Mental Health Counselors

Gesthimani Pantelidou is a Mental Health Counselor - Psychotherapist and has been running the Mental Health Center - "aniGma" in Nea Smyrni for the past 7 years. She deals with issues related to personal anxieties, difficulties and dilemmas, family matters, issues and challenges concerning adolescents and the elderly, as well as emotional, psychosomatic, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress, and the management of loss and grief. Additionally, as a personal coach with extensive experience in the business sector, she supports the encouragement of change, motivation, utilization of personal potential, enhancement of self-confidence and self-esteem, management of indecisiveness, as well as goal setting and achievement. Based on the Synthetic Approach, she combines techniques from Person-Centered, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Psychodynamic therapies, as well as personal coaching techniques, to flexibly adapt to the needs and personality of each client. In today’s era of general disorientation and loneliness, the human individual strives to cope with pain, fear, and anxiety arising from the ambiguity of their constantly changing life. Psychological support and counseling sessions aim to reveal the distinctly personal functional adaptation method of the individual to the present and future of their life, discovering the unused potentials of their soul in conjunction with the ongoing cultivation of their communication skills with their environment.

“...I am not entirely guilty for the life I lead, since I did not choose it, nor am I entirely innocent from the moment I continue it...”

A Step Beyond is a center for Counseling, Psychotherapy, Personal Development, Wellness, and Prosperity Growth. It was established by Kentro Psyxikis Ygeias Kai Euimerias A Step Beyond - Katranis Konstantinos Kai Synergates with the aim of providing therapies to individuals who wish to overcome their problems, to make their lives fuller and more beautiful, and to be guided towards wellness and prosperity through the necessary and appropriate means. The center’s specialists act as allies and companions for those who seek to discover new strategies and apply them, to enhance and utilize their internal resources, to learn new things or to view old matters from new perspectives, to heal traumas, to acquire new skills, to overcome fears and phobias, to eliminate chronic stress, and to live mindfully in the present moment, setting goals and achieving them. At A Step Beyond, the individual’s needs are addressed by selecting the appropriate specialist from among the trained Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Mental Health Professionals, or Personal Development Counselors to design a flexible and tailored evolution plan for each person.

Xorianopoulou Andriani is a Mental Health Counselor - Psychotherapist with a private practice in Pangrati. She holds a degree in Sociology from Panteion University and a master's degree in Counseling and Psychotherapy from the University of East London. Additionally, she specialized in Cognitive Psychotherapy at the Kostas Stefanis Research University Institute of Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine, in collaboration with the First Psychiatric Clinic of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She has also volunteered as a psychotherapist at the Social Protection and Solidarity Organization of the Municipality of Vrilissia and at the Parental Equality for the Child Association. Furthermore, in the context of ongoing professional development, she has attended numerous training programs, workshops, and seminars and is a member of the Hellenic Association of Cognitive Psychotherapies and the European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies.

Markou Anni is a Mental Health Counselor - Synthetic Approach Psychotherapist and maintains a private practice in Marousi. She is specialized in Person-Centered, Cognitive Behavioral, and Psychodynamic approaches. She holds a master's degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the University of East London and has specialized in couples therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) as well as the Hellenic Society for Counselling & Psychotherapy. With initial studies in Business Administration at the Hellenic Open University, she has accumulated extensive experience working in human resources and organizational management departments, where she quickly recognized the significant role of psychological issues affecting people in their daily lives, as well as the ways they manage their personality traits. With a primary goal of continuous education and professional development, she consistently attends training courses, seminars, conferences, and workshops. Currently, she is continuing her studies in Psychology (BSc Psychology) at the European University Cyprus. Her practice handles cases of generalized anxiety, panic disorder, insomnia, phobias, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, grief, addictions, self-esteem issues, psychosomatic problems, and communication difficulties at personal or professional levels. Lastly, she conducts couples therapy sessions addressing issues concerning the relationship of the couple.

Xristou A Maria Kai Synergates is an Psychotherapist - Art Therapist specializing in Counseling Psychotherapy for children and adults, and maintains a private practice in Thessaloniki. She specializes in therapy and counseling for children, adults, and families, utilizing Art Therapy and Sandplay therapy methods. These two methods can be used in combination with Counseling Psychotherapy to maximize therapeutic outcomes. She obtained her master's degree in Expressive Psychotherapy in 2000 from Lesley University in Cambridge, United States. Since then, she has worked for over ten years as an Art Therapist both in the USA and Greece. Specifically, from 1989 to 2004, she worked at organizations including Summer Camp Organization (Stockholm, Sweden), Alsten School (Stockholm, Sweden), Ilex / Vinfen Corporation (Massachusetts, USA), Arlington Youth Counseling Center (Massachusetts, USA), YWCA (X.E.N., Maryland, USA), North Charles Inc., Mental Health & Addiction Services (Massachusetts, USA), and Turnaround Inc. (Baltimore, Maryland, USA). The specialist speaks Greek, Swedish, and English. She is a certified Art Therapist by the US Art Therapy Credentials Board and a member of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association and the Swedish Family Therapy Association.

Giorgos Rossonis is a Psychotherapist - Mental Health Counselor with private practices in Pagkrati and Kifisia. He holds a degree from the Department of Philosophy, Pedagogy, and Psychology with a specialization in Psychology from the University of Ioannina. He possesses a Diploma in Counseling Skills from the Athens Synthesis Center and has completed postgraduate training in Integrative Psychotherapy at the same Center. Additionally, he has attended training programs on "Learning Disabilities and Counseling Skills for Specialists and Educators" and "Contemporary Issues in Child Psychiatry" at the General Children's Hospital "P. & A. Kyriakou." He has completed his internship in numerous groups both abroad and domestically within the alcohol detoxification program at the 10th Alcoholics DAFNI. Furthermore, he has worked as a Counselor on the 24-hour psychological support line for the armed forces at the Inter-Branch Mental Health Center of the Armed Forces, as well as in the Wishes Department of Make-A-Wish Greece. Finally, he is a member of the European Society of Integrative Psychotherapy and the Hellenic Society of Integrative Counseling and Psychotherapy. As a psychotherapist, he is dedicated to helping individuals on their journey toward self-discovery, confronting their fears, and progressing toward self-actualization.

Pateniotis Tsampikos is a Mental Health Counselor and maintains his private practice in Rhodes. He holds a diploma in Synthetic Counseling and a Certificate of Further Education from the European Institute of Counseling & Psychotherapy - E.I.C.P. He is a member of the Hellenic Association for Counseling (HAC) and the European Association for Counselling (EAC). He manages a wide range of cases, focusing on providing the best possible service tailored to the individualized needs of each person he undertakes.

Karagkiozoglou Katerina is a Person-Centered Mental Health Counselor, available in person in Ano Liosia and online. She offers a safe space where individuals can speak openly without fear of judgment.

She works with individuals experiencing anxiety, relationship difficulties, transitional periods, boundary issues, internal confusion, workplace challenges, as well as those wishing to enhance their self-awareness.

Her fundamental approach is that people are not "broken," but often confused and in need of space to be heard. She is moved when someone begins to recognize their needs, listen to themselves, and trust their own path.

Her therapeutic "signature" is openness: she embraces the complexity of experience without rushing to interpretations or categorizations.

With a strong sense of responsibility towards those she encounters, she remains engaged in continuous education, supervision, and personal therapy to ensure her presence is stable, clear, and professionally grounded.

She is a member of the Hellenic Counseling Society and the Hellenic Person-Centered and Experiential Society.

Maria Thliverou is a Mental Health Counselor and Psychotherapist, maintaining a private practice in Peristeri. She completed her studies in Counseling at the Center for Applied Psychotherapy and Counseling. Subsequently, she pursued a postgraduate seminar in learning difficulties and special education issues at the University of Ioannina. Additionally, she attended a postgraduate seminar in the design and coordination of psychoeducational groups at the Center for Applied Psychotherapy and Counseling and a postgraduate seminar titled “Promotion of Mental Health in Children and Adolescents” at the University of West Attica. She has experience and specializes in self-awareness groups, individual therapy, and parent counseling.

Zotou Aikaterini is a Mental Health Counselor and maintains a private practice in Corfu. She holds a BSc in Psychology from the American College of Greece and an MSc in Applied Child Psychology from Kingston University, London. Additionally, she has completed the distance education program in Addiction Counseling at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Moreover, she has undertaken her practical training at the "Dromokaitio" Mental Health Center and the Adolescent Health Unit of the General Children's Hospital "Agia Sofia." She is also certified to administer the Athena Tests (early detection of learning difficulties) and the EDEPPE (Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Adjustment Questionnaires for children and adolescents) and is a Marte-Meo Practitioner (certification title from Marte-Meo International). Finally, Ms. Zotou is a member of the British Psychological Society.

Danai Volitaki is a Social Anthropologist - Systemic Family Psychotherapist providing sessions to adults and couples. She completed her undergraduate studies in Social Anthropology and History at the University of the Aegean, followed by a one-year postgraduate training program in Applied Counseling. She specialized in the Systemic and Family Psychotherapy program at the Laboratory for the Investigation of Human Relations, certified by international and European psychotherapy bodies (ELESYTH, EFTA, EAP, EEPS), gaining valuable clinical experience alongside esteemed trainers and supervisor psychotherapists. Subsequently, she completed the annual seminar on Therapeutic Treatment of Addictions at the public Detoxification Center 18 ANO. During her specialization in systemic family therapy, she participated in a clinical psychotherapy team at the Laboratory for the Investigation of Human Relations and began working privately as a psychotherapist. She has extensive experience in the field of Non-Governmental Organizations, having worked with vulnerable groups, providing counseling services to ex-prisoners, unemployed individuals, and people facing substance, alcohol, and gambling addiction issues, which enables her to offer a holistic therapeutic approach. Additionally, she has worked with infants, adolescents, and adults with disabilities (ASD and intellectual disabilities). She has volunteered at the Detoxification Unit 18 ANO, participating in individual and family sessions with addicted individuals and their families. Since 2018, she has worked privately as a Systemic Family Psychotherapist and concurrently as a Therapist for addicted individuals in the organization Group for UNESCO of Piraeus and Islands.

Skandali Mairi is a Person-Centered Psychotherapist - Mental Health Counselor and maintains a private practice in Koukaki. She holds a Level 5 diploma in therapeutic counseling and specialized for five years at the ICPS College for Humanistic Science in Person-Centered Counseling Psychotherapy from the University of Strathclyde. Subsequently, she completed the training program for the Completion of the Externship in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (ICEEFT) for couple therapy. She is a certified trainer of the Parent Effectiveness Training (PET) program by Gordon Hellas. She works with adults and couples addressing anxiety, panic disorders, depression, grief management, relationship and companionship pathology, post-traumatic stress, communication skills, self-improvement, and low self-esteem. Additionally, she is a member of the Panhellenic Association of Professionals of the Person-Centered and Experiential Approach (PEEP) and the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP), and has attended seminars aimed at further professional development.

Karagianni Pinelopi is a Psychotherapist - Group Analyst and maintains her private practice in Exarchia. She successfully completed the training program of the Athens Institute of Group Analysis, which includes clinical practice in a Psychotherapeutic Community, coordination of analytic groups, participation in the Child and Family Therapy department, and supervision of therapeutic activities as required by the Hellenic Association of Psychotherapy. She has attended numerous trainings, including those on life coaching, eating disorders, adolescent psychopathology, parental counseling, LGBTQ+ counseling, and career orientation. It would be a significant omission not to mention that she holds a postgraduate degree in health unit management from the Hellenic Open University. In her private practice, she addresses a wide range of cases and specializes in Psychosomatic Symptoms, Individual, and Group Psychotherapy.

Ioanna Psomiadi MSc is a Mental Health Consultant - Psychotherapist with private practices in Voula and Acharnes. She holds a degree in Psychology from the American College of Athens and possesses a Certification of Specialization in Cognitive Behavioral Theory & Clinical Practice from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA). Continuing her studies, she obtained a Master's degree in Human Resource Management for large enterprises (HR) from Bolton University and completed the Group Psychotherapy program at the Athens Center for the Study of Human Behavior (AKMA), as well as the one-year One-Way Mirror Seminar: Effects of mirrors on individual human behavior program. Subsequently, through a series of seminars and clinical training, she has worked in group psychotherapy programs at various psychological support centers in Athens, where she has developed extensive experience in emotional disorders, interpersonal relationships, mood disorders, separations, management of low self-esteem, and generally psychological monitoring and support of adolescents and adults. Since 2022, she has collaborated and contributed articles as a Scientific Associate on Mental Health topics for health and wellness blogs and magazines (Vita.gr, Shape.gr, etc.). In February 2025, she was awarded by the HEALTH EAGLES for patient preference and trust as a psychotherapist. Finally, she undertakes individual therapies providing flexible sessions outside regular office hours, conducting daily appointments by telephone and via Skype for urgent issues, for individuals residing abroad, and for those with difficult and inflexible work schedules and daily obligations.

Η Ηλιοπούλου Τέτα είναι Σύμβουλος Ψυχικής Υγείας με πολυετή κλινική εμπειρία, η οποία ξεπερνά τα είκοσι έτη. Παρέχει υπηρεσίες συμβουλευτικής και ψυχοθεραπείας, πραγματοποιώντας συνεδρίες δια ζώσης και διαδικτυακά. Οι σπουδές της περιλαμβάνουν την επιτυχή ολοκλήρωση προγραμμάτων στην Kοινωνική Εργασία από το Chette College και στη Συνθετική Συμβουλευτική Ψυχοθεραπεία από το Athens Synthesis Centre, ενώ βρίσκεται σε διαδικασία αναβάθμισης των ακαδημαϊκών προσόντων της στην ψυχολογία από το 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 βοήθεια παρέχεται στις περιπτώσεις που κάποιος επιθυμεί να διαχειριστεί ένα θέμα που τον προβληματίζει, είτε σε σχέση με τον εαυτό του είτε με άλλους, να αντιμετωπίσει μια ψυχική δυσκολία ή να διευρύνει την αυτογνωσία και την προσωπική του ανάπτυξη. Η θεωρητική προσέγγιση που ακολουθεί είναι συνθετική και περιλαμβάνονται: Η Γνωσιακή - Συμπεριφορική για αναγνώριση και τροποποίηση του σκεπτικού και της συμπεριφοράς που δείχνουν αδιέξοδα. Η Ψυχοδυναμική για ιχνηλάτηση του παρελθόντος (πρώιμες παιδικές εμπειρίες) που έχουν διαμορφώσει ένα μοντέλο λειτουργίας του ατόμου. Η Υπαρξιακή στην οποία η έμφαση δίνεται σε αυτό που επιλέγει να κάνει το άτομο στο παρόν, το νόημα που του αποδίδει και η επίδραση στις σχέσεις του (στις ομάδες ακολουθείται μόνο 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.

Afrodopoulou Eleni is a Mental Health Counselor - Psychotherapist. She maintains a practice at the Medihall polyclinic center in Kifisia and is the scientific director of the Ariadne and Odysseus Psychosocial Rehabilitation Hostel. She graduated from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens with postgraduate training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and holds a postgraduate diploma in Life Coaching - AC Accredited. She has experience and provides specialized interventions for anxiety management, improvement of relationships, as well as personal self-esteem, and assistance in every aspect of a person's life who wishes to develop.