Bringing creative psychotherapies to primary NHS Mental Health Services in the UK : a feasibility study on patient and staff experiences of arts for the blues workshops delivered at Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services (2022)
Journal Article
Karkou, V., Omylinska-Thurston, J., Parsons, A., Thurston, S., Dubrow-Marshall, L., Nair, K., …Haslam, S. (2022). Bringing creative psychotherapies to primary NHS Mental Health Services in the UK : a feasibility study on patient and staff experiences of arts for the blues workshops delivered at Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12544

There have been several arguments for the need to generate evidence-based creative forms of psychological interventions in Improving Access to Psychological Services (IAPT), the main primary mental health provider in hospitals in England, UK. In th... Read More about Bringing creative psychotherapies to primary NHS Mental Health Services in the UK : a feasibility study on patient and staff experiences of arts for the blues workshops delivered at Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services.

Digitising creative psychological therapy : Arts for the Blues (A4B) (2021)
Book Chapter
Farish-Edwards, F., Parsons, A., Starkey, J., Dubrow-Marshall, L., Thurston, S., Omylinska-Thurston, J., & Karkou, V. (2022). Digitising creative psychological therapy : Arts for the Blues (A4B). In J. Prescott (Ed.), Digital Innovations for Mental Health Support (1-17). Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA: IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7991-6.ch001

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a need to adapt and develop psychological interventions that address the mental health of those in need. As a result, Arts for the Blues (A4B), an evidence-based creative group psychotherapy model,... Read More about Digitising creative psychological therapy : Arts for the Blues (A4B).

Arts for the Blues : the development of a new evidence-based creative group psychotherapy for depression (2020)
Journal Article
Omylinska-Thurston, J., Karkou, V., Parsons, A., Nair, K., Starkey, J., Dubrow-Marshall, L., …Sharma, S. (2021). Arts for the Blues : the development of a new evidence-based creative group psychotherapy for depression. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 21(3), 597-607. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12373

Introduction: Depression affects many adults in the UK, often resulting in referral to primary care mental health services (e.g. Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, IAPT). CBT is the main modality for depression within IAPT, with other ap... Read More about Arts for the Blues : the development of a new evidence-based creative group psychotherapy for depression.

Flowing towards freedom with multimodal creative therapy : the healing power of therapeutic arts for ex cult-members (2020)
Journal Article
Parsons, A., Turner, R., Ingleton, H., Kefalogianni, M., Omylinska-Thurston, J., Karkou, V., …Dubrow-Marshall, L. (2021). Flowing towards freedom with multimodal creative therapy : the healing power of therapeutic arts for ex cult-members. Arts in Psychotherapy, 72, 101743. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2020.101743

Creative arts can play an important role for cult survivors in surviving, transcending and healing from their past realities. Flow – an empowering state of mind-body integration and skilful, intuitive action while engaged in a challenging yet enjoyab... Read More about Flowing towards freedom with multimodal creative therapy : the healing power of therapeutic arts for ex cult-members.

“I’m able to put my thoughts into picturing them physically” - phenomenological experiences of dance movement psychotherapy in a secondary school : unexpected empowerment over external contingency (2019)
Journal Article
Parsons, A., & Dubrow-Marshall, L. (2019). “I’m able to put my thoughts into picturing them physically” - phenomenological experiences of dance movement psychotherapy in a secondary school : unexpected empowerment over external contingency. Arts in Psychotherapy, 64, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2019.05.005

This study explored eight secondary school participants’ subjective experiences of Dance Movement Psychotherapy [DMP], and how these perceptions relate to prior expectations and/or perceived outcomes from the therapy. How pupils and staff experience... Read More about “I’m able to put my thoughts into picturing them physically” - phenomenological experiences of dance movement psychotherapy in a secondary school : unexpected empowerment over external contingency.

Arts for the Blues – a new creative psychological therapy for depression: a pilot workshop report (2019)
Journal Article
Haslam, S., Parsons, A., Omylinska-Thurston, J., Nair, K., Harlow, J., Lewis, J., …Karkou, V. (2019). Arts for the Blues – a new creative psychological therapy for depression: a pilot workshop report. Perspectives in Public Health, 139(3), 137-146. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913919826599

Introduction: Research over the last decade has identified both strengths and limitations in the use of routinely prescribed psychological therapies for depression. More recently, a focus on creative art therapies, and 'art on prescription' are deve... Read More about Arts for the Blues – a new creative psychological therapy for depression: a pilot workshop report.