About

The Brentwood Arts Therapy Centre was born in March 2023 and I, Irene Malvezi, run it.

For many years I had a vision to bring Art Therapy to my local community. It has now been materialised into a professional Arts Centre in Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex. It has become an inclusive, safe and inspirational space, offering professional mental health support through Art Therapy and other art activities for adults and children.

I am proud to say that other professionals have now come to appreciate the premises and some are offering their services here.

THE CENTRE'S VISION

To bring awareness of the benefits of Art Therapy, which is guided by the evidence of its efficacy of the clinical work in helping people to change their lives.

To make Art Therapy more recognisable for supporting, improving and maintaining mental health and wellbeing to all, offering one-to-one sessions and group work.

To make Art Therapy inclusive to all who seek help, making it available to all people coming from self-referrals or via GPs, Psychiatrists, Teachers, Social Workers or other professional colleagues.

To help people to develop self-knowledge and their potentials through arts and psychoeducation.

 

Irene Malvezi

ART PSYCHOTHERAPIST

QUALIFICATIONS and ACCREDITATIONS

HCPC Registered British Association of Art Therapists - Full Member

EXPERIENCE:

I am a trained Art Psychotherapist since 2018, registered member of the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) and the British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT). I work relationally and my main approach is non-directive Psychodynamic facilitating creative exploration as a way to communicate using a wide range of materials and different forms of creative expression depending on the client’s conditions and goals. I tend to use psycho-educational approaches with information clients need to understand and manage their difficulties for a happier and healthier life.

I work with clients who have experienced trauma, sexual and domestic abuse, depression and anxiety, loss and bereavement, relationship difficulties, disordered eating or sleeping, anxiety disorders such as OCD, learning disabilities, more complex mental health diagnoses, such psychosis and personality disorders but I am happy to work with any problems that a client brings.

I lead an Art Therapy Closed Group providing a safe space where participants make a commitment to come regularly, to uphold each other’s confidentiality and to address and explore specific goals through art-making and verbal sharing.

As a Freelancer Art Facilitator I have worked for various charity organisations in my community delivering group art sessions since 2014. I have worked with anxiety, dementia and children’s groups developing safe practices indoors and outdoors in nature. To mention Frontline Partnership Ltd, a charity that promotes inclusion for adults with learning disabilities in Brentwood and also The Gates, which provides settings for indoors and outdoors horticultural and art activities for adults with learning disabilities. I also have organised several art exhibitions for my client’s groups. More information on my Community Work.

As a trainee I provided Art Psychotherapy for individuals and groups for a community Wellbeing Project in Chalkwell Park, organised by the Southend Borough Council and in a NHS Community Adult Mental Health Centre for adults in London, Romford area.

I regularly attend Continual Professional Development (CPD) trainings in the fields of trauma, anxiety, environmental arts, dyadic, integrative arts, person-centred, psycho-education and innovation in arts, among other approaches in Art Therapy. I am interested in Art Psychotherapy and Spirituality, keeping informed by scientific studies and attending conferences on mental health and spirituality in the UK and abroad. I am a member of the British Spiritist Medical Association and the Scientific and Medical Network.

The potential to develop a variety of indoors and outdoors wellbeing projects for the benefit of my community is huge. I am very excited about the future and I hope I can continue helping with my art and psychotherapy skills, especially now in the Brentwood Arts Therapy Centre.

 

Irene Malvezi

ARTIST AND DESIGNER

Before embarking on my new profession as an Art Psychotherapist I had a full time career as an Artist, Graphic Designer and Product Photographer. To see my biography and portfolio online please click on the image above.