Health professionals for Anxiety and Stress near Kalamaria

Drivakou Despoina MSc, PhD(c) is a Child Psychologist with a private practice in Thessaloniki. She also provides supervision to early-career psychologists and mental health professionals in the initial stages of clinical practice. She holds a degree from the Department of Psychology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a Master's degree in Basic Methodology of Medical Research - Social Medicine - Public Health and Epidemiology from the Medical School of the same university. Additionally, she is a PhD candidate at the same institution. She has also trained in Systemic Family Psychotherapy, is a certified Life Coach, and consistently attends seminars and conferences related to the systemic approach. Other psychotherapeutic programs she has trained in include Psychodrama - basic training, Emotionally Focused Therapy - couples therapy, and developmental models specifically for couples in crisis due to substance, alcohol, and medication use, domestic violence, and narcissistic disorder. She has worked as educational staff in private adult education and currently works with children, adolescents, and couples, conducting systemic approach therapies and services related to young parents (parenting), fatherhood education, parental divorce, children's social skills, and sexuality. She regularly appears on Vergina TV, radio stations, and contributes articles to various magazines and her personal blog. Concurrently, she coordinates the Family Health forum, which has been organized over the past three years addressing issues related to family and children, involving many professionals from the health sector. Finally, she is a member of the Hellenic Psychological Society, the Hellenic Neuropsychological Society, the Systemic Society of Northern Greece, as well as other associations in Thessaloniki.

Vilou Eirini is a Psychologist - Clinical Neuropsychologist, Psychotherapist BSc, MSc, PhDc and maintains a private practice in Thessaloniki. She graduated from the Department of Psychology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, holds a master’s degree in Applied Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Neuropsychology, and is a doctoral candidate at the Medical School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She has extensive experience in clinical and research settings, having worked in public and private institutions such as the Neuropsychiatric Clinics “Stasinopoulos S.A.”, the AHEPA Dementia Clinic, and ELEPAP. Since 2025, she is responsible for mental health issues in the Curis Mind project of Curis Network in Cyprus, and she has participated in significant clinical trials for early Alzheimer’s disease (Evoke & Evoke+ studies). Additionally, she collaborates as a Psychotherapist with the Institute of Psychotherapy and Personal Development (IPSYPA) as an external associate. She has taught Biological Psychology at Mediterranean College and maintains an active scientific presence with publications in international journals and presentations at conferences. As an author, she has contributed to the collective work Neuropsychology of Genetic Syndromes (Gutenberg publishing), while standing out for her team spirit, organizational skills, and reliability.

Vagia Panagiotou is a licensed Psychologist and Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapist (CBT). She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Lincoln University (UK) and is licensed to practice by the Health Directorate of the Prefecture of Thessaloniki.

She obtained her Master’s degree in Communication from Sheffield University (UK) and completed a four-year specialized training program in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy through the Hellenic Association for Behavioral Research (EABCT-accredited), Macedonia Branch.

Her clinical experience includes working at the Day Care Center for People with Disabilities "Kivotos," and at the Psychological Center “Stirixis,” where she provided CBT-based support to individuals facing various psychological difficulties, under supervision.

She has completed further training in Couples and Family Counseling (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), in School Psychology (University of the Aegean), and in Special Education (University of Patras). She remains actively involved in continuing professional development and clinical supervision.

Vagia also worked for eight years at Make-A-Wish Greece, contributing significantly to psychosocial support services.

She currently runs her private practice in the heart of Thessaloniki, offering counseling and psychotherapy to adults and adolescents, both in-person and online. Her work focuses on the assessment, prevention, and treatment of a wide range of mental health conditions using evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Ioannou Xristina is a Psychologist - Psychotherapist and maintains her private practice in Thessaloniki. She holds a degree in Psychology from Aristotle University. She has completed an Annual Seminar in Clinical Psychopathology, a Theoretical Experiential Seminar on Understanding and Managing Self-Destructive Behavior, and has participated in a Self-Awareness Group and Seminars related to the First Interview Technique, Relaxation Methods, Daydream Technique, Breathing Exercises, and Addiction.

Antoniadou Katerina is a Clinical Psychologist - Psychotherapist and maintains a private practice in the center of Thessaloniki. She graduated from the Department of Psychology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and holds a postgraduate diploma in Liaison Psychiatry from the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She has been trained in a variety of psychotherapeutic approaches by certified institutions [Brief Intensive Dynamic Psychotherapy (iedta), Behavioral - Cognitive, Systemic - Family Therapy (efta)]. Additionally, she has participated in advanced training programs at clinical and university institutions on topics including clinical psychopathology, neuropsychology, clinical psychometrics, and special education. She has extensive experience in a broad spectrum of adult mental disorders.

Papigkioti Kleoniki MSc is a Psychologist - Psychotherapist who maintains a private practice in Thessaloniki. She graduated from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, specializing in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. From the beginning of her career, she was deeply moved by supporting individuals experiencing difficulties, which led her to work both professionally and through internships in organizations that protect children and women who have suffered abuse. She has focused on clinical training in Mental Health through her participation in postgraduate programs at Papageorgiou Hospital, as well as at Aeginiteio Hospital, while simultaneously enriching her clinical experience through her master's degree in Clinical Mental Health at the School of Medicine of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Throughout her professional career, she has worked therapeutically with children, adolescents, and adults, supporting individuals of all ages and identities in their unique challenges. What she loves most about her work is walking alongside each person on their path of self-awareness and self-management, creating a safe space for meaningful change and development.

Samara Anastasia is a Psychologist - Psychotherapist and maintains her private practice in the center of Thessaloniki. She is a graduate of the Psychology Department of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and has completed her postgraduate studies with distinction in “Clinical Mental Health” (M.Sc. Clinical Mental Health) at the School of Medicine of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. During her postgraduate studies, she had the opportunity to conduct her thesis research in the field of Anxiety and Depressive Disorders and to participate in research groups. Additionally, she has specialized in Person-Centered and Focusing Experiential Counseling Psychotherapy through the completion of the four-year program at the Hellenic Center for Focusing. During her studies and as part of her internship, she gained experience working in various settings, including the acute ward III of the Psychiatric Hospital of Thessaloniki, the 2nd University Clinic of the Psychiatric Hospital of Thessaloniki, the Social Service of the Hellenic Youth Association of Thessaloniki, the Non-Governmental Organization “METAdrasi,” and lifelong learning centers and educational institutions, where she coordinated parent groups. In recent years, she has been working as a Psychologist at the Non-Governmental Organization “ARSIS,” where she supports adults and adolescents from diverse social groups.

Η Μαρία Σαββίδου είναι Ψυχολόγος, Κλινικής - Κοινωνικής κατεύθυνσης και κάτοχος Άδειας Ασκήσεως Επαγγέλματος Ψυχολόγου. Αποφοίτησε από το Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης (2009), ενώ έλαβε υποτροφία από το University of Groningen της Ολλανδίας. Από το 2016, διατηρεί ιδιωτικό γραφείο στο κέντρο της Θεσσαλονίκης, όπου παρέχει υπηρεσίες ψυχολογικής υποστήριξης σε ενήλικες, εφήβους και παιδιά.

Εξειδικεύτηκε στην Μουσικοθεραπεία (ΜΑ) στο τμήμα Μουσικής και Κοινωνίας του Πανεπιστημίου Μακεδονίας και η θεραπευτική της προσέγγιση βασίζεται στο ανθρωπιστικό μοντέλο, με κεντρικούς άξονες την αποδοχή, την ενσυναίσθηση και την αυθεντική θεραπευτική σχέση. Παράλληλα, αξιοποιεί και στοιχεία από διαφορετικές θεωρητικές προσεγγίσεις, όπως είναι η Ψυχανάλυση, η Γνωστική - συμπεριφορική θεραπεία (CBT) και η Νευροψυχολογία, ανάλογα με το εξατομικευμένο πλάνο και το θεραπευτικό αίτημα. Ακόμη, μέσα από την κλινική της εμπειρία, εξειδικεύτηκε στις μαθησιακές δυσκολίες, την κατάθλιψη και τις διαταραχές άγχους.

Σημαντικό σταθμό στην πορεία της αποτελεί η κλινική της άσκηση στην Παιδοψυχιατρική Κλινική του Νοσοκομείου Παπανικολάου Θεσσαλονίκης, όπου εργάστηκε ως Μουσικοθεραπεύτρια και συνέβαλε στη διαμόρφωση και εφαρμογή καινοτόμων θεραπευτικών παρεμβάσεων σε πανελλήνιο επίπεδο.

Επέλεξε επίσης να εξειδικευτεί και στη Συμβουλευτική Σταδιοδρομίας, καθώς πιστεύει ότι η επαγγελματική ζωή είναι πολύ σημαντική και δύναται να επηρεάσει την ψυχικής μας υγεία. Η δυνατότητα να υποστηρίζει εφήβους και ενήλικες σε κρίσιμες αποφάσεις ζωής και να τους βοηθάει να ενισχύσουν την αυτογνωσία τους, αλλά και να ευθυγραμμίσουν τις επιλογές με τις αξίες τους και τις δυνατότητές τους, αποτέλεσε για εκείνη μια προέκταση του θεραπευτικού της έργου.

Επιπλέον, έχει εργαστεί στο Συμβουλευτικό Σταθμό Νέων Ν. Κοζάνης, στο Πρόγραμμα Προαγωγής Αυτοβοήθειας (ΑΠΘ), στο Κέντρο Πρόληψης και Συμβουλευτικής Θεσσαλονίκης και σε άλλες εθελοντικές, δημόσιες και ιδιωτικές δομές.

Η επιλογή της επιστήμης της Ψυχολογίας ήταν μια συνειδητή απόφαση από νεαρή ηλικία, καθώς είχε έντονο ενδιαφέρον για την ανθρώπινη επικοινωνία, τη συναισθηματική κατανόηση και τις διαπροσωπικές σχέσεις. Μέχρι και σήμερα, συνεχίζει να επιμορφώνεται και να είναι ενεργή στο ερευνητικό πεδίο, με σκοπό να κατανοεί σε μεγαλύτερο βάθος τον άνθρωπο - τις σκέψεις, τα συναισθήματα και τις σχέσεις του, αλλά και το πως αυτά επηρεάζονται από το εκάστοτε κοινωνικό και πολιτισμικό πλαίσιο.

Για εκείνη, η ψυχολογία δεν είναι απλά μια επαγγελματική επιλογή, αλλά μια διαρκής πορεία γνώσης και ουσιαστικής ανθρώπινης σύνδεσης. Αντιλαμβάνεται τη θεραπευτική διαδικασία ως ένα ζωντανό χώρο συνάντησης, όπου η δυσκολία μπορεί να ειπωθεί με ασφάλεια και ο άνθρωπος να ξαναβρεί τη σχέση με τον εαυτό του σε ένα πλαίσιο αποδοχής, σεβασμού και ουσιαστικής παρουσίας.

Olympia Xalikiopoulou is a Psychologist licensed to practice, with postgraduate specializations in Clinical Neuropsychology and Neurosciences from Leiden University in the Netherlands and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, respectively. Over the past decade, she has been professionally active in Thessaloniki, where she maintains a private practice. She has worked with adolescents and children with neurodevelopmental difficulties within the framework of psychosocial support, as well as with adults facing issues related to anxiety, phobias, relationship problems, and psychosomatic symptoms. Currently, she practices privately, providing individual sessions for adults. In her clinical practice, she employs an integrative model, incorporating techniques and methodologies from the main psychotherapeutic approaches as well as principles from neuroscience in order to offer personalized support plans tailored to each individual. Additionally, she maintains a long-term collaboration with a private educational institution as a Psychology instructor. In 2017, she obtained certification in Greek Sign Language (GSL) from the Hellenic Federation of the Deaf, ensuring equal access to mental health services.

Ntourou Iliana MSc is a graduate of Psychology from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, with a master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Netherlands. She specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) through the Hellenic Association of Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy (HACBP) according to the criteria of the European Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (EABCT), and since 2021 she has been a doctoral candidate in the Medical Department of the University of Ioannina. In recent years, she has been providing psychotherapy sessions in the center of Thessaloniki. Simultaneously, since 2022, she holds a position as a Collaborating Researcher at the National Center for Research (CERTH), where among her duties are conducting research studies and providing training to healthcare professionals. Finally, she is under continuous supervision for the management of her cases.

Theodora Karyati is a licensed Psychologist - Psychotherapist specializing in Systemic Psychotherapy. She supports adults dealing with anxiety, difficulties in relationships, and everyday life challenges, offering a space where they can speak openly and safely. The Systemic approach focuses on how relationships and life experiences influence one’s mental reality. Through the therapeutic process, thoughts, emotions, and patterns are explored with the aim of finding more functional ways of understanding and managing them. The collaboration is based on respect, confidentiality, and adaptation to the needs and pace of each individual. If someone is going through a period where something is challenging them, such as anxiety, stress, or relationship difficulties, it may be worthwhile to give it space and explore it.

The sessions are conducted exclusively in Greek