Preethy Grima

I am an art psychotherapist/ mental health mentor. I use DBT (Dialectical Behavioural Therapy) and ETC (Expressive Therapy Continuum) as part of my art psychotherapy practice depending on my client's needs. I support my clients to flourish, I would consider how they want to be supported, whilst considering their emotional, cognitive, physiological and behavioural impacts of mental health difficulties inclusive of birth related trauma.

Isolation from families or communities can create loneliness, resulting in their vulnerability and poor resilience in what they want to achieve in life. Relationship issues may add to this. Besides, use of drugs and alcohol may obstruct client's concentration in general, and overall performance at work, studies and personal level.

Other mental health concerns are self-harm, eating disorders, psychosis, conduct disorders and suicidal thoughts. I am skilled to explore people's challenges in depth, reflecting on my theoretical ground as well as years of my experience at both professional and personal level.

I have worked with refugees, mothers and children in the domestic violence shelter, targeted group of people in the children centre and students at university. I am experienced in conducting assessments (inclusive of risk assessment), therapy intervention and working towards ending sensitively. I also have an experience of working with people who had birth trauma (e.g., repeated miscarriages and stillbirth).

In doing so, I faced with how mental health conditions are stigmatised within some communities i.e., individuals may not be able to receive any adequate support within families or communities. My art psychotherapist skills coupled with an additional DBT (Dialectical Behavioural Therapy) and ETC (Expressive Therapy Continuum) training serve as a powerful psychological intervention for people and their families who come from diverse backgrounds, where the same words and dialogues may be understood differently. Art can serve as a non-judgemental tool where people are likely to overcome frustrations if they were not allowed to express their feelings previously, or neither understood of their challenges in the way they wanted.

Words may be added gradually at their own pace where people and their family feel safe to explore in-depth meaning of those images or products being created within the interaction with myself as a therapist.

Art Psychotherapy, Goldsmiths, University of London/ 2010 - 2012