about us

Who are we?

Chrysalis Art Psychotherapy was founded in 2009 by Avril Braham MSc, BSc Hons. We are a small collaboration of professionals who have over 40 years’ experience in mental health and the arts within education, health and community work, both statutory and non-statutory, and provide a specialist therapeutic service tailored to individual need.

Our service remains robust via a number of quality assurance measures such as external clinical supervision, the use of nationally recognised evaluation tools, a focus on continued professional development, and by keeping up with changes and improvements to regulations and guidelines as set out by our industry regulators, HCPC and BAAT.

We work closely with and positively encourage links with other professional services to ensure the most optimal outcomes and the safeguarding of all clients referred to Chrysalis Art Psychotherapy.

Avril

We abide by the code of conduct and principles of practice set by BAAT and HCPC.

Art Psychotherapy is a state registered profession and it is a legal requirement to be registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC), in order to practise anywhere in the UK as an Art Psychotherapist/Art Therapist.

Art Psychotherapists have a Master’s qualification in Art Psychotherapy and their professional body is the British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT).
https://www.baat.org

All our art therapy practitioners are:

  • Experienced, empathic and reflective mental health professionals trained in assessment, psychological development and treatment delivery to master’s level

  • Employed across a very wide range of statutory and non-statutory settings

  • Actively committed to Continued Professional Development

  • Active in social inclusion

Further to this, as Art Psychotherapists, we are trained to facilitate both non-verbal and verbal communication through the creative process and therapeutic relationship. We are trained in a psychodynamic approach with an understanding of psychotherapeutic theory and practice as well as child psychology and development.