Angeliki Bravou Psychologist MSc
MIND WELL
Angeliki Bravou is a Psychologist – Psychotherapist with a license to practice the psychologist profession (prob. no. 5267/2010-District of Athens). In addition, she is a regular member of the British Psychological Society (AM: 243211), the Association of Greek Psychologists – (AM: 2365) and the Hellenic Society for Behavioral Research.
Helping people to improve their mental health and the development of scientific knowledge have always been elements of my daily search and self-improvement as a psychologist.
She obtained her first degree from the University of Athens in the Department of Philosophy-Pedagogy-Psychology majoring in Psychology. She studied Psychology (BSc Psychology) at London Metropolitan University and then for her master’s degree she specialized in Health Psychology (MSc Health Psychology) at City University of London. The study titles are recognized by the Interdisciplinary Organization for the Recognition of Academic Titles and Information – (Act number: 25 1-67/2010).
She has been trained in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy at the Institute for Behavioral Research and Therapy, in a four-year program of theoretical training and clinical practice, according to the standards of the European Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy (European Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy). In addition, she has specialized in the treatment of Eating Disorders in a 2-year training program of the Behavioral Research Society in collaboration with the 1st Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Athens at Aeginition Hospital. She received training in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program from the Athens Mindfulness Center. Finally, she has been trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) from the Linehan Institute’s Behavioral Tech in collaboration with the Hellenic Society for Behavioral Research.
She has been practicing as a psychologist since 2010. Her clinical practice includes a wide range of planning and implementation of psychological interventions at the level of group programs, therapy and counseling for adults with various difficulties, parents and children. The contexts in which she has carried out clinical work and worked as a psychologist include organizations such as: Center for Psychosocial and Medical Support, First Children’s Center of the Municipality of Fylis, Community Benefit Enterprise of the Municipality of Fylis (scientific partner), Alma Zois-Panhellenic Association of Women with Breast Cancer (volunteer work), DIAPOLIS-Action 6 of the University of Thessaly: Education of Foreign and Returning Students-Psychological Support Programs, Social Cooperative Enterprise of Infants and Kindergartens the “Children’s Aid” and at the Youth and Lifelong Learning Foundation in Parents’ Schools. For the last 2 years, she has been working for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention as a psychologist in the department of the operations and acute incident response center, where she provides counseling and psychological support in cases involving sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, but also in people with anxiety and somatic disorders, as well as personality disorders.
Since 2015, she maintains a private clinical practice as a psychologist. For six years (2016-2021) she has worked voluntarily in the Eating Disorders Unit and in the Dialectical Behavioral Therapy department of the 1st Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Athens at Aeginition Hospital as an external collaborator. She works as a psychologist at the “Ergonomia Helpline for Human Resources Support Programs. Also, since June 2018, she became a member of the Interdisciplinary Team of Day Center ANASA and works as a psychologist in the Treatment of Eating Disorders.
- Presentation at the Institute for Research and Behavior Therapy on the topic: “Case presentations: managing difficult and resistant cases in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy”.
- Lecture “Smoking Cessation”. In the framework of the cooperation of the IBRT with the Culture and Youth Organization of the Municipality of Athens.
Publications and conference announcements:
- Electronic Poster on the topic: “The psychosocial parameters of the phenomenon of immigration and the role of public health” (A. Bravos, G. Gerolimatos, D. Iliopoulos) at the Post-educational Conference of Travel, Geography and Tropics of Medicine held in Athens on May 15-17, 2015.
- Paper Presentation on the topic: “Multiple symptomatology at a characteristic level: resistance and non-response to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy” (Angeliki Bravos, Diana Harila at the Symposium: Management of “difficult” patients treated in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in the context of the 15th Panhellenic Conference of Psychological Research by ELPSE: Psychology in Greece and the Mediterranean held in Nicosia-Cyprus on May 27-31, 2015.
Frequently asked questions
What is psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is the treatment of psychological issues and mental disorders carried out mainly through discussion and communication between the therapist and the patient, rather than through the use of pharmaceuticals or other medical and biological methods. There are different types of psychotherapy: individual, group, couple and family. Psychotherapy is a systematic approach to understanding mental health problems and a method of dealing with psychological problems and difficulties. It is based on clinically proven theories, good clinical practice with the application of specific techniques and interventions to address the causes of psychological problems, and is supported by empirical data. According to the British Psychological Society, psychotherapy is considered an additional qualification for someone already working as a psychologist or psychiatrist. To specialize in psychotherapy, training in a specific psychotherapy model is necessary. There are different approaches to psychotherapy for a psychiatrist and a psychologist (e.g. psychoanalytic, cognitive-behavioral, systemic, etc.).
What is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist?
Many people confuse and equate the role of a psychologist with that of a psychiatrist, since both are mental health professionals. However,there are significant differences. A psychiatrist is a doctor, that practices the medical specialty of Psychiatry and can prescribe medication to relieve discomfort and treat mental health disorders, whenever it is required. Psychiatry is a specialized category of medicine that includes the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and research of mental disorders. Psychiatry differs from psychology in that it approaches emotional and behavioral problems using a medical model. A psychologist is not a doctor and cannot prescribe psychotropic medication. However, in many cases the two specialties can work together and help to deal with psychological difficulties.
Is there a possibility that I might need medication?
There is a possibility that, after the evaluation and in the context of the therapeutic planning, the therapist could also propose collaboration with a psychiatrist for the administration of medication. The answer to the question: “Is there a possibility that I might need medication?” is not simple. Prescribed medication is necessary in specific disorders and is useful in cases where the person is in a period of exacerbation of a certain problem. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is combined with pharmacotherapy in specific cases for better therapeutic results and until there is a remission of the unpleasant symptoms. Medication is not helpful in personal difficulties that are not due to the existence of a mental disorder and in functioning problems that exist in the personality level.
Will treatment help me?
There is a possibility that, after the evaluation and in the context of the therapeutic planning, the therapist will also propose collaboration with a psychiatrist for the administration of medication. The answer to the question: “It may be normal to have some misgivings about whether to start treatment because there are doubts about the prospect of improvement and fears about the process and the impending change. That’s why some clients go into the process of postponing (“It’s not the right time”) or avoiding altogether. The truth is that you cannot be sure in advance whether the treatment will help you. There is no such thing as a “right time”, and any delay can exacerbate any difficulty. However, it is worth giving yourself the opportunity to try and do something that can bring about a significant change in your life, as this is a highly effective treatment that has helped many people. Finally, if you have decided that that the desired changes are not there, you can stop.
Can I stop before the treatment is completed?
Some people stop treatment without completing it. This can be due to several reasons. For example, some patients stop treatment when initial goals have been met and they feel better, or conversely, when they believe there is no improvement and they are not doing well enough. Improvement is gradual and comes with time and effort. Changes occur upon completion of the treatment. When there are similar concerns and thoughts it would be beneficial and helpful to discuss them in therapy.
What happens when there is a lack of improvement?
There is also the possibility that a long period of time may pass without progress (no change in your thoughts and mood). In this case it will be necessary to: investigate the possible problems that may have arisen within the therapeutic relationship, deal with the behaviors that hinder the therapeutic process, review the interpretation and the plan for each case, and choose different techniques and interventions that best meet your specifics.
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