About me
Hi, I’m Ailsa. I’m a Counsellor/Psychotherapist, Psychologist and Creative Arts Therapist based in New Mills, High Peak.
Are you experiencing the effects of trauma, relational abuse, eating/body/lifestyle-related concerns, or neurodivergent overwhelm? Or, perhaps you life simply doesn't seem to 'flow' in the way it should. These issues are my core specialisms, however I support clients with a wide variety of issues including a focus on those in creative and high‑pressure roles who are struggling to get into flow, navigating burnout, identity shifts or chronic tension.
Many clients come to me feeling stuck, burnt out or carrying long‑term stress as symptoms in their bodies. Some have tried to cope alone through research, journalling or self‑help but nothing has shifted enough. I offer a calm, grounded space where you can slow down, feel understood and begin to make sense of what is happening.
What can I help with?
I am experienced in working with a range of problems and issues including but not limited to:
Depression
Anxiety and panic
Stress
Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Neurodiversity
Creativity
Flow state and performance
Attachment styles/issues
Domestic/Relational Abuse
Changing habits
Workplace and career problems
Confidence & self-esteem
Relationship and family problems
Eating disorders/nutrition issues
Body image/weight concerns
Athletic concerns
Career transitions
Parenting/carer stress
I can wholeheartedly say that, with the right help and support, there is light at the end of the tunnel in trauma recovery, eating disorders, lifestyle difficulties, body-based concerns, creative/performance challenges, neurodivergent struggles and all the above list of issues.
Bespoke therapy for each individual
I offer bespoke therapy with a difference, implementing the right combination of approaches tailored to suit each client. As each person is unique, this is better for clients than a one-size-fits-all approach. My therapeutic orientation is pluralistic and holistic, integrating mind, body and context so the whole person is considered. We work collaboratively, at your pace, using verbal, embodied and/or creative methods, movingtowards greater self-awareness, expression, and self-determination.
I have over a decade’s professional experience working with individuals and groups using verbal, embodied and creative methods. I am registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and in 2017 I gained Chartered Psychologist status with the British Psychological Society (CPsychol).
As well and indoors face-to-face, or online therapy, I also offer 'Walk & Talk' therapy in New Mills - please get in touch with your access needs if this appeals to you.
Still unsure?
It is completely normal to feel unsure about starting therapy. My priority is to help you feel safe, informed and in control of the process. A positive, warm and supportive client relationship is at the heart of my work, and I aim for you, the client, to feel safe and supported throughout. Clients describe me as warm, steady and easy to talk to. If you are feeling overwhelmed, disconnected or ready for change, then reach out for a brief conversation to see whether working together feels right for you.
You can find out more about me and therapy on my website: https://www.creativeflowpsychology.com/counselling-psychotherapy
Creating sustainable changes
Some practitioners may promise clients a 'magic bullet' or an external solution to their problems, which may work like a 'crutch' for a short time before the inevitable return of problems. This can feel undermining and disempowering for clients, as they will feel that it was the crutch that helped them and not their own inherent strengths.
Rather than this 'Elastoplast' approach, I will encourage you to develop your own internal awareness as the most important signpost to the future, and address the mechanisms underlying your problems. A person-centred ethos lies at the heart of this way of working, so that you always feel safe and in complete control of the pace, process and focus of the work.
How to get started
Please call, text or email to set up a free consultation. In this consultation we will talk about what difficulties you want to target and what you want to get out of therapy. Then, if you're happy to continue we will set up a second session, and plan to continue weekly/fortnightly or as often as required until you feel ready to finish.
See below for further details.
Training, qualifications & experience
Degrees and Higher Education:
- PhD: Flow state within Creative Therapies
- Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
- MSc Psychology (MBPsS)
- MA Dance Movement Psychotherapy (RDMP)
- BSc (Hons) Exercise Physical Activity and Health
- PgCert in Higher Education (fHEA)
Additional Professional Trainings and CPD:
Trauma-informed Practice
- Assessment Approaches in Psychological Trauma
- Movement Approaches for Trauma and PTSD
- Body Memory and the Unconscious (Bonnie Meekums)
- Domestic Abuse and Risk Assessment (Derbyshire County Council)
- Domestic Homicide Timeline (Jane Monckton‑Smith)
- ‘Honour’‑based abuse and FGM
- Assessment Approaches in Psychological Trauma
- Movement Approaches for Trauma and PTSD
- Body Memory and the Unconscious (Bonnie Meekums)
- Domestic Abuse and Risk Assessment (Derbyshire County Council)
- Domestic Homicide Timeline (Jane Monckton‑Smith)
- ‘Honour’‑based abuse and FGM
Therapeutic Methods and Process
- Walk and Talk / Eco‑Therapy
- Online and Remote Therapy
- Integrating Dance/Movement Approaches into Person-Centred Counselling
- Motivational Interviewing
- Working with Goals in Therapy (Mick Cooper)
- Arts for the Blues: Multimodal creative therapy for depression
- Integrating the Body: Neuroscience for Effective Clinical Practice (workshop series, Maggi McAllister‑MacGregor)
- Assertiveness and Effective Communication
- Dip. Life Coaching
Eating and Health‑Related Approaches
- Transdiagnostic CBT for Eating Disorders
- Using CBT in Patient Health Services
- FdDip. Personal Nutrition
- Therapeutic Dance with Breast Cancer (Dancing with Health)
- Diversity-Affirming Practice
Inclusive and Anti-oppressive Practice in Counselling
- Ethical Non‑Monogamy and Emerging Relationship Structures
- Living and Working with Neurodivergence
- Ethical Non‑Monogamy and Emerging Relationship Structures
- Living and Working with Neurodivergence
- Compliance and Safety
- GDPR and Data Protection
- Safeguarding and Child Protection (NSPCC)
- Compliance and Safety
- GDPR and Data Protection
- Safeguarding and Child Protection (NSPCC)
Member organisations
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£55.00 - £80.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I offer a free 15-minute consultation, assessment and client-therapist agreement prior to beginning work together.
After this, my fees are £55-80 per ‘50-minute hour’ depending on your circumstances: concessions are available for clients or organisations experiencing financial difficulties.
This does not affect the standard of care I offer, so please ask for more information if you need a concessionary rate.
Further information
What will happen next?
If you phone (please leave a message if I cannot answer), text or email me I aim to get back to you as soon as possible, although I tend to respond to most enquiries on Mon/Thurs/Fri. From here, we can discuss basic details and arrange your free consultation.
At the consultation we will establish what it is that you feel you need help for, and agree on how we might work together, including how often, how long for, what methods might be most helpful, and what the cost will be.
There is no expectation that you will book your first session at this point, instead I will provide you with a client information sheet which will outline what I offer and what you can expect. This is a personal document which is negotiated between us, and does not mean you cannot adjust the details or end therapy when you feel ready to.
If after the consultation and after reading your information sheet, you decide you would like to commence therapy, we will arrange a suitable time to meet and proceed from there. It is usually helpful to meet regularly, weekly if possible, in the beginning.
Face-to-face meetings will take place at The Nest Wellbeing Studio, New Mills -- a cosy and confidential therapy room.
There is also no obligation to book a block of sessions, as treatment can be adjusted according to need, including on an ad-hoc basis for if you just feel that you need some support 'as and when'. Payment is made before each session.
What will happen in the session?
We will start off by settling into the room - you may wish to hang your coat up and get comfy in the chair and in the space. We can adjust heating, lighting or ventilation, depending on your preferences/needs. I offer water or a hot drink, and there are toilet facilities in the main building should you need this.
Then, we can start 'wherever you are at', or for more structure, establish what the main focus is for you that day or that week - perhaps something in particular has been on your mind in the previous week or for a long time (if it is your first session we would probably discuss things in the longer term as well as recent events). Or perhaps there is something that is very prominent for you on the day. Either way, we will start where it feels important for you to start, and explore the matter by discussing it. We will also establish what your goals, aims or intentions are, and find ways to work towards these.
How we act on these desired changes depends on the nature of the problem and your needs as an individual, but we could use creative or present moment experiencing methods, skill building, making plans or simply uncovering new insight and nurturing acceptance by talking.
We would then usually finish the session by reviewing what we have worked on and perhaps any 'take aways' for your week ahead. This could be as simple as remembering what we spoke about as you go through your week, writing things down, or actioning some changes. We will also agree on the time/date of the next session if continuing, and make sure you feel ready to leave the session.
How long will therapy take? When will I get rid of my issue(s)?
Many people find that they achieve meaningful insight or progress in their situation fairly rapidly, within the first 6 sessions, however this is not the case for everyone. Each situation and individual is very unique, so we will need to adapt therapy to you and your current needs.
Sometimes issues are resolved for a long time and then resurface again later. Clients can forget the progress they made in their thinking and behaviour and this is to be expected. Or, clients can make a lot of progress in one area of their life, before discovering that there is something else they want to work on. Whereas, other clients may resolve a problem, learn a new way of life and never feel the need to resume therapy.
Either way is healthy and normal, so it does not mean you are 'broken' if you relapse with a problem for time to time. Lots of clients benefit from occasional 'top up' sessions every few months, for example.
To find out more about the therapy I offer please visit my website https://www.creativeflowpsychology.com/counselling-psychotherapy or get in touch to discuss any queries you may have.
There are no 'silly' questions and I look forward to hearing from you!
