Eugenie Georgaca
Eugenie Georgaca holds a degree in Philosophy, Pedagogy and Psychology, majoring in Psychology, from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1990). She completed postgraduate studies at the University of Kent (1992) and doctoral studies at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK (1996).
She teaches and researches in the fields of clinical psychology, psychotherapy and mental health. Specifically, she uses constructionist approaches for the study of mental distress and psychotherapy. She is also interested in promoting mental health at community level through participatory practices. She has published papers and is member of editorial boards of international scientific journals. She co-organised the 1st conference of the Association of European Qualitative Researchers in Psychology (EQuiP) in 2021 and the 5th and 6th Qualitative Research on Mental Health (QRMH) conferences in 2014 and 2016. She was coordinator of the Clinical Psychology Section of the Hellenic Psychological Society and since 2018 she is Board Member and Treasurer of the Society. She supports self-help organisations in Greece and abroad, and participated in the organization of the World Hearing Voices conference in Thessaloniki in 2015. She supports and supervises innovative, recovery-oriented practices in community mental health services, through her association with EPAPSY and the Association of Families for Mental Health of Serres.
My research interests lie in the field of Clinical Psychology, mainly community clinical psychology and critical psychosocial approaches to mental disorders. I utilize qualitative methods to examine the experience, understanding and coping with severe mental distress, mainly psychotic disorders. I also examine the way in which persons with serious mental disorders are treated by mental heath services and professionals. I attempt to develop collaborative modes of research in the field of mental health, based on human rights and self-help. Finally, I use discursive and dialogical approaches to research the process of psychotherapy.
Georgaca, E. (2024). Turning challenge to opportunity: Clinical psychology investigations into contemporary mental health needs and care. Psychology: The Journal of the Hellenic Psychological Society, 29(2), 284–288. https://doi.org/10.12681/psy_hps.39727
Ακριτίδου, Α., Μέγαρης, Σ., & Γεωργάκα, Ε. (2024). Στρατηγικές διαχείρισης της αυτό-παρουσίασης γυναικών-χρηστριών του Instagram: Μια μεταμοντέρνα φεμινιστική ανάλυση. Ψυχολογία, 29(2), 119–143. https://doi.org/10.12681/psy_hps.37721
Peppou, L. E., Nikolaidi, S., Tsikou, K., Drakonakis, N., Georgaca, E., Arvaniti, A., Souliotis, K., Stylianidis, S., & Yotsidi, V. (2024). Mental health professionals’ beliefs and attitudes towards compulsory admission in Athens: A token of social stigma or good faith in psychiatry? – a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry, 24, 873. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06300-2
Viou, M., & Georgaca, E. (2024). Developing reflexivity and self-compassion in group psychotherapy: A dialogical and narrative approach. European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642537.2024.2339826
Berring, L. L., Georgaca, E., Hirsch, S., Bilgin, H., Akik, B. K., Aydin, M., Verbeke, E., Galeazzi, G. M., Vanheule, S., & Bertani, D. (2024). Factors and processes facilitating recovery from coercion in mental health services: A meta-ethnography. Healthcare, 12, 628. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12060628
Mousourouli, E., Neztekidou, D., & Georgaca, E. (2024). Depictions of “mental illness” in Greek criminal court rulings: A discourse analysis. Psychology: The Journal of the Hellenic Psychological Society, 29(1), 82-99. https://doi.org/10.12681/psy_hps.33157
Moutsou, E., Georgaca, E., & Morgan, G. (2023). The Power Threat Meaning Framework: A lens for the psychosocial support of unaccompanied minors. Metalogos Systemic Therapy Journal, 44, 1-23.
Papadopoulou, V., Arvaniti, A., Kalamara, E., Georgaca, E., Stylianidis, S., Peppou, L. E., & Samakouri, M. (2023). Outcome of Involuntary Mental Health Assessment in a Psychiatric Department in Greece. Healthcare, 11, 2977. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11222977.
Berring, L. L., & Georgaca, E. (2023). Editorial: A call for transformation: Moving away from coercive measures in mental health care. Healthcare, 11(16), 2315. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11162315
Georgaca, E., Machaira, S., Stamovlasis, D., Peppou, L. Ε., Papachristou, C., Arvaniti, A., Samakouri, M., Stylianidis, S., & the Thessaloniki MANE Group (2023). Clinical determinants of involuntary psychiatric hospitalization: A clinical profile approach. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 79, 2081–2100. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23528
Viou, M., & Georgaca, E. (2023). “Their voice becomes my voice”: Understanding the development of the dialogical self through the internalization of voices in group psychotherapy. Theory and Psychology, 33(4), 577-596. https://doi.org/10.1177/09593543231176254
Moutsou, I., Georgaca, E., & Varaklis, T. (2023). Psychotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions with unaccompanied minors: A scoping review. Healthcare, 11, 918. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11060918
Stylianidis, S., Georgaca, E., Peppou, L. E., Arvaniti, A., Samakouri, M., & the MANE Group (2023). Involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations in Greece: Contemporary research and policy implications. Ψυχιατρική. https://doi.org/10.22365/jpsych.2023.006
Lagogianni, C., Georgaca, E., & Christoforidou, D. (2023). Co-therapy in Open Dialogue: Transforming therapists’ self in a shared space. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1083502. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1083502
Georgaca, E., Fenekou, V., Katsouli, A., & Kyriakou-Chatziapostolou, E. (2023). Feminine sexuality, religiousness and psychotic distress: Tracing a pattern. Feminism & Psychology, 33(1), 144-162. https://doi.org/ 10.1177/09593535221105687
Georgaca, E., Plataniti, P., Vardoulaki, A., Pampouchidou, M., Nomidou, A., & Chondros, P. (2023). Assessing quality of care and observance of human rights in residential mental health facilities in Greece through the W.H.O. QualityRights Toolkit. International Journal of Psychology, 58(1), 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12874
Georgaca, E., Anastasopoulos, O., Stamovlasis, D., Zissi, A., Peppou, L. E., Arvaniti, A., Samakouri, M., Stylianidis, S., & the Thessaloniki MANE Group (2022). What renders living alone a risk factor for involuntary psychiatric admission? Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03592-z
Georgaca, E., Zissi, A., & Cromby, J. (2022). Internalized stigma and self-presentation strategies of persons with psychotic and psychiatric experiences. Journal of Community Psychology, 50, 2875-2891. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22803
Peppou, L. E., Drakonakis, N., Nikolaidi, S., Georgaca, E., Arvaniti, A., & Stylianidis, S. (2022). Rates and determinants of involuntary hospitalizations in Athens region: Are there any differences between psychiatric and general hospitals? Psychiatry Research Communications, 2(2), 100041. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psycom.2022.100041
Γεωργαντζή, Π., Τσιλοχρήστου, Ε., & Γεωργάκα, Ε. (2021). Ποιοτική διερεύνηση των απόψεων των επαγγελματιών ψυχικής υγείας σε τμήματα βραχείας νοσηλείας για την πορεία της ζωής των ατόμων με ψύχωση. Hellenic Journal of Psychology, 18, 172-194. https://doi.org/10.26262/hjp.v18i2.7871
Georgaca, E. (2021). Is divergence in outcome evaluation paradoxical? Towards validating multiple perspectives on psychotherapy practice. European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling, 23(2), 237-248. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642537.2021.1923053
Viou, M., & Georgaca, E. (2020). ‘Enriching our Inner Dialogue’: An activity to explore compassionate voices. Journal of Constructivist Psychology. doi:10.1080/10720537.2020.1717150
Viou, M., & Georgaca, E. (2020). Compassionate voices of clients and therapists in group systemic psychotherapy: A narrative study. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 33(4), 422-440. doi:10.1080/10720537.2019.1679302
Georgaca, E., & Zissi, A. (2019) . Socially differentiated life trajectories of individuals with experience of psychosis: A biographical study. Mental Health and Prevention, 14, 100153. doi:10.1016/j.mhp.2019.02.001
Georgaca, E., & Avdi, E. (2019). Developing a dialogical approach to analysing psychotherapy. In A. Konopka, H. J. M. Hermans, & M. M. Goncalves (Eds.), Handbook of dialogical self theory and psychotherapy: Bridging psychotherapeutic and cultural traditions (pp. 153-169). Routledge.
Λογδανίδου, Μ., Μαλλιοπούλου, Ε., & Γεωργάκα, Ε. (2018). Οι απόψεις των κατοίκων αγροτικών περιοχών της Μακεδονίας για τις ψυχικές διαταραχές: Μια ποιοτική μελέτη. Hellenic Journal of Psychology, 15(3), 302-324.
Avdi, E., & Georgaca, E. (2018). Researching the discursive construction of subjectivity in psychotherapy. In O. Smoliak & T. Strong (Eds.), Therapy as discourse: Practice and research (pp. 45-69). Palgrave / Macmillan.
Γεωργάκα, Ε., & Ζήση, Α. (2018). Ανάκαμψη στην ψύχωση: Αφηγήσεις διαχείρισης ακραίων ψυχικών εμπειριών. Σύναψις, 49(14), 89-95.
Georgaca, E., & Zissi, A. (2018). Living with psychosis: Narratives of managing severe distress and recovery. Psychosis, 10(2), 81-89. doi: 10.1080/17522439.2018.1447595
Aggelidou, K., & Georgaca, E. (2017). Effective strategies for coping with paranoid thoughts: A qualitative investigation. International Journal of Mental Health, 46(3), 188-205. DOI: 10.1080/00207411.2017.1304075
Γεωργάκα, Ε. (2016). Κινήματα αυτοβοήθειας ατόμων με ψυχιατρική εμπειρία: Χαρακτηριστικά, αρχές και προοπτικές. Τετράδια Ψυχιατρικής, 3 (Ιαν.-Απρ.), 43-54.
Georgaca, E. (2014). Discourse analytic research on mental distress: A critical overview. Journal of Mental Health, 23(2), 55-61.
Georgaca, E. (2014). Schizophrenia. In T. Teo (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of critical psychology (pp. 1692-1697). Springer.
Μούτσου, Ε., & Γεωργάκα, Ε. (2014). Εξελίξεις και συγκρούσεις αναφορικά με την ταξινόμηση των ψυχικών διαταραχών: Μία κριτική ανασκόπηση του DSM-5. Ψυχολογία, 21(2), 130-148.
Georgaca, E. (2013). Social constructionist contributions to critiques of psychiatric diagnosis and classification. Feminism & Psychology, 23(1), 56-62.
Γεωργάκα, Ε. (2013). Ποιοτική διερεύνηση της βιωμένης εμπειρίας της ψύχωσης: Μεθοδολογική ανασκόπηση. Ψυχολογία, 20(4), 397-412.
Γρηγοριάδου. Ε., Αμπατζή, Ε., & Γεωργάκα, Ε. (2012). Ακούσια εισαγωγή σε ψυχιατρική μονάδα: Από το πνεύμα του νόμου στην πραγματικότητα της εφαρμογής του. Ψυχολογία, 19(1), 80-102.
Georgaca, E. (2012). The essential elements of dialogically based research on psychotherapy: A proposal. International Journal of Dialogical Science, 6(1), 161-171.
Georgaca, E., & Avdi, E. (2012). Discourse analysis. In A. Thompson & D. J. Harper (Eds.), Qualitative research methods in mental health and psychotherapy: A guide for students and practitioners (pp. 147-162). Chichester UK: Wiley.
Fenekou, V., & Georgaca, E. (2010). Exploring the experience of hearing voices: A qualitative study. Psychosis, 2(2), 134-143.
Bilić, B., & Georgaca, E. (2007). Representations of “mental illness” in Serbian newspapers: A critical discourse analysis. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 4, 167-186.
Avdi, E., & Georgaca, E. (2007). Discourse analysis and psychotherapy: A critical review. European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling, 9(2), 157-176.
Avdi, E., & Georgaca, E. (2007). Narrative research in psychotherapy: A critical review. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 80, 407-419.
Georgaca, E. (2004). Talk and the nature of delusions: Defending sociocultural perspectives on mental illness. Philosophy, Psychiatry and Psychology, 11(1), 87-94.
Georgaca, E. (2004). Factualisation and plausibility in ‘delusional’ discourse. Philosophy, Psychiatry and Psychology, 11(1), 13-23.
Georgaca, E. (2003). Exploring signs and voices in the therapeutic space. Theory and Psychology, 13(4), 541-560.
Georgaca, E. (2001). Voices of the self in psychotherapy: A qualitative analysis. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 74, 223-236.
Georgaca, E. (2000). Reality and discourse: A critical analysis of the category of delusions. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 73, 227-242.
Parker, I., Georgaca, E., Harper, D., McLaughlin, T., & Stowell-Smith, M. (1995). Deconstructing psychopathology. London: Sage.