Welcome to the personal website of clinical psychologist and psychotherapist Natasha Kabitsi, PhD.

Location: Near Agia Sofia church -Thessaloniki

Office phone: 2310-228349

Email: [email protected]

By appointment only~

My private practice is in Thessaloniki and I provide psychotherapy services, primarily with adults, as well as adolescents (15 and older) and also with couples and families. I was born and raised here and have lived and studied in the United States of America. There, I had the fortune to study the science and art of psychotherapy next to charismatic mentors and significant figures in the field. As a result of numerous hours of clinical supervision and personal therapy, I discovered that I aspire to adhere to certain values regarding the work of psychotherapy, as portrayed in my thoughts that follow.

The psychotherapy alliance should comprise of genuine concern and unconditional positive regard, in order for the patient to truly benefit. The patient comes to the therapist in need because he experiences psychic pain. Not only is it important for the therapist to be a good scientist but also to have the strength, stability, and fidelity of character so that she handles her role and the patient’s pain with decency, care and respect. In her attempt to empower the patient and to help him obtain an assertive stance in his life, the therapist should ideally possess characteristics such as integrity, transparency, and empathy, as well as patience, curiosity, and humor.

My therapeutic approach does not focus on narrow symptom removal but on the patient becoming more able to obtain or re-claim his “voice”, to discover and connect with his vulnerable and disowned parts, and ultimately to accept them. As a psychotherapist, I prefer to think of myself as a good-natured companion walking alongside the patient in his inherent quest for relatedness and meaning in a culture of disconnection, and for courage in a culture of blame and fear.

2010 September   Postdoctoral Fellowship    The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, USA. 

2006 August          Ph.D., Clinical Psychology  Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA. 

2000 September   M.A., Clinical Psychology   Loyola College, Baltimore, MD, USA. 

1998 May               B.A., Psychology,                  Summa Cum Laude (With highest honors) Minor: Health Studies Berea College, Berea, KY, USA. 

1994 June               HS Diploma                           Anatolia College, Thessaloniki, Greece.

License to Practice Psychology in Greece – No. of Protocol (24/27509)

ACADEMIC HONORS & AWARDS

2003 Doctoral Oral Examination, Passed with Distinction 

1998 Service Award, Berea College Student Labor Program 

1997 PSI CHI National Honor Society 

1996 PHI KAPPA PHI National Honor Society 

1995 – 1998 Dean’s List of Distinguished Students 

1994 – 1998 Full Tuition Scholarship, Berea College 

1996 Vincit Qui Patitur 

1995 Fleur De Lis

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

Sep 2009 – Sep 2010

Psychology Fellow at the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

My duties on the HOPE (adult inpatient psychiatric) unit included psychological testing, individual and group psychotherapy, case management treatment and discharge planning, consultation, and family therapy for patients with dual diagnoses (Axis I, II & addictions). www.menningerclinic.com/p-hope/index.htm

Mar 2007 - Jul 2009

Psychologist at Center for Counseling & Psychological Support Social Policy Committee –Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Provided brief integrative therapy and counseling services to university students and faculty, as well as arranged for referrals for psychiatric treatment and medication.

Sep 2005 - Aug 2006

Clinical Psychology Intern – 4 Rotations, St. Louis Psychological Internship Consortium, Saint Louis, MO, USA.

1st Rotation: Metropolitan Psychiatric Hospital (MPC)

MPC is an acute psychiatric inpatient treatment center at which I provided direct care that included psychological and cognitive assessments, consultations, as well as individual and group therapy services to acutely symptomatic patients with severe mental illness and/or substance abuse diagnoses). I functioned as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team that discussed diagnostic, treatment, and discharge plans for these patients.

2nd Rotation: St. Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center, (SLPRC)

SLPRC is an intermediate/ long-term inpatient psychiatric and psychosocial rehabilitation center at which I provided individual therapy services to forensic adults from urban, suburban and rural regions of eastern Missouri, who had severe and persistent mental illnesses. I also facilitated psychoeducational and process-oriented groups, conducted an integrated risk assessment, and worked with a forensic client to restore his competency to stand trial.

3rd Rotation: Community Psychological Service, (CPS) University of Missouri-St. Louis. 

CPS is a non-profit outpatient mental health clinic at which I provided initial assessments and ongoing treatment planning for a caseload of adult, child, couple and family therapy clients. I also provided comprehensive personality evaluations for adults and children with severe emotional disturbances, forensic parenting competency assessments, and evaluations for learning and attention disorders in children and adults.

4th Rotation: Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH), St. Louis, MO, USA.

MIMH is a state institution that is part of the National Institute of Mental Health at which I completed 3 research projects:

a) An assessment of screening tools for clients with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders- (part of a five-year SAMHSA grant to enhance infrastructure and services for Department of Mental Health clients). 

b) A handbook that compiled treatment curricula for services for patients with mental retardation and mental illness and provided recommendations to enhance existing services for these clients at a long-term adult psychiatric rehabilitation center. 

c) A DVD program on physically abusive men offered by Continuing Education CE-TV, a subscription-based continuing education service providing programs on mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Sep 2001 - Jun 2006

Psychological Trainee, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA.

Provided comprehensive psychoeducational and psychological evaluations as well as short and long-term psychotherapy services to clients of the Psychological Services Center, housed at Saint Louis University.

Sep 2004 - May 2005 & Sep 2001 - May 2002

Success Center Counselor- Saint Louis College of Pharmacy, Saint Louis, MO, USA.

Provided counseling services (weekly therapy or drop-in counseling) to students, staff, and faculty. Conducted intakes, provided consultation, referrals, and mental health programming including workshops, presentations, and training.

Sep 2004 - May 2005

Volunteer, RAVEN (Rape & Violence End Now), Nonviolence Education for Men. St Louis, MO, USA.

Co-facilitated groups to monitor men’s application of principles holding batterers accountable for their abusive actions and for changing their behaviors.

May 2004 - May 2005

Evaluator for Disability Determinations, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA.

Provided psychological testing requested by the State of Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Section of Disability Determinations, for the purpose of aiding in determining eligibility for disability income.

Mar 2007 - Jul 2008

Educational Program: “Psychometric –Differential Evaluation of Children and Adolescents with Learning Disabilities-Pilot Phase” co-funded by the European Commission and the Greek Ministry of Education and Religion.

Aug 2006 - Jul 2008

European Program: “EUNAAPA – European Network for Action on Ageing and Physical Activity” co-funded by the European Commission and Democritus University of Thrace, Greece.

Sep 2004 - May 2005

Graduate Research Assistant, Psychology Department, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA.

Sep 2002 - Jun 2004

SLU 2000 Graduate Research Assistant, Psychology Department, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA.

Sep 2004 - May 2005

Dissertation Research: “Violent Marriages: Blame, anger, and shame as experienced by Greek women.” Investigated psychological factors contributing to Greek women’s experience of their violent relationship. Conducted qualitative research that recorded the women’s thoughts and feelings regarding their experiences.

Dec 20000 - May 2001

Research Assistant, Department of Neuropsychology, University of Maryland-School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Sep 1998 - May 2000

Masters Thesis Research:  “Spousal motivations of care for demented older adults: A cross-cultural comparison of Greek and American female caregivers.”

Oct 2006 - May 2007   Lecturer at Mediterranean College Thessaloniki, Greece.

Dec 2006 - May 2007   Guest Lecturer at City College, Thessaloniki, Greece.

ENGLISH PUBLICATIONS

Kabitsi, N. (2006). Understanding abusive men and their behavior: Typologies and treatment. (DVD) Missouri Institute of Mental Health – Continuing Education (CE-TV).

Gotham, H., Claus, R., & Kabitsi, N. (2006). COSIG Missouri: Acceptance and Feasibility of Screening and Assessment Tools for COD. Presented at the 3rd Annual COSIG Grantee Meeting.

Kabitsi, N., & Powers, D. (2002). Spousal motivations of care for demented older adults: A cross-cultural comparison of Greek and American female caregivers. Journal of Aging Studies, 16, 383-399.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Harahousou, Y., Kabitsi, N. (2009). Expert Survey on Successful Physical Activity Programs for Older People in Greece. Presented at the 12th ISSP World Congress of Sport Psychology, June 17-21 Marrakech, Morocco.

Vairli, M., Kabitsi, N., & Harahousou, Y., (2007). The Effect of Non-surgical Cosmetics and Exercise Interventions on Perception of Body Shape. Presented at the 3rd International Congress  “People, Sport & Health”, April 19-21, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Vairli, M., Kabitsi, N., & Harahousou, Y., (2007). The Effect of Non-surgical Face Cosmetics on Appearance and Confidence in Females. Presented at the 3rd International Congress “People, Sport & Health”, April 19-21, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Kabitsi, N., & Hughes, H. (2004). Violent Marriages: Shame, Anger, and Blame as Experienced by Greek Women. Presented at the 2005 AWP Conference on Feminist Psychology: Future Tense.

Grattan, L., Kabitsi, N., Ghahramanlou, M., Vaughan, C., Wozniak, M., Kittner, S., & Price, T. (2002). The influence of Coping Strategy upon Depression and Personality Adjustment after Ischemic Stroke. Presented at the 27th American Heart Association International Stroke Conference.

WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS

Kabitsi, N. (14/11/08). Improvement of Interpersonal Relationships. Presented at the 2nd forum titled “Quality of Life at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki” organized by the Social Policy Committee.

Kabitsi, N. (9/1/08). Violence in Interpersonal Relationships. Presented at the 1st forum titled “Social Policy for International Students and Students with Disabilities” organized by the Social Policy Committee of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Kabitsi, Ν. (10/1/06). Abuse and Third Age. Presented at the workshop titled “Woman and Quality of Life in Third Age” organized by the Hellenic Association for the Advancement of Women in Sports, for the International day for the Elderly.

Going from Adolescence to Adulthood: Theoretical and Clinical Approach – Issues of Technique in Therapy. Workshop organized by the North-Hellenic Psychoanalytic Society and the Adolescent Unit of AHEPA. May 21, 2011.

Schema Therapy and Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Educational seminar organized by the Greek Institute of Behavioral Research – Macedonia chapter. January 29, 2011.

The Group as Movie Screen: Projective Identification in Film and Television. The 2010 Annual Institute hosted by the Houston Group Psychotherapy Society. April 16 & 17, 2010.

Suicide: Assessment & Risk Management. The Menninger Clinic, April 8, 2010.

Practical Application of CAMS-Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality- in Working with Suicidal Patients. The Menninger Clinic, October 2, 2009.

Physical Activity and Healthy Ageing: A dialogue on best practice between policy and research. University of Verona, Italy. June 19-20, 2008

Dialectical Behavior Therapy: An Introduction. (A continuing education program). St. Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center. January 18 & 25, 2006.

Reducing Recidivism in Co-Occurring Disorders across Treatment Settings: Integrating Psychosocial and Pharmacological Approaches. St. Louis, Missouri. November 2, 2005.

Couples In Therapy: Healing Relationship Injury, Strengthening Intimacy. St. Louis, Missouri. Sponsored by Missouri Association for Marriage & Family Therapy. April 1-2, 2005.

Lessons from Fathering After Violence: Phase One. St. Louis, Missouri. Seminar sponsored by the Family Violence Prevention Fund. October 2004.

Orientation to Domestic Violence: “Welcome to the Movement.” Missouri Coalition Against Domestic Violence, St. Louis Metro Region. September 8 & 11, 2004.

Collaborative Couples Therapy: Turning Fights Into Intimate Conversations. St. Louis, Missouri. Co-sponsored by Family Institute of St. Louis. October 24-25, 2002.

CONTINUING EDUCATION TRAINING IN GREECE

Oct 2018 - May 2019

Introductory training in Analytic Group Psychotherapy. Institute of Analytic Group Psychotherapy S.H. Foulkes (Athens). www.ioaf.gr/instituto.omadikis.analisis/

Jan 2011 - Dec 2011

Training in Structural Family Psychotherapy. www.psymed.gr

Oct 2008 - May 2009

Completed an introductory seminar (included group supervision) in “Psychoanalytic thought and application” at the North-Hellenic Psychoanalytic Society. www.nhpsych.gr/en/

Nov 2007 - Jun 2008

Attended Gestalt Group Therapy focusing on introspection. www.gestaltfoundation.gr

Patient obligations

 Attendance and collaboration during sessions is crucial to the therapeutic process and the ultimate attainment of one’s goals.

Therapist obligations

The therapist will explain the process of therapy and work with the patient toward establishing realistic therapeutic goals.

Exceptions to confidentiality

Trust between a patient and a therapist is crucial to the process of treatment. Nonetheless, there are certain situations in which the confidentiality of the patient-therapist communication is not protected. Specifically:

Serious threats to harm self or others. These are not considered confidential and will lead to appropriate and immediate action. Also, acts of child or elder abuse (physical, sexual, and/or emotional) must be reported.

If the patient is under 18, sessions cannot be kept confidential from the parents or legal guardian. However, for treatment to be most effective, parents can give their child permission to keep the therapy communications between the child and the therapist confidential.

    Is well trained and skilled and thus capable of understanding the dynamics of the patient’s difficulties

    Is sufficiently sensitive to perceive what is happening in the therapeutic relationship

    Is aware of his/her own feelings and capable of remaining objective irrespective of the attitudes and behavior of the patient

    Is flexible in his/her approach to the patient

    Has the capacity for empathy toward the patient and is emotionally connected with him/her

    Displays appropriate respect, patience, and a collaborative spirit

    Is capable of being firm when needed

    Is psychologically well-adjusted and capable of gaining satisfaction for his/her own basic needs

    Is capable of tolerating the expression of various impulses by the patient and not threatened by behavior reflecting assertiveness and self-determination

    Is able to tolerate the inevitable failures and frustration inherent in the therapeutic process

    Feels personally secure

    Is capable of giving the patient support in accordance with his/her needs without being overprotecting or over-domineering

    Is confused about the existing dynamics of the patient’s illness

    Is not well-trained and lacks skills therefore may go “fishing” for information without a clear theory to support his questions

    Is insensitive to what is going on within the patient and within the therapeutic relationship

    Is incapable of maintaining adequate objectivity

    Is inflexible in his/her approach to the patient and needs to follow his own agenda

    Lacks empathy toward the patient and is emotionally detached

    Is anxious and domineering

    Is passive and submissive

    Tends to utilize the patient and the therapy hour for his/her own emotional gratification

    Is not capable of tolerating various impulses expressed by the patient, such as sexuality or hostility, and is threatened by the patient’s assertive behavior

    Is unable to tolerate blows to his/her self-esteem or failures and frustrations during the therapeutic hour

    Has a high need to be liked and a strong tendency toward perfectionism. Lacks creativity and humor, and is unable to take criticism or to acknowledge self-limitations

    Is unable to extend support or unconditional positive regard to the patient

Violence in relationships is defined as the sum of continuous aggressive and coercive behaviors that the abuser uses toward his partner. There are different types of violence. The four most important ones are defined below: 

Physical violence is when the abuser:

     Scratches, bites, shoves, spits

    Hits, punches, burns, and uses weapons 

    Throws around household items 

    Forces his victim to experience reckless and dangerous driving 

    Locks his victim inside or outside their home 

    Refuses to care for his victim when she is ill, hurt, may hit her when she is pregnant

 Sexual violence is when the abuser:

    Is jealous to the point of paranoia as he believes that his victim is cheating on him 

   Withholds sex and tenderness as punishment

    Insults his victim using sexually derogatory names 

    Pressures his victim in a coercive way to have sex 

    Insists that his victim dresses in a provocative manner regardless of whether she desires to do so 

    Is frequently violent during intercourse which may result in pain and bruises, cuts etc.

    Forces his victim to engage in sexual acts that are demeaning 

    Refuses to use protection for sexually transmitted diseases 

Psychological violence is when the abuser:

    Does not honor promises or deals and does not take responsibility for his behavior 

    Verbally abuses, shames and makes fun of his victim in public 

    Offends his victim by attacking her vulnerabilities such as her education, her mistakes as a parent, her appearance, and her religious beliefs 

    Plays mind games: refuses to admit to threats or manipulations he has made, and distorts his victim’s reality 

    Forces his victim to succumb to demeaning acts 

   Disregards his victim’s feelings

    Punishes by not offering reassurance or tenderness 

    Often threatens to abandon his victim or throw her out

    Harasses his victim about extramarital affairs that he imagines she has 

    Withholds food, medication, or treatment as punishment

    Claims he is always right 

Financial violence is when the abuser:

    Controls his victim’s money

    Does not allow his victim to work outside the home or sabotages her efforts to work or study 

    Refuses to work and forces his victim to support him financially 

    Destroys his victim’s financial credit 

There is no way to point out an abuser among a crowd because characteristics of such individuals are unrelated to social class, ethnicity or economic status. Most abusers are males who manage to absolve themselves from responsibility by blaming the victim, “forgetting”, making excuses, distorting, minimizing, and playing the victim themselves. Another common characteristic is their inflated sense of entitlement, which is exhibited by intimidation and coercive tactics. Each incident of violence is added to prior ones and builds up to worse incidents. An abuser can be detected ONLY by his behavior. It is this which ensures the ongoing coercive control, manipulation, and power on the victim, and has resulting deep feelings of insecurity, fear, hopelessness and futility, as well as confusion, doubt, guilt and anxiety. 

Grief is a painful and intense process that takes place after the loss of a loved one. It can also take place after other kinds of losses, such as a miscarriage or abortion, a divorce or separation, a serious illness or death of a pet, as well as a termination or loss of employment.

Basic processes must take place in order for one to grieve effectively. These include the realization of the loved one’s physical death, the revival of important life experiences with the deceased, adjustment to new roles and responsibilities, and lastly reinvesting energy in the continuation of one’s life. It’s important to be familiar with certain myths around grief because believing them can overshadow or block the process of grief.

Myth: Pain will dissipate the more one ignores it.

Truth: Trying to avoid the pain or keeping it tucked away deep inside will only worsen things. Real healing will ensue when one actively comes to terms with the loss by talking about it and expressing one’s feelings. 

Μyth: It is important for someone to remain “strong” against a loss. 

Truth: To feel pain, fear, or loneliness as well as other similar emotions are natural and expected reactions to grief and do not mean that he who experiences them is weak. On the contrary, she who expresses her real feelings is in a better position to draw up strength and help herself and others around her.

Μyth: If one doesn’t cry, this means that she doesn’t really feel loss. 

Truth: Crying is a natural reaction to pain but not the only one. Those who don’t cry can feel their loss equally deeply and express it in different ways.

Μyth: Grief should last about a year.

Truth: There is no absolute time frame for grief. It varies depending on the person.

Μyth: If the grieving person continues on with his life, this means that he has forgotten about his loved one. 

Truth: Continuing with one’s life means that the loss that been accepted. This is not the same with forgetting the deceased. One can adjust to a new reality and still hold dear the memory of the loved one. 

Μyth: One way that friends can help the grieving person is by not bringing up her loss. 

Truth: People who grieve need to be able to talk freely about their loved one. Bringing up their loss in regular conversation can help them feel some relief. If of course one does not wish to talk about her loss, one should not be pressured to do so.

Μyth: One good way to express sympathy for the grieving person is to tell her that one knows how she feels.

Truth: No one can know how the grieving person feels. Each one of us experiences loss differently, so saying the above can make the person feel as if her pain is not important or unique.

The basis for the development of a healthy personality is found in the ability to create human connections. When such attachments are ruined or were never appropriately developed, the individual loses his sense of self and becomes psychologically traumatized. A traumatic event can destroy one’s belief that he can be himself in relation to others, in other words one’s foundation of basic trust. 

Traumatic stress contributes to an array of clinical syndromes and symptoms, such as dissociative disorders, depression, substance abuse, self-harm, as well as suicidal tendencies, eating disorders, and psychoses. Moreover, attachment trauma can generate personality difficulties; primarily one’s ability to manage dysphoric emotions, as well as to keep one’s sense of identity and one’s relations intact. Research and clinical experience have shown that despite that fact that exposure to trauma doesn’t always generate persistent negative symptoms, terror and the sense of loneliness experience maintain to a large degree posttraumatic stress, especially when this destroys the victim’s ability to connect to others.

Experts in the field of psychotherapy believe that the development of persistent trauma can be avoided by the existence of emotional support and warmth, ingredients that revive a sense of safety and enable the survivor to understand the traumatic event and integrate his dissociated memories. In such a refuge, the survivor will be able to restore their sense of safety and control, which is the basis of the first stage of recovery. In the second stage, which is the most emotionally loaded one, the survivor remembers and grieves through the process of narrating his traumatic story. Having come to terms with his traumatic past and having grieved the loss of his old self, the survivor can now create a new self. This is the last stage of recovery, in which the survivor is ready to reclaim his world. 

Healing from trauma is never finalized because recovery is never complete. The traumatic event continues to reverberate and echo during the life cycle of the survivor. Although recovery is not complete, it’s usually enough to enable the survivor to turn his attention to processes of daily life. The best omen of recovery is found among others, in the person’s willingness to re-experience joy and satisfaction from life and to reconnect in his interpersonal and love relationships.

Location: Patriarhou Ioakim 10

                  Agia Sofia - Thessaloniki

Office phone: 2310-228349

Email: