About Me
My name is Shahar P Mechrez, I am a certified creative arts therapist - bibliotherapist practising in North Finchley, London, UK. Additionally, I have a B.Ed. in early childhood special educational needs or disability (SEND), with a speciality in working with neurodivergent children, particularly those with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
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I am a member of the Israeli Creative and Expressive Therapies Association ‘YAHAT’,
a registered Arts Therapist with the UK Health and Care Professions Council - HCPC (Registration number AS018085), and the British Association of Art Therapists (membership number 62134).
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Bibliotherapy is a therapeutic method that enables me to try and help others by listening to their reflections and interpretations of various texts such as novels, short stories, poems, oral storytelling, movies, and writing interventions. In my experience, bibliotherapy allows deeper access to one's subconscious, which in turn, may make the therapeutic process more effective and efficient.
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I offer therapy sessions both in English and Hebrew.
Education
2024 - Current
'Shorashim' Centre | Israel
Couples and Family Therapy studies
2024
Family Futures |
London | UK
Therapeutic Life Story Work Training
2023 - 2024
Tavistock Relationships |
London | UK
CPD Certificate in Psychosexual Studies
2023
Family Futures |
London | UK
Theraplay Level 1 and Group Theraplay
2023
Tavistock Relationships |
London | UK
CPD Foundation Certificate in Couple Counselling and Psychotherapy
2020- 2021
'Limud Karov' | Israel
CPD Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
2018 - 2019
Dyadic Treatment seminar
Child Development Psychology Centre | Haifa | Israel
Beginners and an advanced seminar in Dyadic Treatment
2016 - 2020
University of Haifa | Israel
M.A Creative Arts Therapy - Bibliotherapy
Thesis - The 'Self' and the 'Other' in the birth stories of first-time fathers
2012 - 2015
Levinsky College of Education | Tel - Aviv | Israel
B.Ed. Early Childhood Special Education
Experience
2023 - Current
2022 - Current
2022 - Current
2020 - 2022
2019
2017-2019
2016
2015 - 2018
I work as a contractor at the Barent Council Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF). I support children and their Special Guardians in addressing attachment issues through individual and joint sessions, as well as one-on-one sessions with the carers.
At my private clinic I offer short and long-term individual, dyadic, and family therapy sessions as well as parent counselling using bibliotherapy alongside other therapy methods such as play therapy and talking therapy.
Short-term bibliotherapy group 'Women Talk About Relocation'.
I led small-scale children’s groups, in which we read children's literature and poetry, carefully chosen to address themes and narratives that arise during the sessions.
Short-term bibliotherapy groups with single mothers and their children based on a dyadic model combined with storytelling.
Short and long-term dyadic therapy supporting young children (2-7 years old) and their parents/caregivers, aimed to deal with daily life problems, and complex issues such as anxiety, trichotillomania, separation-individuation processes, and nocturnal enuresis.
Long-term weekly individual therapy sessions with adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP), in which we discussed issues such as belonging and independence.
Nursery teacher for neurodivergent children with issues ranging from language, developmental disabilities & Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).