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Why I Changed the Way I Think About Mental Health (and how this can help you)

I still remember my first session with a client who told me: "I've tried everything. CBT, medication, mindfulness apps. Nothing works."


I sat across from her on the screen—an online session, like most today—and realized something: It wasn't that the tools didn't work. It was that they had been given to her separately, like puzzle pieces that didn't fit together. No one had looked at her wholeness—the unemployed woman living with her parents at 35, who felt she had "failed" in a society that still stigmatizes asking for help.


That moment changed the way I work. And since then, I've seen real, lasting change in the people I work with.


The Greek Reality: Why We Need a Different Approach


Let's tell the truth: Greeks have been through a lot. An economic crisis that left 1 in 3 in poverty conditions. A pandemic. Uncertainty. According to the WHO, 25% of Greeks face anxiety and depression due to financial pressures (National Bank of Greece, 2024). And yet, many still hesitate to seek help, due to the social stigma that exists around mental health in Greek culture (Tzouvara et al., 2016).


When your anxiety is connected to unemployment, when your depression comes from still living in your parents' home at 30, when you feel you're "failing" because society tells you that you should have achieved more—it's not enough to work only on your thoughts. We need to look at everything.


That's the meaning of the holistic approach to mental health: to see you in your entirety—the mind, the body, the environment, your existential search for meaning—and to build a plan that makes sense for your own life.


Eye-level view of a cozy room with plants and a comfortable chair
A calm space for mental health reflection

How the Integrated Approach Works


Think of it this way: If you have anxiety, you might need cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to change problematic thinking patterns. But if you're not sleeping well, if you're not moving at all, if your work environment is toxic—CBT alone won't be enough. Research shows that integrated therapies combining different methods have superior clinical outcomes compared to standard one-dimensional approaches (Popa et al., 2022).


In our sessions, we work with seven dimensions that affect your well-being (dos Santos Silva et al., 2024):


Physical Health - Sleep, nutrition, movement. Yes, these affect your anxiety and mood.


Emotional Health - Understanding and expressing your emotions without judgment.


Social Connections - Building supportive relationships, especially in a society where you feel lonely.


Spirituality/Meaning - Finding meaning and purpose beyond daily obligations. This is where the existential approach I use comes in—because research shows that the search for meaning significantly improves quality of life (Vos et al., 2015).


Environment - Creating spaces that nourish you, not exhaust you.


Intellectual Development - Continuing to learn, to evolve.


Occupational Satisfaction - Finding or creating work that has meaning for you, even in today's job market.


You don't need to be perfect in everything. We need to understand which of these affect you most and work from there.


The Power of the Online Therapeutic Space


I know many of you hesitate with online therapy. "Is it equally effective?" "Will I feel connection?"


The answer is: Yes. In fact, for many Greeks, online therapy has become a lifeline. If you live in a remote area, if you have a schedule that doesn't allow travel, if you feel more comfortable speaking from your home—teletherapy can actually be more effective for you (Kaushik et al., 2024). Research confirms that online therapy is equally effective as traditional therapy (Moudatsou et al., 2024).


And something else important: It reduces stigma. You don't need to explain to anyone where you're going, you don't need to feel "exposed." You're in your own safe space.


High angle view of a peaceful park bench surrounded by trees
Nature as a supportive environment for mental health

Where Do We Start?


If you're reading this and something resonates—if you're tired of therapies that ignore the fact that you live in Greece in 2025, with its own pressures and challenges—there is a path.


We work together to:


Understand where you are now - not with labels that stigmatize you, but with real understanding of your story.


Build a plan that fits your life - combining CBT for the thoughts that trap you, mindfulness to stay present, existential approaches to find meaning, and practical tools for managing daily stress.


Move at your own pace - because therapy isn't a race. It's a journey.


Create real change - not quick fixes, but deep, sustainable transformation.


Close-up view of a journal and pen on a wooden desk
Tools for emotional and intellectual growth

Ready to Begin?


If what you read resonated—if you feel you want someone who understands you as a Greek, who doesn't ignore your reality, who combines science with humanity—I'm here.


Book a free 15-minute introductory conversation and let's see if we're a good fit. No pressure, no obligation. Just an honest conversation about where you are and where you want to go.



Because you deserve an approach that sees you whole. Not as a symptom that needs to be "fixed," but as a person who deserves to live more fully.


See you in session,

Vasilis Kolymenos

Clinical Mental Health Counselor


References

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