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About Kerry Ashley

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Professional Background

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Kerry Ashley is an Art Psychotherapist Registered with the HCPC (Health Care and Professions Council, UK), the CATA (Canadian Art Therapy Association, Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and a Recursive Therapy (BWRT)® Practitioner who specialises in therapy with children and adults. Working as a clinician for over twelve years, she can provide individual and group therapy using evidence - based therapy practices. Kerry has a Master's degree in Art Psychotherapy practice and an MSc in Psychology from England.  Prior to embarking upon art psychotherapy and counselling practice, she worked as a teacher with many populations and held leadership posts in Secondary and Primary education in schools both in England, and Chicago for over ten years. 

 

Clinical Experience and Expertise

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Kerry has broad experience in the field of Physical Health Psychology as a clinician working within an NHS (National Health Service) hospital and the community in England for over six years. She worked as part of a multi-disciplinary team, specialising in high level clinical work with patients experiencing chronic illness including ME /CFS (Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and Psycho - Oncology supporting patients with breast cancer. Kerry has also worked within an NHS Inpatient unit, offering a recovery programme for people with drug and alcohol problems in consultation with medical, clinical and support staff, and visiting organisations whilst providing art psychotherapy and counselling sessions for individuals and groups including psychotherapeutic sessions for clinical staff. She continues to work in private practice, having moved with her family to Canada in recent years, where much of her practice involves working with children as well as adults. 

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Interests and Further Study

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Kerry has a strong interest in Clinical Neuroscience, particularly the relationship between creativity, memory, and the brain, specifically Alzheimer’s disease. Her thesis, 'A Collaborative Blend: Can Art Psychotherapy play an effective role in Clinical Neuroscience: Alzheimer's disease’ focused on this area. She is continuing to explore this field, having made some incredible connections with professionals working in Neuroscience. Kerry is working towards becoming a Clinical Psychologist and more recently completed a research dissertation exploring the effects of Lyme disease on memory function entitled, "Patients facing misdiagnosis in Lyme Disease: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of the impacts of Lyme disease on Memory Function following treatment" for her MSc Psychology course. 

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Credentials

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• Defensible Record Keeping training, NHS, England

• Practitioner, Level 1 General psychopathology: The Institute of BrainWorking Recursive Therapy, England

• Risk Assessment for DSE Users, NHS, England

• MSc Psychology Conversion Course, BPP University, London, England

• MA Art Psychotherapy Practice, Leeds Metropolitan University, England                         

• ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome  - Current Approaches to Managing ME/CFS, England

• ME/CFS Diet and Disorders of Sleep, England

• IGCSE Art & Design training course for Teachers – Edexcel, USA

• Visual Arts, Level 1 International Baccalaureate training course for teachers, USA  

• P.G.C.E Post Graduate Certificate Secondary Education with QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) Art & Design, England

• BA (Hons) Degree, Art & Design - Surface Decoration, England

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Memberships​

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• Professional Member of the CATA (Canadian Art therapy Association (https://www.canadianarttherapy.org/art-therapist-directory/ ) with the position of Editorial Review Board Committee Member.

• HCPC (Health & Care Professions Council) where the Art Psychotherapy profession is regulated in the UK.

• Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and holds membership with the BC Association of Clinical https://bc-counsellors.org/counsellors/kerry-ashley

• The Ministry of Education - B.C Teaching License