Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Research Interests
Art psychotherapy
Arts and health
Creativity and wellbeing
Art and design education
Student mental health in further and higher education
Group art therapy
Relational and material processes of art-making
Socially engaged creative practice
Interdisciplinary dialogue between art, science and psychology
Research Expertise
Simon Reekie is a Lecturer in Art and Design at UHI Perth, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands. His work sits at the intersection of art psychotherapy, arts and health, and art and design education. His research expertise focuses on student mental health and wellbeing in further and higher education, group art therapy, and the relational, material and facilitation processes of art-making.
Alongside his academic role, he works as an HCPC-registered art psychotherapist and a BACP-registered counsellor in mental health charities and private practice, and maintains an active painting practice. He has a background in molecular biology, which informs his interest in interdisciplinary dialogue between art, science and psychological research. His practice-based approach integrates research, professional practice and teaching within socially engaged and educational contexts. He is a Fulbright Scholar.
Academic Qualifications
MSc Art Psychotherapy (Distinction) – Queen Margaret University (2015)
PGDE (Art & Design Education) – University of the West of Scotland (2009)
MFA Studio (Drawing & Painting) – School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2008)
BA (Hons) Fine Art (First Class) – Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art (2004)
BSc (Hons) Biotechnology (2.1) – University of Abertay, Dundee (1997)
Teaching Expertise
Art and design education across secondary, further and higher education, as well as community, museum and prison education contexts. Qualified and GTCS-registered art and design teacher for both secondary and further education. Teaching focuses on studio-based practice, socially engaged and community-based art, creativity and wellbeing, reflective practice, research skills, and project-based learning. Experience includes supervising undergraduate dissertations and supporting student placements and applied projects across arts, education, and arts-and-health settings.
Services Expertise
Professional practice across art psychotherapy, arts-and-health and freelance art education, working with a wide range of organisations and communities. Experience includes practice within mental health charities and private practice, alongside education and creative work in prisons, museums, international arts centres, and local authority education and cultural services. This work focuses on supporting wellbeing, learning and engagement through art-based approaches.
Key Projects
Art therapy pilot group at UHI Perth
Practice-based research project exploring relational, material and facilitation processes in group art therapy with further and higher education students, with a focus on creativity, wellbeing and learning in educational contexts
Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP): University of Greenwich × Whatman Ltd
Research project undertaken through a university–industry Knowledge Transfer Partnership, focused on the development and evaluation of magnetisable solid-phase supports for DNA capture. The work sat at the interface of applied bioscience research and industrial materials development, contributing to translational research and knowledge exchange between higher education and industry.
Research links
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Master of Science, Art Psychotherapy (Distinction) , Queen Margaret University
Award Date: 1 Aug 2015
PGDE (Art & Design Education) , University of the West of Scotland
Award Date: 1 Aug 2009
Master of Fine Art, Drawing and Painting, School of the Art Institute, Chicago
Award Date: 1 Aug 2008
Bachelor of Arts, Fine Art (1st class honours), University of Dundee
Award Date: 1 Aug 2004
Bachelor of Science, Biotechnology (2.1 honours)
Award Date: 1 Aug 1997
External positions
Board Member (Trustee)
Nov 2025 → …
External Examiner (MEd Artist Teacher), University of the West of Scotland
Jan 2019 → Aug 2024
Art Psychotherapist and Counsellor (mental health charities and private practice)
May 2015 → …
Self-employed practitioner in art and arts education
May 2004 → …
KTP Associate (Knowledge Transfer Partnership)
Aug 1998 → Aug 2000
Keywords
- Faculty Arts, Humanities and Business
- art psychotherapy
- counselling
- arts and mental health
- wellbeing
- student mental health
- further education
- higher education
- group art therapy
- N Visual arts (General) For photography, see TR
- painting
- drawing
- practice-based research
- material processes
- relational processes
- art-making
- creativity research
- arts-based research
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics where Simon Reekie is active. These topic labels come from the works of this person. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
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Research output
- 1 Other contribution
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(Dis)Integration 2: Cover artwork for International Journal of Art Therapy, Volume 30, Issue 4 (2025)
Reekie, S., 12 Nov 2025, 1 p. London : Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.Research output: Other contribution
Open Access