to discuss working together during a free 15-minute consultation call.
I look forward to talking!

All gender identities, ethnicities, religions, relationship structures, and sexual orientations are welcome here, and I affirm the intricate layers of identity alive in each individual’s experience.

Note: This site is solely for my psychotherapy practice in North Carolina. My other work can be found at: www.simonspire.com

Although I do not publish testimonials from psychotherapy clients, you may read testimonials here from clients of other parts of my individual and group work.

My psychotherapy practice draws on the following bodies of work in which I have trained:

• Focusing-Oriented Therapy, an experiential, mindfulness-based, and somatic approach to psychotherapy developed by philosopher and psychotherapist Eugene Gendlin in the 20th Century

• Depth-oriented psychotherapy, particularly the directions inspired by the work of C. G. Jung, James Hillman, Marion Woodman, and their contemporaries and successors

• Internal Family Systems (IFS), developed by Richard Schwartz

• The trauma-integration perspectives of Focusing-Oriented Therapy and Thomas Hübl’s work with individual and collective trauma

• Eco-psychology and ecotherapy

• Soulcentric vocational purpose discovery, integration, and purpose guiding as articulated, for example, by Animas Valley Institute/Bill Plotkin and Purpose Guides Institute

• Meditative and embodied contemplative traditions from East and West, particularly those whose orientation could be characterized as non-dual

• The perspectives of transpersonal psychology and Integral psychology and philosophy

• Interpersonal Process Therapy, an experiential orientation to therapy that draws on attachment-based, relational, and psychodynamic approaches

• If/when useful, aspects of what are often referred to as “evidence-based therapies,” such as versions of CBT, DBT, and their contemporaries

• Although I work predominantly with individuals, I do also work with couples who are drawn to the above bodies of work. Individual sessions typically last 55-60 minutes; sessions for couples are typically 80 minutes.

I see clients both in person and online (telehealth using a HIPAA-compliant video platform). For in-person sessions, Soulcentric Psychotherapy is located at our mountaintop* retreat at the edge of Chapel Hill, a short drive from downtown Chapel Hill and Carrboro (we are 18 minutes northwest), Hillsborough (18 minutes south), and Durham (25-30 minutes west).

My standard rate is $130 per session, payable by credit card, HSA/FSA card, check, or cash. Sessions are 60 minutes in duration (75-minute sessions also available). For insurance purposes, I operate as an out-of-network practitioner; I am happy to submit out-of-network insurance claims for you or provide you with a superbill to allow for reimbursement from insurance companies (the reimbursement particulars will depend on your insurance plan). I also have a limited number of sliding scale spaces available if this fee is a financial challenge.

When arriving for in-person sessions, you’ll notice that my wife’s woman-centered acupuncture practice, Yin Valley Acupuncture, is located downstairs, while Soulcentric Psychotherapy is located upstairs. The waiting room and restroom are downstairs as you enter the building. If I haven’t already greeted you outside as you arrive, please make yourself comfortable in the waiting room!

Accessibility: Please note that in-person sessions require walking up one flight of stairs, though I also see clients online for convenience or accessibility.

*Atop “Pickards Mountain,” Orange County’s second-highest point (after Occoneechee Mountain), standing a mighty 778 feet above sea level. For those unaccustomed to such extreme elevations, we recommend a gradual ascent of the road on your first visit.

My Qualifications and Training

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSWA), North Carolina license #P017628

• Master’s degree (MSW) in Clinical Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, including a two-semester internship at TROSA (a two-year, residential substance use treatment program) and a two-semester internship at Carolina Outreach (a community mental health agency)

• Master’s degree in Clinical and Counseling Psychology, Columbia University, New York (including additional graduate studies in economics, business, and sustainability; and additional undergraduate studies in liberal arts and science)

• Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance, The University of Auckland, New Zealand

• Certified Focusing-Oriented Therapist, including completion of two-year certification training in Focusing for Mental Health Professionals through the International Focusing Institute

• Certified Purpose Guide with Purpose Guides Institute guiding people in vocational purpose discovery and integration

• Yearlong Soulcraft Immersion and Vision Fast with Bill Plotkin and Geneen Marie Haugen through Animas Valley Institute

• Ongoing study and training with Thomas Hübl and his Academy of Inner Science since 2015, including two-year Timeless Wisdom Training human development and trauma integration training and Practice Group Leader training

• Professional training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) with Bonnie Weiss and Self Capacities

• Extensive studies in adult development; depth psychology; transpersonal psychology; Integral psychology; non-dual traditions; depth-oriented life purpose discovery and embodiment; and Eastern and Western wisdom traditions

• 20+ years meditation practice and study

• 15+ years Alexander Technique study (as an eager student of the technique, rather than as a practitioner)

• Various additional counseling trainings, group facilitation trainings, and mind-body trainings

 Contact Me

To get in touch, simply call me on (919) 229-9110 or email me at simon@soulcentrictherapy.com
You can also use the contact form below.
I’m happy to discuss working together during a free 15-minute consultation call.
I look forward to talking!

I see clients in person and via telehealth, and I am currently accepting new clients.

Seated photo credit at top of website: Rebecca Downs.