At the Counselling Clinic of St. Luke's Hospital, the Psychiatrist Mrs. Myrto Marinou and the Psychologist Mr. Alexandros Gerontidis collaborate, in order to provide their services, on the one hand to the patients of the Clinic, and on the other hand to people who are not hospitalised, but feel the need to visit a mental health specialist.

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To whom is the Counselling Clinic addressed?

The range of services of the clinic is quite large. It is addressed to people who suffer from an anxiety disorder or phobia, such as: 

• Acute stress
• Chronic stress
• Panic attacks

• Agoraphobia
• Fear of heights 
• Special phobias, i.e. fear related to specific objects, animals, etc. 

It is also addressed to people who have mood disorders and by this we mean mainly depressive disorders. Finally, the Clinic can provide services to people who: 

• would like to better manage their emotions
• face difficulties in their interpersonal relationships, especially with their spouse, partner or with various other members of their family
• have low self-esteem / self-confidence
• have behavioural problems, such as difficulty in managing anger

Relationship of trust

Particular importance is given to the creation of a climate of trust between therapist-patient, but also to the active role of the patient throughout the treatment, which helps him to take matters into his own hands, so that he eventually becomes a therapist of himself. An early diagnosis, combined with a targeted treatment of the problem that stems from counselling and from the various forms of psychotherapy we use, can lead initially to the reduction of symptoms and then to treatment.

What are psychosomatic diseases?

Today, we see that the interaction between body and soul is attracting more and more scientific interest. We now know that mental illness and physical illness coexist quite often, while the perception that physical illnesses are affected either positively or negatively by psychological factors is gaining ground. This is why we hear more and more often about psychosomatic diseases. 

In this sense, there are physical symptoms which are triggered by psychological factors. 

Other reasons that can lead to psychosomatic diseases are: 

• Some dysfunctional personality traits
• Daily bad habits, such as smoking and overeating
• Crises in relationships with other important people in our daily lives

What are the most common symptoms of psychosomatic diseases?

The most common symptoms of psychosomatic diseases are: 

• Persistent pain
• Easy fatigue
• Dizziness
• Some gastrointestinal symptoms
• Dyspnoea
   

The main goal in all the above cases is the management and treatment of symptoms, but also the good functionality of the patient. 

Anxiety and depression

Early diagnosis and treatment

Anxiety and depression are the two main issues that concern most people. A very large percentage of those who visit a psychologist have either an anxiety or an emotional disorder, or both. The causes are more or less known and are related to: 

• Heredity
• Our living environment
  
• Socio-economic conditions

What is important is the fastest possible awareness of the situation, with the first manifestations of symptoms, so that we can achieve the best possible treatment.
 

What does the Counselling Clinic offer to patients?

With the help provided in the Counselling Clinic, the patient learns to identify his feelings and beliefs about his health, to discover ways to manage his anxiety, to be able to stop the intense preoccupation with the symptoms and to function effectively in his daily life.

The necessity of solving problematic situations

All the above belong to the range of symptoms and disorders that the Counselling Clinic deals with. The above situations, if not treated promptly and correctly, may lead to: 

• Additional difficulties, such as problems with friends, family, colleagues, etc.
• Poor physical health
• Depressive episodes
• Suicidal tendencies

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A few words about the Heads of the Clinic

Myrto Marinou

Myrto Marinou is a Psychiatrist-Psychotherapist. She is a graduate of the Medical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She completed her specialty in Psychiatry at Harvard University in the USA, while the main fields of her interest are psychosomatic medicine and women's mental health.

Alexandros Gerontidis

Alexandros Gerontidis is a Clinical Psychologist, graduate of the Department of Psychology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He has further specialisation in Cognitive-Behavioural Psychotherapy, Stress Management and Psycho-Oncology. He has collaborated with the First University Psychiatric Clinic at Papageorgiou Hospital, while, since 2017, he is an external collaborator of St. Luke's Hospital.