Eleftheria Elvanidi is a Clinical Psychologist, a graduate of Panteion University of Athens, with a professional license (No. Prot. 4452). She holds a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from University of Swansea, Wales, a fully accredited program by DOATAP.
Alongside her undergraduate studies, she completed a foundation course in Dance Movement Therapy. She is impressed by the ways in which movement and dance can be used as therapeutic tools and decides that the topic of her thesis should be the scientific study of the dance therapy approach. Part of the thesis is included in the master's thesis of the students of Counselling Psychology at Panteion University and is published in a collective work entitled "Counselling Psychology: Problems and Practices". Also, she participated in qualitative research on the experience of unemployment, which led to the publication of her research as part of a collective work by her supervisor Potamianos Grigoris, and colleagues, entitled "The Experience of Unemployment: The People behind the numbers".
During her postgraduate degree, she volunteered in mental health support services and in early intervention psychological therapies service in the NHS services at Swansea. Her clinical experience continues immediately after completing her postgraduate studies in mental health settings in the UK. She has worked in services that provide housing and rehabilitation for people with serious psychiatric illnesses and a history of criminal offending, in community-based and intensive therapeutic intervention teams for people with chronic psychiatric needs and severe living problems, as part of the NHS.
Subsequent posts include facilitating seminars on psychology and psychopathology as well as her role as a Lead Psychologist in the safeguarding department of Bath College and counseling work with adolescents experiencing psychological difficulties and are at risk of some form of abuse.
In 2018, she continued with undertaking an accredited training in psychodynamic psychotherapy at Wessex Counselling Centre in Somerset, a recognised counselling and training organisation by BACP and BPC. This training was a cornerstone in her development as a clinical professional as it added further expertise to her skills and thinking. After completing the Diploma she integrated psychoanalytic theory and tools into her clinical practice.
Upon her return to Greece, she begins her private practice, providing open-ended psychodynamic orientation psychotherapy to adults and adolescents, both in Greek and English. She also worked as a psychologist in Alzheimer Athens, carrying out neurological examinatio for people in third age to asesses early onset of dementia or other neuropsychological difficulties.
At present, she continues her training in psychoanalysis (lacanian orientation) in the Centre of Psychoanalytic Studies in Athens.
Special research and study interests focus on understanding the lived experience of Greek ex-pats and their psychological circumstances, how the sudden transition to a remote way of delivering psychotherapy in the post-covid era has impacted the psychoanalytic therapeutic frame. Currently researching types of loneliness in the modern world - the conscious or unconscious choice of people to be alone.
ACADEMIC & JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
- Anagnostakos, G., Godi, M., Elvanidi, E. and Pagonas, S. The experience of unemployment. (2015) In Potamianos, G. and Gkitakos, V. (eds), The experience of unemployment: People behind the numbers. (1st) Athens: Papazisis editions.
- Elvanidi, E., Bali, P., Bougadi, N., Reppa, G., Spanou, A. Creative therapy and therapies through art. (2013). In Potamianos, G. and Gkitakos, V. (eds), Counselling Psychology: Reflections and clinical practices. (1st) Athens: Papazisis editions.
- Elvanidi, E. (2023). Moderns ways of relationships: are we growing together or coming further apart? Peifasyn News, 64: 30-31
- Elvanidi, E. (2022). Ways of maintaining the female wellbeing, Medi-syn News, 60: 31-32
- Elvanidi, E. (2021). Psychological aspects of coparenting, Medi-syn News, 58:12-13
- Elvanidi, E. (2021). Ways managing anxiety and steps towards a better mood during the pandemic, Medi-syn News, 56: 20-22
- Elvanidi, E. (2019). Loss and grief management. Medi-syn News, 52: 22-23.
- Elvanidi, E (2018). Social Anxiety Disorder; Symptoms and Management, Medi-syn News, 50: 16-17.
- Elvanidi, E. (2018). Physical illness and mental health. Medi-syn News, 46: 13-15.
- Elvanidi, E. (2017). Social media: Getting closer or drifting apart? Medi-syn News, 43: 12-14.
- Elvanidi, E. (2017). The psychology of the future mother. Medi-syn News, 09: 12-14.
- Elvanidi, E (2018). Social Anxiety Disorder; Symptoms and Management, Medi-syn News, 50: 16-17.
