Hi, I'm Irina.

If you've found your way to this page, you may be looking for support—for yourself, your child or your family. Whatever brings you here, I hope you'll find a place where you feel welcomed, understood and accepted.

For more than twenty years, I have accompanied children, adolescents, adults and families through moments of change, uncertainty and growth. Throughout this journey, one belief has remained at the heart of my work: creativity helps us reconnect—with ourselves, with others, and with the person we truly are.

As a Clinical Psychologist, Play Therapy & Dramatherapy Specialist and Adlerian Practitioner, registered with the Romanian College of Psychologists, I bring together psychology, creativity and genuine human connection. Whether through play, imagination, storytelling, metaphor, movement or conversation, my aim is always the same: to create a safe space where people can explore their inner world, rediscover their strengths and gradually feel more at home within themselves.

It would be a privilege to accompany you on part of your own journey.

Play is one of the ways we reconnect with ourselves

Where psychology meets creativity, connection and authentic growth

Looking back, I realise that one question has quietly accompanied me throughout my life and professional journey:

How can creativity help people reconnect with themselves, with others, and with their authentic way of being?

Long before I became a psychologist, I discovered that creativity could be much more than artistic expression. It became a place where emotions could breathe, where difficult experiences could slowly find meaning, and where new possibilities could begin to emerge. Looking back now, I can see that this quiet discovery became the seed from which my professional path would grow.

That seed led me to study Psychology and later to specialise in Play Therapy, Dramatherapy and Adlerian Psychology. More than twenty years later, after working with children, adolescents, adults and families in many different settings, my conviction has only become stronger: creativity is not simply something we do—it is one of our deepest human capacities to heal, connect and grow.

My journey has taken me through many landscapes. I have worked with children on the autism spectrum, accompanied families through grief and loss, supported students, parents and teachers in an international school, facilitated workshops, trained fellow professionals and built my own private practice in Amsterdam. Each experience has enriched my understanding of human relationships and reminded me that every person carries an innate potential for growth, even when life's path becomes uncertain or overwhelming.

Over the years, I have come to see therapy as something very similar to tending a garden. Sometimes the ground is fertile and growth comes naturally. Sometimes it has become dry after seasons of pain, fear or loss. Sometimes storms have bent the branches or hidden the path ahead. My role is not to force change, but to help create the conditions where growth can happen again—with curiosity, patience, safety and trust.

Creativity is one of the ways I do this. Whether through play, imagination, stories, movement, metaphor or conversation, creativity allows us to step outside familiar patterns, discover new perspectives and reconnect with parts of ourselves that may have been forgotten, silenced or waiting to be heard. It gently reminds us that we are always more than our struggles.

Today I work from my private practice in Amsterdam, supporting children, adolescents, adults and families from diverse cultural backgrounds, both in person and online. Every therapeutic relationship is unique, and I enjoy discovering together the language that best fits each person—the language through which healing, understanding and change can unfold.

Alongside my clinical work, I continue to learn, teach and contribute to the professional community. I believe that being a therapist is not only about sharing knowledge, but about remaining open, curious and willing to grow throughout life. Every person I meet leaves a small imprint on my own journey, just as I hope our work together leaves something meaningful on theirs.

For me, psychology and creativity have never been separate paths. They are two expressions of the same belief: that within every person there is a capacity to reconnect, to create meaning and to move towards a life that feels more authentic, connected and alive.

I would be honoured to walk alongside you for a part of your own journey.

Education & Professional Qualifications

My professional development has been shaped by a deep curiosity about human relationships, creativity and the many ways people grow throughout life.

My work is grounded in over two decades of clinical practice, continuous professional development and an integrative approach that combines psychology, psychotherapy and creative therapeutic methods.

Academic Education

  • Bachelor's Degree in Psychology
    University of Bucharest, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences (2000–2004)

  • Master's Degree in Human Resources Management
    National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), Bucharest (2004–2006)

Professional Training

  • Play Therapy & Dramatherapy
    Four-year postgraduate training, Romanian Association of Play Therapy and Dramatherapy (ATJDR) (2009–2013)

  • Adlerian Psychotherapy
    Four-year postgraduate training, Romanian Association of Adlerian Psychology and Psychotherapy (APPAR) (2009–2013)

  • Permanent Teaching Qualification in Psychology
    Awarded following the Romanian National Teaching Examination for Psycho-pedagogical Counselling (2018)

Professional Recognition

  • Registered member of the Romanian College of Psychologists since 2009, holding professional certifications in:

    • Clinical Psychology

    • Adlerian Psychotherapy

    • Psychological Counselling – Play & Dramatherapy

    • Psychotherapy – Play & Dramatherapy

  • Board Member of the Romanian Association of Play Therapy and Dramatherapy since 2020.

Continuing Professional Development

Learning has always been an essential part of my professional journey. Over the years, I have completed more than 30 advanced trainings, conferences and international workshops in areas including:

  • Play Therapy

  • Dramatherapy

  • Adlerian Psychology

  • Theraplay

  • Filial Therapy

  • Neuro-Dramatic Play

  • Attachment and trauma-informed practice

  • Child development, neurodiversity and relational approaches

I continue to deepen my knowledge through regular professional training, international conferences and clinical supervision, ensuring that my work remains evidence-informed, creative and responsive to the needs of the individuals and families I support.

“Change is inevitable.

Growth is optional.”

contact me

Testimonials

  • “When I first contacted Irina about a year ago, my parenting journey was incredibly challenging and exasperating. My son, a high-energy yet not very communicative child, was difficult to handle and prone to frequent meltdowns. Thanks to Irina's expertise in play therapy, my son underwent a remarkable transformation. Through the online therapy sessions, he learned to connect better with his body, enhance his language skills, and express himself more confidently. This newfound ability allowed him to assert himself effectively, improving his relationships with us and his kindergarten teachers.

    Gradually, we witnessed a significant change in his behavior. His emotional intelligence grew, and in just one year, he displayed a level of maturity that felt like the result of several years of development.

    Irina's online dyadic play therapy sessions were not only transformative for our son but also immensely beneficial for us as parents. With her guidance, we gained valuable insights into our own parenting mistakes, allowing us to gradually modify our behavior and expectations. This newfound understanding reshaped our relationship with our son and alleviated much of the frustration and mental exhaustion we had been experiencing. Irina's expertise and support have been instrumental in fostering a more harmonious family dynamic, and we are profoundly grateful for her help.”

    D.E., mother of a 5-years-old boy

  • “I attended online play therapy together with my daughter in an attempt to help her conquer her fears (as she had a history of anxiety). I instantly clicked with Irina, and so did my daughter. We played, drew, and modeled together. She taught me how to play and also my daughter, through games, how to handle her anxiety. We worked as a team and she would always explain to me each step she would take in my daughter’s recovery. Irina is a true professional, big-hearted, and with a child’s soul.’’

    C.S, mother of a 5-year-old girl

  • "I have known Irina for over 15 years both as a Play therapy and Drama therapy Student as well as a Supervisor Trainee, and then as a colleague. She is extremely well qualified and has many years of experience working with individuals and groups of all ages. She is especially talented when working with teenagers and young adults. She has a breadth of experience that can work within the more formal psychotherapy model but can also adapt to a creative and artistic approach through Drama therapy and Psychodrama. I have no hesitation in recommending her."

    Professor Sue Jennings

  • “I am very grateful to Irina for the way she worked with my teenage daughter in the last two years. I also really liked the mother-daughter therapy sessions we had together. Our relationship gained more trust and easiness, thanks to the activities created together with Irina. We allowed ourselves to show ourselves as we are, thanks to the therapist.”

    A.B, mother of a teenager girl

  • "Irina is a very professional, involved, creative, and reliable child psychologist. She has extensive experience in working with children, parents, families, young adults, and groups, with very good skills in assessing the case and designing the intervention strategy. One of the most important assets Irina has is the ability to create every time an individualized, flexible, and dynamic intervention, focused on the client's needs and resources, with a high rate of success. She can use a very large array of instruments and methods in her work, from non-directive to highly directive techniques, from very concrete to highly symbolic approaches, as requested by the case."

    Ioana Serb, Chair of Romanian Play therapy and Dramatherapy Association