Health professionals for Psychogenic Bulimia - Psychogenic Anorexia in the Northern suburbs of Athens

Anna Georgiou BSc, MSc is a Dietitian-Nutritionist and maintains a private practice in Agia Paraskevi. She holds a degree from the Dietetics department of Queen Margaret University in Scotland and a postgraduate degree in "Applied Dietetics and Nutrition" from Harokopio University of Athens. She has worked as a Clinical Dietitian at the Athens Medical Center, and currently, in addition to her private practice, she works as a Dietitian-Nutritionist at IASIS Medical Diagnostic Centers. Finally, she is a regular member of the Hellenic Association of Dietitians-Nutritionists.

Georgioudaki Natasa is a Dietitian - Nutritionist and maintains a private practice in Marousi. She studied "Dietetics - Nutrition Science" at Harokopio University of Athens. After completing her undergraduate studies, she pursued a master's degree in "Applied Nutrition - Dietetics," specializing in "Nutrition and Exercise." Simultaneously, she completed her internship at major hospitals in Attica, such as the General Hospital of Piraeus "Tzaneio," "G. Gennimatas" Hospital, and the Children's Hospital "Agia Sofia," thereby gaining exposure to a broad range of clinical cases. She has experience collaborating with leading companies, scientific teams, and organizations in the health and wellness sector, as well as working with individuals seeking to improve their quality of life. She specializes in modern techniques and counseling for weight management in children, adolescents, and adults; nutrition during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause; eating disorders; health, wellness, exercise, and longevity coaching; nutritional management of allergies and intolerances; gastrointestinal diseases, particularly irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux; dyslipidemias; high blood sugar and insulin resistance; hypertension; and metabolic syndrome.

Konstantinos Giannoukakis is a graduate of the Psychology Department at Hunter College, City University of New York. He studied in Manhattan, New York, where he lived for six years, and then moved to Athens to pursue his postgraduate studies. He obtained his master's degree in Clinical and Community Psychology from the University of East London and has been trained in Cognitive-Analytic Psychotherapy (Hellenic Association for Cognitive-Analytic Psychotherapy). Additionally, he regularly participates in seminars and therapeutic technique training, as well as various psychology conferences. During his military service, he served as a Psychologist in the Psychosocial Care Unit in Lemnos, gaining extensive experience due to a wide range of cases at both clinical and social levels. He has also worked at PEPSAE (Panhellenic Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Professional Reintegration), where the aim was the smooth social integration of individuals with psychosocial difficulties.

Η Αθηνά Γονατά είναι Ψυχολόγος και Ψυχοθεραπεύτρια, αριστούχος απόφοιτη του Τμήματος Ψυχολογίας του Εθνικού και Καποδιστριακού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών (ΕΚΠΑ) και κάτοχος άδειας ασκήσεως επαγγέλματος Ψυχολόγου (Αρ. Πρωτ. 315016). Πραγματοποιεί ατομικές συνεδρίες ψυχοθεραπείας σε εφήβους και ενήλικες και συνεδρίες θεραπείας ζεύγους, δια ζώσης στο Νέο Ψυχικό και online.

Έχει ολοκληρώσει την εκπαίδευσή της στην Γνωσιακή & Αναλυτική Ψυχοθεραπεία στο Ιατρικό Ψυχοθεραπευτικό Κέντρο Θεσσαλονίκης (Ι.Ψ.Κ.). Παράλληλα είναι εκπαιδευόμενη στην Συστημική Οικογενειακή Θεραπεία στο Κέντρο Συστημικής Θεραπείας, Εκπαίδευσης και Συμβουλευτικής (Κε.ΣΥ.Θ.Ε.Σ.), διευρύνοντας την επιστημονική και θεραπευτική της κατάρτιση με έμφαση στην κατανόηση του ανθρώπου μέσα στο πλαίσιο των σχέσεων και του περιβάλλοντός του.

Η θεραπευτική της πορεία ξεκίνησε στο Ψυχιατρικό Τμήμα του Γενικού Νοσοκομείου Αθηνών «Γ. Γεννηματάς», όπου ήρθε σε επαφή με διαφορετικές κλινικές εικόνες, ανθρώπους και θεραπευτικές ανάγκες. Η εμπειρία αυτή αποτέλεσε σημαντικό βήμα και συνέβαλε ουσιαστικά στον τρόπο με τον οποίο διαμορφώθηκε η θεραπευτική της ματιά.

Η θεραπευτική της προσέγγιση βασίζεται στην εξατομικευμένη κατανόηση κάθε ανθρώπου και της προσωπικής του ιστορίας. Ιδιαίτερη σημασία δίνει στον τρόπο με τον οποίο διαμορφώνονται και επαναλαμβάνονται μοτίβα στις σχέσεις, στην επικοινωνία και στον τρόπο με τον οποίο οι άνθρωποι συνδέονται μεταξύ τους. Η οπτική αυτή αξιοποιείται τόσο στην ατομική ψυχοθεραπεία όσο και στην θεραπεία ζεύγους, όπου το ενδιαφέρον στρέφεται στην δυναμική της σχέσης, στις ανάγκες των δύο συντρόφων, στους τρόπους επικοινωνίας και στις δυσκολίες που μπορεί να έχουν δημιουργηθεί μεταξύ τους.

Η θεραπεία αποτελεί έναν χώρο όπου μπορεί κανείς να σταθεί με μεγαλύτερη προσοχή στις σκέψεις, τα συναισθήματα και τις σχέσεις του, να κατανοήσει καλύτερα όσα τον δυσκολεύουν και να επεξεργαστεί όσα βιώνει με τον δικό του ρυθμό. Μέσα σε ένα πλαίσιο αποδοχής και ασφάλειας, η θεραπευτική διαδικασία μπορεί να ανοίξει τον δρόμο για νέους, πιο λειτουργικούς τρόπους διαχείρισης των δυσκολιών και της σύνδεσης με τον εαυτό και τους άλλους.

Η Γραβάνη Βάλια είναι Ψυχολόγος - Ψυχοθεραπεύτρια και διατηρεί ιδιωτικό γραφείο στη Νέα Φιλοθέη Αμπελοκήπων. Είναι απόφοιτος του Deree – The American University of Greece, όπου σπούδασε Ψυχολογία, και έχει εκπαιδευτεί στην Ψυχοδυναμική Προσέγγιση μέσω της Ελληνικής Εταιρίας Ομαδικής Ανάλυσης και Ψυχοθεραπείας.

Έχει επαγγελματική εμπειρία ως Ψυχολόγος σε Κέντρο Ειδικών Θεραπειών ενώ έχει πραγματοποιήσει την πρακτική της άσκηση σε Κέντρο Ημέρας του 6ου Τομέα Ψυχικής Υγείας Αττικής, αποκτώντας εμπειρία στον χώρο της ψυχικής υγείας και της ψυχοκοινωνικής υποστήριξης.

Στο πλαίσιο της επαγγελματικής της δραστηριότητας, ασχολείται με ζητήματα όπως η κατάθλιψη, το άγχος και το στρες, οι κρίσεις πανικού και οι φοβίες, οι διαπροσωπικές σχέσεις, οι ψυχοσωματικές εκδηλώσεις, η συναισθηματική υπερφαγία και οι εθισμοί. Ακολουθεί την Ψυχοδυναμική Ψυχοθεραπεία, προσεγγίζοντας τις δυσκολίες του κάθε ατόμου με στόχο την κατανόηση των βαθύτερων αιτιών τους, την ενίσχυση της αυτογνωσίας και την ανάπτυξη πιο λειτουργικών τρόπων διαχείρισης των συναισθημάτων και των διαπροσωπικών σχέσεων.

Έχει συμμετάσχει σε συνέδρια και εκπαιδευτικά προγράμματα σχετικά με τη νευροψυχολογία, την ψυχολογική έρευνα, την ψυχαναλυτική θεωρία και πρακτική, την ψυχική υγεία της γυναίκας, καθώς και διαφορετικές ψυχοθεραπευτικές και αξιολογικές προσεγγίσεις.

Alexandros Diamantis is a psychologist-psychotherapist, who graduated from the Department of Psychology of the University of East London and obtained his degree in 2017. In 2019 he completed his Master’s degree from the Department of Clinical and Community Psychology at the University of East London. In 2023 he completed a four-year specialization in the psychotherapeutic approach to Cognitive and Behavioural-Behavioural Therapy (RECBT) from the Hellenic Institute of RECBT. He has attended a series of trainings and conferences on areas, such as clinical assessment, psychometric tools, marketing psychology, eating disorders, children’s drawing analysis and forensic psychology. Additionally, he has completed a training on the Social & Clinical View of Addictions from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He continues to attend numerous seminars and conferences on various fields of psychology as well as specializing in other psychotherapeutic approaches. His researches and articles have been published and presented at conferences, such as the Panhellenic Psychology Conference of ELPSE in 2019. He has been providing mental health services since 2016 as part of his internship at the care unit for the elderly with dementia and Alzheimer’s “AKTIOS”. He has gained clinical experience as a psychotherapist as part of his specialization in RECBT working with a variety of social groups. He maintains a private office in Neo Heraklion, Attica and conducts live and online sessions.

The office manager is Diamantis Akis Kai Synergates, Psychologist – Psychoanalyst, PhD, graduate of the Department of Psychology at Panteion University, member of the Hellenic Psychoanalytic Society and the International Psychoanalytic Association. He has completed postgraduate studies in Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology at Paris 7 – Denis Diderot University, in the Doctoral School of Research in Psychoanalysis.

From 2008 to 2018, he worked at the University Child Psychiatry Clinic of the General Children's Hospital "Agia Sofia," where he served as head of the Center for Adolescent Training and Psychosocial Support. He has extensive clinical experience in adult psychoanalysis and psychotherapy for children and adolescents.

The psychological office in Cholargos operates as a modern clinical setting for psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, oriented towards scientific validity, the therapeutic relationship, and respect for the uniqueness of each patient. Therapeutic work is conducted within a stable and organized clinical framework, supported by collaborators with diverse psychotherapeutic specializations, sharing a common foundation in clinical reasoning and mental health ethics.

The office functions as a dynamic space for clinical practice, dialogue, and collaboration, offering comprehensive psychotherapeutic care for adults, children, and adolescents.

Eleonora Tsilimpakou is a Social Worker, graduate of Democritus University of Thrace, with postgraduate studies in Clinical Social Work with families and children from the University of West Attica. After completing her postgraduate studies, she trained as a Career Guidance Counselor at the Higher School of Pedagogical and Technological Education and completed a four-year training program in Gestalt Psychotherapy at the Gestalt Foundation Psychotherapy and Training Center. Additionally, she has been trained in coordinating parent groups by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, as well as in the Healthy Relationship Building Program between the two genders. She possesses extensive professional experience as a Social Worker, having worked in both private and public sectors, including the Elderly Care Unit "Frontizo," the Adult Psychiatric Clinic "Agia Aikaterini," the 2nd Special Vocational Education and Training Laboratory (EEEKK) of Piraeus "Anixi," the Foster Care Service of SOS Children’s Villages, the 2nd Local Health Unit of Nea Filadelfeia, as well as the Day Center for Children and Adolescents of the Hellenic Society of Medical Psychology. As a Career Guidance Counselor, she has collaborated with the Career Office of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and since 2020 she has maintained a private practice in Agia Paraskevi, Attica, where she provides psychotherapy services in both individual and group settings.

Empeoglou Varvara holds a Professional Practice License, a degree in Psychology from the University of Essex, and a postgraduate degree in Applied Clinical Psychology from the University of Central Lancashire. She has certified training in Group Analytical Psychotherapy, Couples and Family Counseling, as well as the international four-year postgraduate program at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Systemic, Dialogical, and Narrative Approaches, focusing her therapeutic practice on postmodern forms of psychotherapy. Additionally, she possesses certifications in brief therapeutic interventions such as Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Narrative Therapy. These approaches, with their practical and immediately applicable nature, complement long-term therapy by facilitating small, actionable steps of change that empower the therapeutic process. Her clinical experience includes internship at Sismanoglio Hospital, in the Adult Psychiatric Clinic and the Eating Disorders Unit, as well as collaborations with clinics, care and rehabilitation units, specialized therapy centers, and mental health centers. Currently, she works as a Clinical Psychologist in a group of elder care units and maintains a private practice in Nea Erythraia, providing psychotherapeutic support to adults, adolescents, couples, families, as well as parent counseling. Concurrently, she actively participates in scientific conferences, seminars, and workshops, enhancing her therapeutic practice with insights from the continuous advancement of science.

Eustathiou Eugenia is a Psychologist - Psychotherapist and maintains her private practice in Neo Psychiko. She holds a degree in Psychology from Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences and a Master's Degree in School Psychology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She has specialized in Systemic-Family Psychotherapy at the Laboratory for the Investigation of Human Relationships and has worked as a Psychologist in Primary Schools as well as in municipal institutions. She has provided therapeutic work with individuals, families, and groups, assisting them in addressing personal challenges, building more functional interpersonal relationships, and gaining deeper self-awareness. Additionally, she has participated in conferences and postgraduate seminars, as continuous education is an integral part of her professional career.

Zarogkika Lina is a Psychologist specializing in Counseling Psychology and Psychotherapy. She holds a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from London Metropolitan University and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of East London. Her studies, combined with her clinical experience, have equipped her with a deep understanding of human emotions and behaviors. Her therapeutic approach is based on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), while also employing an integrative model utilizing tools from systemic, psychodynamic, gestalt, mindfulness, and other modalities. She has been trained and specializes in couples therapy, eating disorder treatment, clinical psychology, sexual education, anxiety, as well as other areas and approaches within the field. With experience in mental health settings and participation in scientific research projects, her aim is to provide practical and meaningful solutions. She focuses on the uniqueness of each individual and creates a safe and supportive environment to help clients address their challenges. Through empathy and contemporary therapeutic methods, she assists in redefining issues for a more functional and balanced daily life. A crucial component of all the above is the establishment of a therapeutic alliance with trust as its fundamental element.

Zerva Stauroula Kai Synergates is a Psychologist - Hypnotherapist with private practices in Marousi and Kalamata. She is a graduate of the Psychology Department of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, holding a master's degree in Clinical Psychology from American Liberty University, training in Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy and Counseling at the Academy of Psychotherapy & Counseling, and specialization in therapeutic hypnosis, possessing multiple certifications in Clinical Hypnotherapy. She has 18 years of experience conducting individual sessions and group therapy, offering counseling sessions online for clients residing in other parts of Greece and abroad. Furthermore, her team includes trained collaborators specializing in therapeutic hypnosis at both her Marousi and Kalamata offices. Under her supervision and through the tailored therapy programs created by Stauroula based on each client's needs, they conduct individual sessions and couples therapy.

Η Ηλιοπούλου Τέτα είναι Σύμβουλος Ψυχικής Υγείας με πολυετή επαγγελματική εμπειρία, η οποία ξεπερνά τα είκοσι έτη. Παρέχει υπηρεσίες συμβουλευτικής και ψυχοθεραπείας, πραγματοποιώντας συνεδρίες δια ζώσης και διαδικτυακά.

Οι σπουδές της περιλαμβάνουν:

·        Κοινωνική Εργασία (Chette College)

·        Συνθετική Συμβουλευτική Ψυχοθεραπεία (Athens Synthesis Centre)

·        Ψυχολογία [BSc (Hons) Psychology Πανεπιστήμιο του Essex]

Από το 2005 ασχολείται με την συμβουλευτική ζεύγους, την προσωπική θεραπεία και συντονίζει ομάδες αυτογνωσίας – ψυχοθεραπείας.

Από το 2010 διατηρεί ιδιωτικό γραφείο στη Νέα Ιωνία Αττικής.

Ενημερώνεται συνεχώς στον εξελισσόμενο χώρο της ψυχολογίας και ψυχοθεραπείας, μέσω σεμιναρίων και διαρκή προσωπική ανάπτυξη.

Επίσης, συνεργάζεται με ψυχίατρο όπου απαιτείται και διατηρεί την εποπτεία των περιστατικών της.

Η επαγγελματική υποστήριξη προσφέρει ένα ασφαλές πλαίσιο αποδοχής, σεβασμού και εχεμύθειας. Απευθύνεται σε όσους επιθυμούν να διαχειριστούν προσωπικές ή διαπροσωπικές δυσκολίες, να ξεπεράσουν συναισθηματικά αδιέξοδα και να επενδύσουν στην αυτογνωσία και την προσωπική τους εξέλιξη.

Η θεωρητική προσέγγιση που ακολουθείται είναι συνθετική, συνδυάζοντας στοιχεία και τεχνικές από διαφορετικές κατευθύνσεις, με βασικούς πυλώνες τις εξής:

Τη Γνωσιακή - Συμπεριφορική για αναγνώριση και τροποποίηση του σκεπτικού και της συμπεριφοράς που δείχνουν αδιέξοδα.

Την Ψυχοδυναμική για ιχνηλάτηση του παρελθόντος (πρώιμες παιδικές εμπειρίες) που έχουν διαμορφώσει ένα μοντέλο λειτουργίας του ατόμου.

Την Υπαρξιακή που εστιάζει στις επιλογές του παρόντος, στο προσωπικό νόημα και στις σχέσεις. Παρέχει ένα πλαίσιο διαχείρισης θεμελιωδών υπαρξιακών ζητημάτων (άγχος, μοναξιά, ελευθερία, φόβος θανάτου). Στις ομάδες εφαρμόζεται αποκλειστικά η συγκεκριμένη προσέγγιση.

Κυρίαρχη σε κάθε περίπτωση, η Προσωποκεντρική θεώρηση, όπου η έμφαση δίνεται πρώτα στον άνθρωπο και έπειτα στο πρόβλημά του. Υπάρχει η πίστη ότι κάθε άτομο διαθέτει θετικές πλευρές και ένα εσωτερικό δυναμικό, ικανό να υποστηρίξει την ανάπτυξη και την υπέρβαση των δυσκολιών της ζωής. 

Iakovou Aleksandra is a Psychologist - Psychotherapist (MSc-CBT) who maintains a private practice in Nea Erythraia and collaborates with a psychotherapy center in downtown Athens. She studied Psychology at the University of Greenwich in England (BSc) and has been trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Additionally, she completed postgraduate studies in Health Psychology at the University of Lancashire in England. She has also completed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. She completed her internship at "The Smile of the Child," where she provided psychological support to children up to 8 years old, as well as at "18 and Over," where she conducted sessions with individuals with eating disorders. Her focus is on the treatment of anxiety, depression, eating disorders, pain management, as well as enhancing self-confidence and changing behaviors that lead to the adoption of a balanced diet. Psychotherapy aids in self-recognition, as each person learns more about their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This is when the desired change begins.

Kalaitzi Myrto is a Psychologist who maintains a private practice in Nea Filothei. She graduated with honors from the Department of Psychology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, as well as from the Department of Philosophy, Education, and Psychology with a specialization in Psychology at the same university. Subsequently, she pursued postgraduate studies in "Applied Clinical Psychology" at UCLAN University in England and underwent psychodynamic training in the diagnosis and treatment of children, adolescents, and adults at DIKEPSY. She has worked as a Psychologist at KEDASY, in primary schools of the Chalandri municipality, and in a special secondary education school. Additionally, she has been employed at the Psychosocial Unit of the Samos Reception and Identification Center (KYT) of the National Public Health Organization (EODY) and at a center for therapy of children and adolescents. She possesses extensive experience with all age groups (children, adolescents, adults) and vulnerable populations. Finally, she has participated in numerous educational and scientific seminars, conferences, and workshops.