I was born, raised, and continue to live and work in the city I love so deeply: Thessaloniki. From my teenage years, I was drawn to Psychology. After completing my initial studies in the field—a degree in Psychology from the Department of Philosophy, Education and Psychology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki—I specialised in Psychometrics. From 1991 to 2001, I worked in the psychiatric clinics of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in the field of diagnosis, as well as in the Laboratory of Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychology.

Shortly before the year 2000, I discovered Psychodrama and was immediately impressed by the directness of its techniques and the powerful way in which it touched my heart. Within just a few minutes, I found myself changing roles, recreating scenes from experiences that had affected me, and becoming an observer of myself and my relationships with others. By the end of that first encounter, I had already decided that I wanted to train in this therapeutic model.

Alongside my studies in Psychodrama, I undertook further training in Counselling and, in 2001, took my first steps into private practice by opening my own office and providing individual and group counselling services. As I approached the end of my Psychodrama training, I had also surrendered to another passion: writing. I wrote my first two books, the first entitled Negotiation File and the second Learning to Negotiate Needs, Desires and Requests.

After receiving my Diploma in Psychodrama from the London Centre for Psychodrama, where I trained under Jinnie Jefferies, I was certain that I wanted to continue my academic involvement in this therapeutic approach. That is exactly what I did. I became certified first as a supervisor and later as a trainer, eventually attaining the highest level of qualification, that of Senior Trainer in Psychodrama. All my certifications have been awarded by the London Centre for Psychodrama and the British Psychodrama Association.

I practise Psychodrama in my private office through individual, couples and group sessions, and I facilitate experiential self-awareness workshops as well as training seminars. I also use fundamental principles and techniques of the Systemic approach, having completed further training in Systemic Couples Counselling at the Institute of Systemic Therapy of Thessaloniki under Virginia Ioannidou. Finally, I was certified as a trainer and facilitator of Parent Education Groups by the Panhellenic Association of Parent Schools, under the guidance of Vasiliki Pappa.

I enjoy helping clients address issues relating to personal boundaries, anxiety, self-esteem, self-confidence and interpersonal relationships. I believe that a happy person is someone who can invest in relationships without losing themselves. Another activity I greatly enjoy is delivering talks on mental health issues, combining scientific knowledge with artistic elements on stage. My talks have been organised by institutions including the Cultural Centre of the Region of Central Macedonia, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, the Municipality of Thermi, the Municipality of Kalamaria, the Municipality of Pylaia–Chortiatis, as well as cultural and scientific associations and colleges.

In the past, I worked as a trainer for kindergarten teachers in collaboration with the Directorate of Primary Education of Western Thessaloniki. I also facilitated parent groups for the Municipality of Neapoli and at private nursery schools. In both roles, I incorporated Psychodrama techniques, enriching the participants’ experience.

My love of writing did not end with my first two books, which were published in 2004. I continued to write and express myself through the following books:

• Time for Action: Warm-Up Exercises for Clinical and/or Educational Practice (2010), University Studio Press

• Life Is a Journey (2015), self-published

• And Now There Are Three of Us (2019), University Studio Press

• Lessons in the Language of Love (2020), iWrite Publications

• Acrobats of Love: Boundaries and Balance in Intimate Relationships (2023), iWrite Publications

• Time for Action: Experiential Exercises for Mental Health Professionals and Educators (2023), second revised edition, University Studio Press

I contribute articles to online and print magazines, including Kulturosupa.gr, Karfitsa.gr, Thessaloniki Life, Health Magazino, Glow and Epiloges Makedonias. From 1993 to 2000, I was also involved in broadcast journalism as an editor-in-chief and presenter of daily television programmes on TV Makedonia, Vergina Television and Cosmos TV, as well as through psychology segments on radio programmes.

Dreams never end, and neither do goals. For this reason, I hope to continue enriching my biography from time to time with further training, new experiences and new interests.

Psychologist | Psychotherapist Psychodramatist | Psychodrama Co-trainer
Soner Senol completed a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, after previously completing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and an Associate degree in Tourism & Hotel Management in Turkey.

He completed his training in Psychodrama and Group Psychotherapy at the Psychodramatic Center for Personality Development in Athens (2014–2019).

Following this, he received specialized training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, with a focus on Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP), at the Institute of Giunty Psychometrics in Turkey (2022–2023), with Professor Otto F. Kernberg.
During the period 2024–2026, he also completed training in Expressive Arts Therapy at the AEON Drama Therapy Institute in Athens.
His psychotherapy practice integrates psychodrama, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and expressive arts therapy. He works with individuals and groups, both online and in person.
In addition, he facilitates psychodrama and expressive arts therapy workshops, leads international online psychodramatic support groups, and contributes to the training of psychodrama practitioners.
Since 2015, he has been an Assistant Coordinator of the Hellenic Psychodrama Academy, an international psychodrama conference held biennially in Crete.
His professional interests include psychodrama, psychodynamic psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, expressive arts therapy, personality development, and group processes.

Areas of Practice
• Individual Psychotherapy
• Group Psychotherapy
• Psychodrama
• Expressive Arts Therapy
• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Alexandra Chaviara is a psychologist, holding a degree in Psychology from Panteion University and a Master of Science (MSc) in Adolescent Health Development Strategies from the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.She has held a professional license to practice since 2002.

She has extensive professional experience as a psychologist at the Center for the Prevention of Addictions and the Promotion of Mental and Social Health “Arixis,” serving the municipalities of Agia Varvara, Egaleo and Chaidari (in collaboration with E.O.P.A.E. and the Region of Attica). Her main responsibilities include:

- providing counseling in individual and/or family sessions,

- coordinating counseling groups, psychoeducational and experiential workshops for adults (parents, educators, and other target groups,

- facilitating psychoeducational and experiential workshops for adults (parents, educators, and other target groups),

- coordinating skills development workshops for primary and secondary school students,

- conducting open discussions and events on prevention and addiction-related topics,

- designing and implementing prevention programs, as well as mental and social health promotion programs,

- developing informational and psychoeducational programs.

She is specialized in addiction prevention and the promotion of mental and social health through training programs provided by the Training Center of the University Mental Health Research Institute (EPIPSY), the Training and Supervision Center of the Organization Against Drugs (OKANA), the 18 ANO Detoxification Unit of the Psychiatric Hospital of Attica, the Prevention Sector of the Therapy Center for Dependent Individuals (KETHEA), and other reputable organizations.

Additionally, she has extensive experience working as a private practitioner in Athens, offering both in-person and online services. Her training includes individual and group psychotherapy with adults using the psychodrama method, under the guidance of Max Clayton, a direct student of the founder of psychodrama, J.L. Moreno, as well as Ildikó Erdélyi, Antal Bugán and other trainers.

She is also trained in Gestalt psychotherapy with Toula Vlachoutsikou, Carmen Vázquez Bandín, and trainers from the Gestalt Foundation in Athens. Furthermore, she has specialized in trauma therapy using EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and the Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM), as well as in a music therapy method, Music Breathing, through the Sonora Music Therapy organization in Athens.

She actively embraces lifelong learning and, in order to ensure the highest quality of her clinical practice, she regularly participates in supervision groups, scientific conferences and continuing professional development programs. Among her interests, which she integrates into her practice, are mindfulness and various forms of art.

She is a member of the Hellenic Psychological Society, EMDR Hellas and a founding member of the Hellenic Psychodrama Association.

Despina Kakolyri was born and raised in Athens, Greece. She is a licensed Psychologist and Psychotherapist, having graduated from the Department of Psychology at Panteion University. She has been licensed to practice psychology since 2002. She also holds a Maîtrise (Master's degree equivalent) in Psychology from the University of Amiens, France, with a specialization in Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology.

She completed her training in Psychodrama under the guidance of Ildikó Erdélyi, a member of the Hungarian Psychoanalytic Psychodrama Society, and Max Clayton, a founding member of the Australian and New Zealand Psychodrama Association. She is also a founding member of the Hellenic Psychodrama Association.

In addition, she is trained in trauma psychotherapy using EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) through TACT Hellas and is a full member of EMDR Hellas.

She has extensive experience in both individual and group psychotherapy and has facilitated psychodrama groups for many years. From 2002 to 2005, she worked in the KETA Community Mental Health Program of the Municipality of Ymittos, providing counselling and prevention services within the community. Between 2006 and 2012, she participated in the "Help at Home" program of the Municipality of Aigaleo, offering psychological support and counselling to adults and vulnerable social groups.

She also served as the facilitator of an experiential training group in counselling and career guidance for educators, within a professional training program implemented by Panteion University.

In recent years, she has been working in private practice. Her therapeutic approach integrates Psychodrama and EMDR, creating a safe therapeutic environment that fosters self-awareness, creativity, trauma processing, and psychological resilience.

Psychologist MSc, Psychotherapist, Psychodramatist

She graduated from the Department of Philosophy, Pedagogy and Psychology and the Department of Psychology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), holding a Master's degree in Basic and Applied Cognitive Science (NKUA).

She holds a professional license to practice as a psychologist, along with certification in Psychodrama and in Systemic Family Therapy. She has also been trained in the EMDR Traumatherapy method.

She has worked for 20 years as a psychotherapist at the Detoxification Unit "18 ANO" of the former Athens State Mental Hospital (ΨΝΑ), and for the past 6 months has been offering her services as a therapist at the Family Therapy Unit (Μ.Ο.Θ.) of the same psychiatric hospital.

She is a member of the Panhellenic Association of Hospital Psychologists (ΠΑΝ.ΣΥ.ΝΟ.ΨΥ) and of the Hellenic Association of Systemic Thinking and Family Psychotherapy (Ε.Ε.Σ.ΣΚ.Ε.Ψ.Ο.), and is a founding member and Board member of the Hellenic Psychodrama Association (Ε.Ε.ΨΥ).

She is also engaged in writing, with an interest in therapeutic tales and children's literature. She is one of the authors of the recent collective work by Ε.Ε.ΨΥ. on psychodrama and its applications in Greece (Patakis Publications, 2026), where she contributes the chapter "Reclaiming the Gift of Life."