About Dimitra
I was born in August of 1986 in Athens, where I also grew up. Since I was a little kid, I was always interested in other people’s stories: how they live their lives, how they think, how they act. I could see that even though there are a lot of differences in the way we think, there are also a lot of the same needs underneath: the need for affection, for connection, for love, for understanding.
I remember feeling a deep concern for all those people that others (either being my classmates or the society in general) had somehow put in the corner because they were different. I wanted to understand that difference, to come close and try and get into those others’ shoes. I was sure that there must be some meaning there, in the way a person lives, despite our not understanding it. All of this was sure indicative that I would later be interested in the humanistic science!
Like a typical teenager, I used to sit idly at my school desk and I distinctly remember the day I decided that once school was out, I’d stop doing boring things. I would only do things that mattered to me. Things that had a meaning, especially because our days in this life are numbered. I understand that it isn’t always possible to make a living out of your dream job, however, to have meaning in our life has been scientifically proven to help us live better. It’s not always easy to find what gives you meaning, especially when it doesn’t tag along with what others had in mind for you since the moment of your birth, or what you had in mind while growing up. Or you may haven’t found your “voice”, you might feel confused and you want to redefine what is indeed important to you and what isn’t. All of us experience a set of complicated emotions, sometimes feeling happy and sad at the same time and it’s really a part of life this paradox, life would be boring if it wasn’t so (I want to think!) We don’t have to solve all the paradoxes of our life, paradox is a part of the human condition. However, therapy comes to aid each person make a synthesis out of many antithetical forces and to be able to feel a mental empowerment so as to be content in the way they choose to be. Because it’s ok to be as we need to be. Really. It’s alright.
I’m really grateful I chose to be a therapist because it gives me a chance to be a part of people’s process to become who they want to be. It takes great courage to start a therapeutic journey and I feel really honoured to be able to be so close to people who take their chance at therapy with me, either because they want to accept something in themselves, a part of them, or because they’re trying to make an important decision. Or they might want to work through some relationship, or work with their overall anxiety or some dilemma or just to get a better knowledge of themselves which, as Ancient Greeks believed, is a virtue and a need at the same time.
Trying to answer my own questions about me and how I want to lead my life, but also wanting to be a part of others’ developmental processes, I decided to study Psychology. I studied at Panteion University both for my BA and my Master’s degree. My master degree is in Positive Psychology as I believe we should give equal value to our talents and our virtues, as we do in our pain and difficult sides, and how they can help us thrive!
Afterwards, I got a four-year training as an existential therapist and I now teach existential therapy myself at “γίγνεσθαι”, the Hellenic Society for Existential Psychology (gignesthai means becoming). What made me want to train in existentialism was the way it approaches therapy; it doesn’t divide people to healthy and unhealthy, but argues that every way of being is a valid way to be alive. It’s a very human approach with a focus on dialogue. It doesn’t view the therapist as an authority who knows everything (which might be a disappointment for some of you!), instead it emphasises the relationship that happens between us, putting you in the driver’s seat!
Am I the right therapist for you?
One of the best predictors of success in therapy is the fit between you and your therapist. It really matters to me that we are a good fit. Through my years of practice I’ve seen that people who truly benefit from therapy with me, might be having relationship troubles or trouble making meaningful connections, or want to learn to communicate better their needs and boundaries. They might want to explore their sexuality or try to find what gives them meaning in life, what makes them anxious and they might feel that they’re in a really pressured condition and need to learn ways to be ok in there. People with the above and other issues seem to work well with me and the way I approach them, through open dialogue and honesty, which will lead us to how you want to live best. As it is only natural that some pain may come through our working in depth, I will be by your side with acceptance, with humor, with full attention to you and your needs. You will never need to apologise for the way you are in therapy and in our time together we’ll try to find ways for you to be ok with who you are, to accept yourself and/or change what’s not working for you anymore. In time, you’ll start make some meaningful connections and live better- whatever this means for you!
If you’d like to set up your first appointment you can either call or e-mail me! If you have any additional questions, you can read the faq section and if still your questions aren’t answered you can contact me with your question! For a more detailed version of my bio you can find me in linkedin.