I offer supervision, training & consultancy to therapists, organisations and creatives.
Background & Experience
With over 15 years post-qualification practice, I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to my supervision, teaching and training.
My most significant work experience lays with LGBTQIA+ people, having previously designed and delivered an award winning third sector mental wellbeing project specifically for queer people in Scotland. This included nearly 10 years experience of producing a rolling programme of creative therapeutic, psycho-educational and social groups in addition to several large arts events and stand alone projects. My time there also included running a volunteer led counselling service, significant partnership working and successful funding application bids.
Most people know me from my well established online and in-person private psychotherapy practice with specialisms in recovery from trauma and GSRD (Gender, Sex and Relationship Diversity). Other significant client experience includes working with homeless families and young people, working in an NHS counselling service, having run specialist services for both adults and children who are survivors of abuse, and for many years prior to training as an art therapist I worked nursing on wards in hospices within the palliative care sector.
Throughout this work I have developed a confident teaching style delivering to other professionals on best practice.
Supervision
*Limited availability for new open-ended supervision referrals.*
I supervise therapists who need to fulfill their ethical supervisory requirements. This includes both people in private practice and those who whose workplace pays for external supervision. I primarily provide supervision to arts therapists, however I also offer supervision to counsellors. I encourage you to consider the requirements of your professional body and/or employer to ensure this would be the right supervisory relationship to meet your requirements.
I have significant experience supervising and supporting trainee art therapists on placement as both a placement provider and external supervisor.
I also offer one-off supervision sessions for people looking to consult on a particular area I may specialise in and where their usual routes of support may not feel adequate.
I have undertaken supervision training with both BAAT (British Association Art Therapists) and have received the COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland) counselling supervision skills certificate. I use the 7 eyed model of supervision to inform my supervisory work.
I am experienced in providing supervision to others who may not be therapists but are working therapeutically such as creative writers.
Individual supervision is available both online and in-person in Edinburgh, with some limited in-person capacity in London.
Teaching & Training
My teaching style is very much like my therapeutic style. I bring warmth, humour and experience to engage my audience.
I regularly teach master’s level arts therapists in academic settings and provide tailored training to organisations relating to best practice in supporting LGBTQIA+ people with their mental health and wellbeing. I am used to adapting my training style and content to meet a variety of audiences’ learning needs.
In recent years I have been an external trainer for Health in Mind‘s trauma informed practice programme and for The Scottish Trans Alliance.
I have previously directed and produced short educational films including Transvisions which won the award for best educational documentary at the 2011 Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival.
I am confident presenting internationally, having done so online and in-person for organisations such as the International Expressive Arts Therapies Association, The International Association for Creative Arts in Education and Therapy and the Coalition for Queer Creative Arts Therapies.
I am heavily involved in organising my own CPD events and programming conferences and workshops for the Rainbow Therapy in Scotland peer network.
If your training request is for a small organisation who may struggle to pay my usual rates, please do discuss with me your budget as I may be able to offer a further discount.
Consultancy
I suppose my consultancy work covers ‘anything else relevant’! If you feel there is something about my skills and experience that you or your organisation may benefit from and would like to have a conversation about what that could look like, please get in touch.
A lot of my consultancy work is with charities or community interest companies but I have also worked with more corporate organisations on establishing internal LGBTQIA+ networks, or with creative organisations on how they can better provide a trauma informed service or improve knowledge and increase access regarding LGBTQIA+ staff and customers.
Can I just talk to you about art therapy?
Yes you can. Often I receive enquiries from individuals who are considering art therapy as a career and want to know more about the training/practicalities/realities of the career and work options. I am very happy to share my wealth of experience as well as a more practical ‘taster’ of art making. These appointments are charged for at my usual session rates.
Let’s discuss your needs.
Contact me for support & supervision options.
Art Therapy with Alison 