The “Animartists” editing group consists of people who have dealt profoundly with themselves as well as with “the human”. Scientists from different fields work harmoniously together aiming to deposit their own personal “material”, given as a gift or gained through years of academic education, seeking to build bridges among themselves and with the rest of the world.

Restless scientists, full of questions and multidimensional interests, intrigued by their social concerns, put together a team aiming to bring activism into the service of the people. They set off with the will to help anyone who desires to discover their own personal truth, to contribute to the society until it is able to fit all children to its hug, so children can then build solid internal bridges.

They expand and constantly utilize all of their abilities, driven by the instability of the society. They observe and hark everything that is happening around them incessantly, they learn on a daily basis, they evolve and strengthen their potential in order to become more supporting and offer generously. They listen to the music that excites them, they know how to rummage the beauty of a painting or a sculpture, by feeling an old handmade carpet at an island in the Cyclades, or by discovering forgotten arts. They are excited when exploring new places and they are blown away by new and bizarre tastes, seeking loopholes into the unknown. They educate themselves to look for the background without losing the wide picture and they embrace both the rose petals and the thorns. They are enchanted by dirt roads, pathways leading to the unknown, but every now and then they allow themselves to take a different course in order to explore beauty or get frustrated by its inexistence. Ultimately they try to let their most powerful feelings show through their work. All together these different and multitalented people become one. They are the true soul of “Animartists”, our world.

If you feel that you are an “Animartists” and wish to share your own valuable “material” don’t hesitate to contact us!

George Fragakis

Co-founder of Animartists

I am a psychologist/psychotherapist in private practice and an author of books that aim to expand the perspective of psychotherapy on the challenges of the modern world. I specialise in the field of feminism and queer theory, diversity and multicultural challenges, conflicts and communication. I am also a co-founding member and editor-in-chief of Animartists Journal of Psychology, Culture and Awareness as well as a founding member of the Panhellenic Association of Professionals in the Person-Centred Experiential Approach, established on 2018, and I served as Member Board of Directors for the term 2019-2023. Also, from September 2017 to July 2021, I actively participated as a facilitator-trainer in the Person-Centred Counselling and Psychotherapy Master's Program of the College for Humanistic Sciences - ICPS in Greece. In the same period, I was the principal lecturer of the course “Queering Identities: LGBTQIA+ Sexuality and Gender Identity” offered in different master programs of the same institution.

Maria Terzopoulou

Co-founder of Animartists

I am the Journal's general coordinator and human rights team coordinator. I have a Social Work degree (UNIWA) and have completed my Internships at "Sotiria" Thoracic Diseases Hospital of Athens and at the NGO "Doctors of the World" in Athens, Greece. I have participated in trainings mainly regarding the subjects of Human & Children's Rights, Healthcare & Mental Healthcare, Refugee Crisis, Social Justice and Social Change. My relevant work experience involves research on the LGBTQIA+ community in Greece for over a year with Hellenic Psychotherapy Laboratory and LGBTQIA+ activism, through our Journal and Active Rainbow, as well as on Refugee Crisis through Amnesty International Greece and Metadrasi.

Dimitra Sotiraki

Editor-in-chief

A great amount of passion combined with a constant effort to explore are Dimitra's two main characteristics. With a Bachelor's degree in Turkish literature and two Master's degrees in International relations, Dimitra is a researcher with a focus on the interaction of Social Media and policy making. Dimitra language artillery consist of Greek, English, French, Turkish, Danish and Romanian. Located in Denmark the last three years, Dimitra develops her communication and tries to challenge herself daily and learn new things. On her free time enjoys cooking and going on new adventures through her DnD characters.

George Kitsaras

Editor-in-chief

George Kitsaras is the editor-in-chief of Animartist International, a Psychologist and a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Manchester. Prior to his PhD, George completed an undergraduate (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and postgraduate degree (Reading University) in psychology and clinical psychology respectively. During his undergraduate and postgraduate studies, his clinical and research experience revolved around solidarity settings, mental health, addiction and pain management. Those experiences shaped his interest in wider health and social issues with a special interest in refugees, migrants as well as other disadvantaged and excluded groups. Following his graduation and registration as a psychologist, George was employed in a secure hospital of the National Health Service of the United Kingdom. At the moment and as part of his PhD, his research combines elements of his psychological background focusing on public health, child wellbeing and development.

Vangelis Katsampouris

Contributing author

Vangelis Katsampouris graduated from the department of Psychology of the Panteion University. He completed his postgraduate studies on Health Psychology at Bath University in UK. Today he is an accredited MBPsS graduate member of the British Psychological Society and a research member of the Bath University scientific team known as STELLAR (STress Endocrine and Lifecourse LAboRatory). He works as a PhD Health Psychology researcher at the University of Bath and as an Honorary assistant clinical psychologist at St. Michael’s hospital of Bristol.

Harriet Spala

Translator

Our bilingual member (British-Greek) graduated High school in Athens, Greece. Worked in the Marketing sector for 25 years in various commercial companies, institutions, embassies, law firms, recruitment firms, both in Greece and UK and at the same time obtained a diploma in PC Programming and Analysis from HMA in collaboration with the E.U., Journalism, then obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK and a BA in Business and Finance from the Hellenic Open University. Taught and translated English for 30 years to Greeks, Japanese, Koreans and Libyans. Organized, coordinated and participated in various conferences and events, trade shows and museums. She is multicultural as well as an art lover, a book lover and a chatterbox (especially in Animartists) and is aiming to become the English Patient, a keen global trotter , enjoying lots of food, travelling, music, people, and of course more art!

Athina Kappou

Contributing author

Athina might physically lives in Athens but in reality she lives in the "East". She has a unique kind of love for Arabic culture and Arabic language thus, she believes that if angels had voice rather than Greek (as Goethe said) they would definitely also speak Arabic. She finds meaning in writing and dancing. She also takes part in seminars of ‘’psychodrama’’. Lately, she was awarded by the literature union ‘’Ulysses’’ for her novel ‘’There is only one colour’’. She believes that the language is the beginning and the end of the human soul and expression and that’s exactly why she expresses her soul by writing. Her dream is to unify Greek and the Arabic languages (and civilizations) through teaching and translation.

Christina Zerdeva

Contributing author

Christina Zerveda studied economics as well as communication and started up in Advertising. She considers it her home, and spent some beautiful and creative years there. She went on with her studies in England on the same field and decided she would settle in Brussels, in the heart of Europe, to work on international developmental issues and to be able to “escape”. For many years, lady luck favored her because of her job, which required her to move a lot and go on missions, so she was able to travel around the world, recording unusual images, experiences, people, traditions and customs, and in any case she was able to be a happy person. She returned to her own will back home, feeling fulfilled and having enriched her thinking with new images and beauty, she continued using interchangeably her two “hats” to make a living and became determined to find the treasures hidden in this wonderful land.

Chrysa Maginopoulou

Contributing author

Chrysa Maginopoulou studied Social Anthropology at Panteion University. She says that she is everything she has ever read, known, seen, met and created. She watches movies voraciously, reads Elytis, loves concerts and handicrafts. She found herself writing for “Animartists” by luck, believing that art is the shortest path from human to human.

Dimitris Vagenas

Contributing author

Dimitris Vagenas studied psychology at the Panteion University and is also a postgraduate student in the MA program “Psychoanalysis and Contemporary Society” at the Brunel University in London. He has volunteered for the psychiatric ward of the Aiginiteio Hospital and he is also a member of the Greek Book Club.

George Brekoulakis

Contributing author

George Brekoulakis, after completing his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Psychology at Panteion Universtiy of Athens, has participated in short and long-term psychotherapeutic training in Systemic Psychotherapy, Gestalt Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Art Therapy & Play Therapy. George is also a Attachment Parenting International certified Parent Educator. Today, George has a private practice as a Psychologist and Integrative Psychotherapist. He is also collaborating with the Psychotherapy Centre "To Erma", part of Attachment Parenting Hellas, with "Psy-Network of Mental Health Professionals", with the "Rainbow School" & with the "Rainbow Therapists". Finally, George coordinates experiential seminars on "Cinema & Psychology" at the Centre of Cinematic Seminars "KinimatograFOS".

Hannah Salt

Social Media Producer for Animartists International / Contributing author

Award-winning script writer and playwright based in Manchester, UK with over 10 years experience of community arts intervention for marginalised communities and recent commissions including the Irish Film Board. Hannah also works as an Assistant Producer for BBC Learning, creatively contributing to educational content for all ages.

Irene Konstantopoulou

Contributing author

Irene Konstantopoulou has studied “Special Education” in Athens, and has completed the program of National and Kapodistrian University “Psychopathology of infants, children and adolescents”. She finds herself in a constant exploration of the inner self and she is interested in the versatile notion of art, since she acknowledges that it functions as a clear and direct means of expressing emotion.

Irida Kollida

Contributing author

Irida Kollida studied graphic arts and currently continues her studies at the University of Fine Arts in Florina. She engages in photography and engraving. She participates in various artistic teams as well as voluntary projects in order to enrich the optic stimulus. She participated in a series of group and personal painting and handicrafts exhibitions, workshops and symposia, as well as in biennale and international contests.

Katerina Tsitoura

Contributing author

Katerina Tsitoura holds a bachelor’s degree from Athens School of Philosophy, with a specialization in Linguistics. The past three years she resides and works as a teacher of Greek and Latin language in High school “Archimedean Upper Conservatory” in Miami.

Konstantina Kordoni

Contributing author

Konstantina is a student of Turkish & Modern Asian studies at the National University of Athens. She, unprofessionally, practises contemporary dance and composes articles. At an early age, she made her first steps into the world of poetry, with some of her poems were published in an Australian newspaper. Writing is one of those special ways in which she can frankly and considerately unravel her personality.

Lefteris Anestis

Contributing author

Lefteris Anestis has stydied psychology at the University of Crete and engages in photography and poetry non-professionally. He is highly conscious about social justice and social exclusion affairs. He reports that he is excited to be part of “Animartists” and wishes to learn new things as well as expand his mental horizons throughout this journey.

Lydia Milonaki

Contributing author

Lydia Milonaki graduated from the Psychology Department of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, having obtained a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology in Nottingham, England. She has worked in various mental health services in Greece as well as abroad. She now holds a Graduate Membership in British Psychological Society and volunteers in a prison for sex offenders. She also works in an English psychiatric hospital ward that provides care for mentally ill offenders. On a research level, she is interested in the social stands towards criminals as well as in their treatment and therapy.

Manolis Nikoltsios

Contributing author

Manolis Nikoltsios studied Law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He participated in theater plays and short-films while writings of his have been remade and presented in theatrical form. Since the September of 2015 he lives and works in Athens as a trainee lawyer. He loves telling stories.

Meni Koutsosimou

Contributing author

Meni Koutsosimou studied psychology both in Greece and England specializing in social psychiatry and child psychiatry. She has been a PhD as well as a post PhD student at the University of Ioannina, researching health services quality. She was awarded twice for her work by the Hellenic Psychiatry Association and the Hellenic Association of Health Services Management. She is a member of Greek and International scientific associations, a visiting professor of the social psychiatry master program at the Democritus University Medical School and an executive educator at the National Centre of Public Administration. She has written articles for online psychology magazines. She is also the author of the book “The challenge of the therapeutic bond” (University of Ioannina Medical school publications) and author of the chapter “Employee evaluation and organizational culture impression at mental health structures” of the collective volume “Contemporary matters of social and communal psychiatry” (Motivo publications).

Panagioti Karagianni

Contributing author

Panagiota Karagianni studies at the Department of Philosophy, Pedagogy and Psychology of National and Kapodistrian University. She is a volunteerism devotee and sensitive to social issues, she searches out for her own truth and the positive perspective of things that will utterly convince her that the effort for self-improvement is something very important.

Marinos Sklavounakis

Contributing author

Sklavounakis Marinos studies European Civilization at the Greek Open University and is specialized in a series of subjects such as philosophy, psychology, clinical hypnosis and cinema. He is a writer and is currently working his way through directing.

Sofia Exarchou

Contributing author

Sofia is a primary school teacher in Stockholm working in school guidance of Greek children who recently relocated to Sweden. Sofia has completed a postgraduate degree in International & Comparative Education at Stockholm University and currently, she attends a Social Work specialisation degree at Gavle University in Sweden. Sofia's experience ranges from educator roles working with young adults experiencing social exclusion to integration counselling with accompanying minors, migrants and refugees in Sweden.