GEORGE KALARRITIS, MMedSci, IADAC, CGP, CFT, ECP

He was born in 1961. He is married and a father of two daughters. He is in full time private practice as a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, family therapist, and alcohol & drug abuse counselor in Athens, Greece. He is one of the three founders and scientific directors of the newly established “Training and Research Institute for Systemic Psychotherapy”.
 
Education and Training
 
He studied Psychology in Greece (North College) from 1980-1984 and continued his postgraduate studies in England (University of Sheffield, Dept. of Psychiatry/Medical School) from 1986 to 1990, when he received his Masters of Medical Science. His thesis was titled “Greek and British Attitudes to Drugs. Historical and Contemporary Perspectives”. From 1989 to 1993 he undertook training in Systemic Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, and Systemic Diagnosis at the Laboratory for the Study of Human Relations (LSHR), Athens, Greece. He has been also trained in drug abuse treatment, psychodrama, and motivational interviewing at the Training Institute of KETHEA, Athens, Greece. He holds the European Certificate of Psychotherapy (ECP) from the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP).
 

Work Experience and Teaching

From 1991 to 2003 he worked for the Therapy Center for Dependent Individuals (KETHEA). For three years he worked with drug abusing adolescents at the Open Care Therapeutic Community of “STROFI” (1991-1993). In 1994 he was appointed Head of the Family Counseling and Therapy Centre of “STROFI” where he remained until 1997. In 1996 as scientific director he, along with colleagues from “STROFI”, designed and implemented the first treatment program in Greece for adolescents and their families who use psychotropic substances on experimental /occasional basis(“KETHEA-PLEFSI”).From April 1995 to April 2002 he was the Director of the Treatment Network “KETHEA-STROFI” and from its start in 1996 until April 2002 he was also the Director of the Early Intervention Network “KETHEA-PLEFSI”. In April 2002 he was appointed Assistant Director of KETHEA and until his resignation in March 2003 he had the responsibility for the development of treatment programmes for adolescent drug users and their families in various parts of Greece (Thessaloniki, Volos, Patras, and Piraeus).

From 1998 to 2011 he was a trainer and supervisor at the 4-year training program in Systemic Psychotherapy and Family Therapy of the Laboratory for the Study of Human Relations (LSHR), Athens, Greece and from 2006 to 2009 he was program co-ordinator. He is also involved with the training of professionals in the field of drug abuse prevention and treatment since 1995 with special emphasis on family therapy oriented treatment and addictions as well as on substance abuse in adolescence.

Publications

As a keynote and invited speaker, he has presented papers and carried out workshops at many Greek and International Conferences, he has published articles and book chapters, and has co-edited two books (“Healthy body in a healthy mind” and “Systemic approach: Theory and applications”).

Research interests

Among his interests were and are: psychotherapy and neuroscience, attachment in psychotherapy, temperament and psychotherapy, neuroscience and systems theory, the person of the therapist, ethics in psychotherapy, the training and supervision of psychotherapists, systemic psychotherapy in addictions, social attitudes towards drugs and drug users.

Memberships

He is a Licensed Psychologist, Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP)( National Registry of Certified Group Psychotherapists, USA), Certified Family Therapist (CFT)(National Academy of Certified Family Therapists, USA), International Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor, (ICADC)(Certification Board for Addiction Counselors of Greece, Cyprus, Malta, and Bulgaria (ICRC/AODA), Certified Systemic Psychotherapist (ECP)(European Association for Psychotherapy), founding and current member of the Board of Directors of the Certification Board for Addiction Counselors of Greece, Cyprus, Malta, and Bulgaria (ICRC/AODA) and effective member of the Association of Greek Psychologists (SEPS), the Hellenic Association of Systemic Therapy (HELASYTH), the European Family Therapy Association (EFTA), the International Family Therapy Association (IFTA), the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice in UK (AFT), the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) (Clinical Member), the Society for the Study of Addiction to Alcohol and other Drugs UK(SSA) and the Society of Professionals working in the Drug Abuse field (ITACA).