Dr Ailsa Parsons

Hello, I’m Ailsa. I’m a Psychologist, Counsellor/Psychotherapist and Creative Arts Therapist based in the High Peak, UK. I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), bringing both lived experience and more than a decade of clinical practice to my work with individuals, groups and organisations. My professional background includes work in community counselling services, charities, education settings, and more. I established my private practice in 2017 and have a particular interest in helping people understand and change patterns and behaviours that leave them feeling stuck. Alongside my clinical work, I teach and research counselling, psychotherapy, philosophy, ethics, health psychology, behaviour change, and creative arts therapies. I have published over 20 peer-reviewed research papers, developed the concept of Creative Therapeutic Flow, and co-created Arts for the Blues, an evidence-based creative therapy approach now used in NHS and community settings. Above all, I aim to offer a collaborative, compassionate and evidence-informed space where clients can better understand themselves, reduce shame, and find lasting ways forward.