Irina Petreanu

I believe in the body's natural capacity to heal and the power of creative expression in therapy. As both a psychologist and art therapist, I bring a holistic approach that honors all dimensions of who you are—your emotions, your body, and your inner creative resources. Following my M.A. in Experiential Psychotherapy, Personal Development and Counseling, I certified as an EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) practitioner and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. Currently finished my training in Integral Somatic Psychology with Raja Selvam. I am interested in the collaboration between the physical and the emotional body, having a firm belief that a diagnosis is not what defines us, but rather a possibility for expansion and growth. I was born and raised in the '90s Bucharest landscape of much-awaited liberation from the communist regime. My parents, an economist and an engineer, offered me the benefit of freely exploring what I want "to become". I have been blessed with the gift of firmly and undoubtedly knowing what I want to pursue, both personally and professionally. Therefore, I decided to grow in between art and psychology, following my gut instinct and acknowledging that the journey may not always be a serene one, but clearly something I needed to embrace. And so I did.  My primary interest is in the creative expression of the self as a means of developing resilience and well-being. I find value in working with people from different backgrounds and ages, discovering that my identity as a practitioner will always lie at the crossroads of art and psychology. Along the way, I learned to practice acceptance and compassion through yoga and mindfulness - both essential tools that help me keep a quiet mind and an open heart. As an artist, I studied painting and drawing in the intimacy of a Romanian artist's studio who became my mentor and provided me with the means to explore my creative ritual of passage, which, to this day, is still one of my main focuses. At the moment, I am investing my time outside the office in studying and researching contact improvisation and other body oriented techniques.