Alison Sheesley

• Ph.D., Counselor Education and Supervision (Child and Adolescent Emphasis), University of Northern Colorado
• M.S., Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Loyola University New Orleans
• B.A., Political Science and American Studies, Tulane University

• Assistant Professor at the University of Northern Colorado, August 2026 – present; Greeley and Denver, Colorado
• Clinical Director and Founder of SchoolPlay Therapy, November 2025 – present; Denver, Colorado
• Clinical Director and Co–Founder of Comedy Is Therapy, January 2020 – present; Denver, Colorado
• Assistant Professor at Regis University (Visiting during 23–24 Academic Year), Director of the Regis Center for Play Therapy, August 2023 – December 2025, Denver, Colorado
• Play Therapist, Mental Health Counselor, and Supervisor, May 2012 – present; New Orleans, Louisiana and Denver, Colorado
• Staff Researcher and External Projects Coordinator at the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab at the University of Denver, May 2018 – May 2020; Denver, Colorado
• Prevention Data and Reports Specialist at the CO Dept. of Public Health & Envt. (Temp.), Dec. 2017 – June 2018; Denver, Colorado

Phillips, W., Sheesley, A. P., & Gensberg Schwartz, J. (2026). Pathophysiologic similarities between autism spectrum disorder and Alzheimer’s disease: Therapeutic possibilities. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 19. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2025.1737007

Sheesley, A. P. (2020). Social justice scenes. In M. Pope, M. Gonzalez, E. Cameron, & J. Pangelianan (Eds.), Social justice and advocacy in counseling: Experiential activities for teaching (pp. 148-152). New York, NY: Routledge.

Clemens, E. V., Lalonde, T., Sheesley, A. P., & Klopfenstein, K. (2019). Early warning indicators of dropping out of schools for teens who experienced foster care. Child Welfare, 97(5), 65-88.

Cureton, J., & Sheesley, A. P. (2019). Suicide competencies: Stories from counseling interns. Journal of Professional Counseling: Practice, Theory, & Research, 44(2), 14-31. https://doi.org/10.1080/15566382.2017.12069188

Sheesley, A. P., Pfeffer, M., & Barish, B. (2017). Comedic improv therapy for the treatment of social anxiety disorder. In N. Mazza (Ed.), Expressive therapies: Major themes in mental health. London, UK: Psychology Press.

Clemens, E. V., Lalonde, T. L., & Sheesley, A. P. (2016). The relationship between school mobility and students in foster care earning a high school credential. Children and Youth Services Review, 68, 193-201.

Sheesley, A. P. (2016). Counselors within the Chronic Care Model: Supporting weight management. Journal of Counseling & Development, 94(2), 234-245. doi:10.1002/jcad.12079

Sheesley, A. P., Pfeffer, M., & Barish, B. (2016). Comedic improv therapy for the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 11(2), 157-169. doi:10.1080/15401383.2016.1182880

Evans, A., Ebrahim, C., Sheesley, A. P., & Foster, T. (2016). Constructivism as pedagogy: An analysis of master’s level students’ experiences. Wisconsin Counseling Journal, 29, 49-60.

• Regis University Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions Emerging Scholar, 2025
• Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference 2015 Emerging Leader, 2015
• Loyola University New Orleans Counseling Department Excellence in Research Award, 2016