BIO NOTE

First Contact, then Interaction…

My journey in the realm of Science, Research, and especially Psychology, began several years ago, when I chose to study at the Department of Methodology, History and Theory of Science (MITHE) at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA). From the beginning of my studies, the need arose to understand how the way of thinking and acting of people can be measured, decoded, and thus, understood, whether we are referring to ‘typical reactions’ or ‘deviations’. This led me to choose the direction of Psychology, completing my basic studies by writing my dissertation on The psychological profile of abused women who end up committing crimes, under the supervision of my and ‘lifelong’ Mentor, Professor. A. Tzavaras. My next stop was the postgraduate program in “Basic and Applied Cognitive Science” at the same University (NKUA), where I received knowledge regarding Basic and Applied Cognitive Psychology and Neurosciences. It was then that I began to realize the importance of exploring cognitive functions, such as language and memory, for a more effective understanding of the human brain and mind. This awareness led me to write and support my master’s thesis on Mnemonic development and cognitive approach: The memory of stories and the reconstructive nature of the mnemonic function – The cognitive framework of false memories, under the supervision of Professors St. Vosniadou and A. Samartzi, which secured me a ticket for my doctoral studies in the same Program (NKUA), with an emphasis on Cognitive Neuropsychology. ‘Language’ (see ‘Logos’) as a tool, means and process has always preoccupied me, something that led me, on one hand, to research, write and support my doctoral dissertation on The cognitive-pragmatic understanding of metaphorical language through the interpretation of proverbs and metonymies, under the supervision of Professors, A. Tzavaras and A. Economou, and on the other hand, in the realization that it is a higher cognitive process and condition, a multidimensional ‘whole’, which, since it gathers the experience and the narrative of the people, can educate and psychoeducate them.

By the same token, I proceeded with my training in the field of Cognitive Psychology and Neurosciences, attending the program Higher Postgraduate Training in Cognitive Science” at the New Bulgarian University (NBU), under the supervision of Professor B. Kokinov, and in Counseling, attending the “Specialization in Counseling and Counseling Skills” program at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). Through this journey, and through my personal therapy and supervision, I became aware that language can ‘cure’, hence I proceeded to “Specialization in Systemic-Family Therapy” at the Laboratory f Study of Human Relations (EDAS), where I completed the four-year specialization program in the “Synthetic Model of Systemic Therapy”, under the supervision of Experts Ch. Katakis and E. Stolakis, with the support of my Clinical Stage Report on the systemic view of depression and unresolved, ‘complicated’ mourning (see ‘nipenthes’), on the subject The Mourning of the Sleeping Beauty …, with my supervisor up to this day, E. Stolakis. At the same time, I was trained in the Marte Meo Counseling and Psychoeducation technique by Marte Meo Hellas and Marte Meo International, obtaining the titles Marte Practitioner and Marte Meo Trainer, under the supervision of M. Stamatakis.

It has always been an important part of this journey for me to share my knowledge and interact, through education, teaching and educational supervision, with those who are motivated from Psychology and develop themselves as a ‘tool’, aiming to support individuals in the field of mental health. For the last 25 years I have taught, trained, supervised, coordinated, developed and administered programs in the field of education of Psychologists, Counselors, Therapists and Educators, at undergraduate, and postgraduate level, and in collaboration with distinguished Universities in Greece and abroad. At the same time, for the last 10 years I have been able to support my fellow human beings as a Certified Mental Health Expert, adopting the view and attitude of life that  Logos works therapeutically, if the specialist is aware of his/her role and the person being in therapy is ready to commit to dive into himself / herself and his / her wounds”.

Today I declare myself happy, as I now have the opportunity to combine my two great loves, Psychotherapy and Training/Teaching, active as a Systemic-Family Therapist & Marte Meo Trainer, Founder & Scientific Supervisor of the Center “Psychonisida”, Professor-Researcher of Cognitive-Clinical Psychology and Special Supervisor in Ιssues related with Systemic-Multicultural Education and Communication.

With immense respect for the narrative of my fellow human being, whether he/she is ‘a person being’ in therapy or a student or a trainee, and with my basic self-request to evolve for life, I continue my training in the fields of Psychoanalysis, Neuropsychology, Neurophilosophy and specialized Supervision, keeping myself in an arousal, to better support and protect myself and others.

I Welcome you to my “Psychonisida”!

AFRODITI_PAPAIOANNOU

Afroditi Papaioannou-Spiroulia