ABOUT ME

Hi! My name is Irina Ioana Calota, and I am a licensed Play therapy and Drama therapy counselor and therapist, licensed Adlerian therapist & clinical psychologist, under the Romanian College of Psychologists, based in Amsterdam, since 2021.

One of my goals as a child psychologist is to create a safe space where clients can explore and create new pathways to overcome life challenges or discover their strengths. And in this self-discovering journey, we will use a lot of playful techniques.

play is life

 My Professional Journey

It all started seamlessly…

When I was studying Psychology at the University, I came across a book about Creative Therapies, such as Play, Drama, Dance, Art, and Movement therapies and I had that deep feeling of AHAAA…., this is what I would love to do in life.

So, I started my creative journey and for more than six years I worked with children from the autistic spectrum, and boy was that a challenge, but such a beautiful and fulfilling one! Nothing compares to those moments when a child or teenager from the spectrum creates connections and makes sense of himself and his place in the world, and of others.

And it became crystal clear that my goal is to work therapeutically with children and families, as a child psychologist. So, I followed three years of training to become an Adlerian Psychotherapist with the Romanian Association of Adlerian Psychology and Psychotherapy. And it was music to my ears to learn about the four C's, our universal needs, to CONNECT, CAPABLE, COUNT, and COURAGE, and explore so many parenting strategies.

Meanwhile, I had the huge opportunity to follow Dr. Sue Jennings's three years of unique training in Play and Drama therapy and I discovered so many ways of using play and drama with different types of clients (children, teenagers, adults, and groups). I found my "tribe" there, my safe place where I got in contact with my resources.

And day by day my wings started to grow bigger and bigger, so I flew the nest. I started to do summer camps and personal development workshops for children and teens, using play and drama. What a joy that was! It is magical to witness how a child rediscovers his authentic self, reconnects with his resources, and expresses so freely. You just need to create that safe place where he can feel accepted, respected, heard and seen, so he can embrace new experiences with confidence. And I had the best ingredient at hand: PLAY, the language of children.

My next journey which lasted six years took me to a private international school, where I worked as a school psychologist. So many people to work with and to offer guidance and support: students, parents, and teachers!  In this land, I could plant seeds of Encouragement, Trust, Acceptance, High Values, Love for yourself, others, and nature, Connection with emotions, and Assertiveness. And sometimes the ground was too dry, or a storm was coming but the important thing was to never stop Believing in the Beauty that lies in all of us. Sometimes you just need to dig some more or to have patience and trust the process of growing.

Meanwhile, as a volunteer, I said yes to an incredible experience: Magicamp summer camps for children and teenagers who lost a significant other. There I had the honor to conduct Grief plays and drama workshops. And what a profound and transformative experience that was! There is where I learned so much about Resilience, Hope, Inner Power, the cycle of life and death, and the magical effects of Connection and Being Together.

And then I started my private practice, as a play and drama therapist, working with families, children, teenagers, and young adults. What a blessing to guide and help so many people in their journeys, using play and drama tools!

So here I am, a play and drama therapy child psychologist, based in Amsterdam, starting a new chapter, as a Creative Psychologist and Coach!

Hope you will be part of my Journey and I will be part of yours! :)

Education and qualifications

Permanent tenure as a Teacher in Psychology, the result of a national exam, organized by the Romanian Ministry of Education, for Psycho-pedagogical counseling (2018)

Adlerian Psychotherapist diploma, Romanian Association of Adlerian Psychology and Psychotherapy APPAR (2009 – 2013)

Play Therapy and Drama therapy Counselor & Psychotherapist diploma, Romanian Association of Play Therapy and Dramatherapy, ATJDR (2009 – 2013)

Master's degree in Human Resources Management, Faculty of Communication and Public Relations of Bucharest "David Ogilvy", SNSPA (2004 – 2006)

Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Science of Education, Bucharest University (2000 - 2004)

Over 30 courses in Adlerian Psychology Play therapy and Drama therapy

Member of the Romanian College of Psychology, with the following qualifications:  Adlerian psychotherapy, Clinical psychology, Psychological counseling - Counselor through play and drama therapy specialty and Psychotherapy - Play therapy and drama therapy specialty, personal code 07483, since 2009

Board member of the Romanian Association of Play therapy and Dramatherapy, since 2020

“Change is inevitable.

Growth is optional.”

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