Meet our Team
Chrysoula Kostogianni, Ph.D., RECBT Accredited, RECBT Supervisor, Ellis Scholar
Director of the Hellenic Institute for RECBT
Dr. Chrysoula Kostogiannis, studied Psychology in the United States of America, and holds degrees in Psychology (Bachelor of Science, 1986) from Baylor University in Texas, a postgraduate degree in Psychology (Master of Arts, 1991) and doctoral degree in Clinical and School Psychology (Doctor of Philosophy, 1994) from Hofstra University in New York. She completed her post-doctoral clinical training at the Albert Ellis Institute in New York City, where she participated in Post-Doctorate Associate Fellowship Practica Certificate and Supervisory Training in Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, in 2001. In 2003, she founded, and, since then, serves as the Director of the Hellenic Institute for RECBT. Dr. Kostogiannis supervises Mental Health and other Related Professionals as part of their training in RECBT, in Athens and around the world, live or remotely.
From 1995 until 2012, she served as Associate Professor of Psychology and Assistant Head of the Department at the American College of Greece (Deree College). During the period 2012-2013, she was appointed Director of Psychology programs at the Hellenic American University, where she directed the master’s degree program in Clinical Psychology, while during the period 2013-2014, she was appointed Chair of the Psychology Department of the Hellenic American University. In addition, in 2013, she established the Hellenic American University Counseling Center and served as its director until 2014. Since 2018-today, Dr. Kostogiannis serves on the Adjunct Faculty at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical Center – Strategies of Developmental and Adolescent Health Unit, in Athens, Greece.
For the past 28 years, Dr. Kostogiannis has been active as a scientist-practitioner. She has a research background investigating the effectiveness of psychotherapy, especially Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, as well as exploring the culture and other related socio-contextual contributions to psychopathology and philosophical underpinnings of psychopathology REBT.
She is an expert in Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Counseling and Coaching with individuals, groups, and couples, addressing psychological issues and promoting psychological wellbeing through rational living. In addition, she has extensive experience as a consultant to many schools, providing training and workshops for Parents and Educators, on topics such as Parental and educator awareness and management of Child and Adolescent issues (e.g., emotion management, communication skills, and other tailor-made topics) through a RECBT lens.
Dr. Kostogiannis conducts assessments for the purposes of diagnosis as well as conceptualizing issues within a RECBT framework while providing counseling services and guidance. Specifically, she conducts comprehensive psychological (e.g., personality, emotional, attitude & beliefs, behavioral, social, etc.) and psycho-educational and neuropsychological (e.g., learning disabilities, ADHD, etc.) and career assessments for Children, Adolescents and Adults.
In addition, she collaborates and provides consultation to businesses, government, and other organizations, for the promotion of rational community environments, wellbeing, professional job satisfaction, and prosperity of human resources.
Dr. Kostogiannis received certification as a School Psychologist from New York State in 1990, was a voted member of the American Psychological Association in 1998 and is active as an International Affiliate of the Association. In 1998, she received a professional license as a psychologist recognized by the Greek State and in 2014, she became a member of the Greek Psychological Association.
Since 1994, she has been in professional practice in Athens. Dr. Chrysoula Kostogiannis, (also known as, Dr. Chrys) offers individual, group, family, and couple sessions in face-to-face, Skype and Zoom formats in Greek and in English.
To arrange an appointment with Dr. Chrys, you can call her at: +30 210 6128950 or +30 693 22 01777, or contact her via her personal e-mail: ckostogiannis@gmail.com
Anna-Maria Plessa, DPsych, RECBT Accredited
Counseling Psychologist & RECBT Practitioner
Coordinator of Counseling Services at the Hellenic Institute for RECBT
Dr. Anna-Maria Plessa works as a psychologist and a psychotherapist.
Her academic training and clinical experience began over a decade ago and span the fields of psychological neuroscience, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, and Therapy.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with Neuroscience (University of Westminster, UK, 2009), a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology (La Salle University, Philadelphia, USA, 2011), a Master of Science degree in Counselling Psychology (City, University of London, UK, 2014), and a Professional Doctorate (DPsych) in Counselling Psychology (City, University of London, UK, 2020). Her doctoral thesis portfolio focused predominantly upon the areas of counseling psychology and mental health in the field of substance misuse, while her doctoral research utilised grounded theory methodology in order to investigate and delineate the constituent parts of the therapeutic process of change from the perspective of substance misusers who found Therapy helpful in assisting their recovery.
Dr. Plessa is further qualified and fully accredited to work as a Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapist and is a fellow of The Hellenic Institute for Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (RECBT, A Preferred Partner of the Albert Ellis Institute, New York, USA) in Athens, Greece, since 2013.
Dr. Plessa has several years of experience working with diverse client groups in the NHS (National Health Service, UK), international cognitive rehabilitation day care centers, private hospitals, community-based drug and alcohol services, school counseling services and outpatient Therapy institutes. Clients seen over this period have included Children, Adolescents, Adults, and older Adults facing a range of emotional, Behavior, learning, neurological, and personality-related challenges (e.g., depression, anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, post-traumatic stress and growth challenges, sexual abuse, eating and body image concerns, psychosis, substance misuse, deliberate self-harm, loss and bereavement, relationship difficulties, infertility problems, work-related stress, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, dyslexia, dementia, Multiple Sclerosis). Her working style is warm and collaborative and integrates evidence-based humanistic-existential principles with cognitive-Behavior approaches and attachment-informed theories of personality development and change, in a way that aims to meet each individual client’s needs and the stage of the therapeutic process. She is able to work with her clients in English and Greek.
Dr. Plessa has received her professional liscence as a psychologist, recognized by the Greek state (Liscence No: 688705). She is also registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC Registration No: PYL039710) in the UK, as well as a Chartered Counselling Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS / CPsychol No: 239867). Furthermore, she is an Associate Member of the American Psychological Association (APA Membership No: 29637509), as well as qualified and registered with the British Psychological Society (BPS) in the UK as an Accredited Test User in the areas of Occupational Ability and Personality Assessment (RQTU Membership No: 239867).
She stays active and up to date in her field of expertise by engaging in continuing professional development practices through regular attendance and involvement in relevant psychoeducational conferences, seminars, and workshops. Her research interests lie in the use of qualitative methods (predominantly grounded theory and hermeneutic-phenomenological approaches) to study a range of applied counseling psychology and Therapy topics, such as existential- and attachment-informed understandings of mental distress, post-traumatic growth factors, the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy, and the current role of social media in people’s intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning.
Dr. Plessa sees a variety of clients, including:
Adults
Adolescents
Couples
Families and other groups (e.g., groups of individual clients formed around a shared topic or area of concern)
Areas of Specialization:
Individual Counseling and Therapy
Group Counseling and Therapy
Substance Misuse Counseling and Therapy
Psychometric Assessment and Evaluation
Multi-generational Genogram Construction and Interpretation of Family Dynamics
Attachment-Informed Psychotherapeutic Practice
Comprehensive Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Assessment and Therapeutic Intervention
Specific Topics:
Dr. Plessa works with a range of psychotherapeutic concerns, including:
- Emotional difficulties (e.g., anxiety, depression, shame, guilt, hurt, anger, jealousy, envy)
- Relationship difficulties (e.g., intimacy issues, communicational conflicts)
- Existential challenges and life stage difficulties
- Bereavement
- Sexual abuse and trauma histories (e.g., psychological abuse, domestic violence)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Eating disorders and body image problems
- Substance misuse/dependence
- Psychosis
- Obsessive-compulsive symptoms
- Panic attacks
- Social anxiety
- Perfectionism
- Procrastination/Motivation difficulties
- Academic Underachievement
- Work-related stress
- Communication and Assertiveness skills training
- Conflict Resolution skills
- Self-limiting beliefs and feelings of inadequacy
- Self-acceptance issues and loss of self-confidence
- Personal Development
Dr. Plessa offers individual, group, family and couple sessions in face-to-face, Skype and Zoom formats.
To arrange an appointment with Dr. Plessa, you can call at: +30 210 6128950 or +30 69444 38843 or contact her via her personal e-mail: amplessa@gmail.com
Current RECBT Trainees in the Supervision Certificate Training Program
- Alatzaki Myrto (B.Sc. Psychology – Panteion University)
- Georgakopoulou Alexandra (B.Sc. Psychology – University of Tubingen, M.Sc.c. Counseling Psychology –University of Athens)
- Georgiopoulou Konstantina (B.Sc. Philosophy, Education & Psychology – University of Athens)
- Kasfikis George (B.A. Psychology – Open University/Derre-American College of Greece, M.Sc. Script Writing, Script Doctor – Goldsmiths University of London)
- Katsaragaki Nagia (B.Sc. Psychology –University of Athens)
- Kourika Marietta (B.Sc. Psychology – Panteion University)
- Ladaki Ariadni (B.Sc. Psychology – Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)
- Lorentzos Odysseas (B.Sc. Psychology – University of Crete, M.Sc. Neuropsychology –University of Athens)
- Lyras Andreas (B.Sc. Psychology – Hellenic American University)
- Mitsaki Alkistis (B.Sc. Psychology – University of Bath, M.Sc. Child & Adolescent Psychology – University of Leiden)
- Mitsopoulou Konstantina (B.A. Psychology – Open University/Deree-American College of Greece
- Stergiou Foteini (B.Sc. Psychology – University of East London, M.Sc. Human Cognitive Neuropsychology – University of Edinburgh)
- Tampouroglou Faidra (B.Sc. Philosophy, Education & Psychology – University of Athens)
- Vlachopoulos Stelios (B.Sc. Psychology – University of East London, M.Sc. Health Psychology – University of Nottingham)
