Philia Issari

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens | uoa · Department of Psychology

This paper explores the challenge of diversity in an increasingly multicultural world, and adopts the position that the valuing of diversity can be taught – especially within the context of teacher training and education in general. It gives an overview of major components of diversity training within the context of multicultural counseling, and st...

This ethnographic study aims to contribute to better counseling services for the Greek American population in the U.S. by providing cultural knowledge and insight into one of the smaller ethnic groups that has been overlooked in the literature. More specifically, it explores the role of the ‘embodied language’ of dance in the formation of Greek Ame...

The present study provides a brief overview of the ‘narrative turn’ in counselling and adopts a narrative perspective and analysis to explore Greek mothers’ experiences, and meaning making of involvement in their children’s learning. Data were collected via ten narrative interviews (life-history/biographical narrative). Participants portrayed a var...

A substantial body of literature has identified high rates of burden, psychological morbidity, social isolation, health and financial difficulties among dementia caregivers. The present qualitative study adopted an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis approach in order to explore the lived experiences of dementia family caregivers within the Gree...

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a massive global health crisis with damaging consequences to mental health and social relationships. Exploring factors that may heighten or buffer the risk of mental health problems in this context is thus critical. Whilst compassion may be a protective factor, in contrast fears of compassion increase vulnerabi...

Introduction The present study is part of a large-scale original action-research project aiming to assess the introduction and implementation of the Open Dialogue approach within the clinical practice of an established multidisciplinary team in a Day Centre in Athens, Greece. More specifically, it aimed to explore the experiences of professionals w...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1079518.].

The post-COVID-19 pandemic era has placed new demands on physicians. One of these demands is the need to use targeted knowledge and soft communication skills, to address the psychosocial problems (e.g. vaccine hesitancy, fears) of individuals with Chronic Physical Illnesses (CPIs). Focusing on training physicians in targeted soft communication skil...

Although robust evidence has been accumulating over the last decades supporting the effectiveness of career counseling in various populations, yet there are scarce conceptual or empirical studies investigating the impact of distinct approaches, such as traditional-“psychometric,” narrative, or a mixed (integrative) one. The primary aim of this pape...

During large-scale disasters, social support, caring behaviours, and compassion are shown to protect against poor mental health outcomes. This multi-national study aimed to assess the fluctuations in compassion over time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents (Time 1 n = 4156, Time 2 n = 980, Time 3 n = 825) from 23 countries completed online se...

Welcome in a new societal and scientific era. Welcome to digitalization and the possibilities it creates for meeting up with each other in a different space and timeframe. It won't go back to what it was. But in the absence of a clear vision of what it can become we can just step in, step up or stumble into this new dimension. We live in a societa...

Childhood-onset epilepsy alters the everyday life of parents who have children or adolescents with epilepsy (CAWE). The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of Greek parents with CAWE, including perceived positive outcomes in their lives, where research in this area is limited. Fifteen parents took part in semi-structured in...

This work presents the first steps of a journey from capturing the embodied social experience to creating contemporary sound art through digital means. In the framework of the Transition to 8 project, residents of the Greek City of Eleusis expressed their feelings and perspectives on the social issues of their community through organized sociodrama...

This mixed-methods study investigates the use of wearable technology in embodied psychology research and explores the potential of incorporating bio-signals to focus on the bodily impact of the social experience. The study relies on scientifically established psychological methods of studying social issues, collective relationships and emotional ov...

Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented detrimental impact on mental health in people around the world. It is important therefore to explore factors that may buffer or accentuate the risk of mental health problems in this context. Given that compassion has numerous benefits for mental health, emotion regulation, and social rel...

Artistic creativity is presently considered to be a multidimensional phenomenon that unfolds over time and is in constant conversation with the social and historical context of the artists, as well as their personal life experiences. This article adopts a narrative perspective and explores Vincent van Gogh’s understanding of the constructs of creat...

Today, grounded on the turbulent conditions of the social and work envi-ronment as well as the unstable life and career paths individuals are going through (Guichard, 2015; Savickas, 2015), incorporating constructivist-narrative methods and techniques in career counseling seems essential, at least in some client cases. Narrative approaches could su...

Βreast cancer is amongst the most frequently occurring types of cancer amongst women worldwide. The present qualitative study explored experiences of long-term psychotherapy among women with breast cancer attending psychodynamic psychotherapy at an outpatient service specializing at providing psychotherapeutic interventions for cancer patients, in...

Background Historically social connection has been an important way through which humans have coped with large-scale threatening events. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns have deprived people of major sources of social support and coping, with others representing threats. Hence, a major stressor during the pandemic has been a sense...

The aim of this qualitative, experiential study is to explore the lived experiences of Idiopathic Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients related to psycho-emotional, social, and professional dimensions of their lives in general and, secondly, how they are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted online on a sa...

This multimodal project, influenced by an Appreciative Inquiry framework, aimed to elicit stories of hope and resilience amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse twenty collected stories. A multimodal method that combined linguistic and visual language (non-fiction comics) was adopted in order to present the research...

The present qualitative study adopted a narrative approach and a social justice, strengths-based outlook in order to explore the life stories of Syrian refugees who lived in Greece waiting to relocate to another EU country. Narrative inquiry places the participant in the center of the research process as the “expert” providing an opportunity to be...

Ιστορίες ζωής : Έλληνες μετανάστες υψηλής ειδίκευσης και νέοι υψηλής μόρφωσης στοχάζονται για τη μετανάστευση Ιστορίες ζωής και ψηφιακές αφηγήσεις. Εργαστήριο Ποιοτικής Έρευνας στην Ψυχολογία και την Ψυχική Υγεία, Τμήμα Ψυχολογίας. Επιστημονική Υπεύθυνη: Φιλία Ίσαρη. Περιοχή: Κοινωνικές Επιστήμες Φορέας Προέλευσης και Χώρα: Ελλάδα Φορέας Υποδοχής:...

Η συμβουλευτική ψυχολογία είναι ο κατεξοχήν κλάδος της ψυχολογίας που προσφέρεται για διευρυμένη μεθοδολογία και ιδιαίτερα για ποιοτικές μεθόδους έρευνας στο σύγχρονο πρότυπο του αναστοχαστικού ερευνητή. Ο συλλογικός αυτός τόμος περιλαμβάνει πρόσφατες εργασίες Ελλήνων επιστημόνων που έχουν χρησιμοποιήσει ποιοτικές μεθόδους στην έρευνά τους. Στόχος...

1) παρουσιάζονται τα συστατικά στοιχεία του ερευνητικού σχεδιασμού, (2) τονίζε-ται η σημασία της σύνδεσης του αντικειμένου της έρευνας ή του ερευνητικού πεδίου με τις οντολογικές και επιστημολογικές παραδοχές των ερευνητών, (3) επισημαίνεται η κεντρική θέση των ερευνητικών ερωτημάτων και η σύνδεσή τους αφενός με τις θεωρητικές και μεθοδολογικές θέσ...

The theme for this year’ conference was Qualitative Inquiry towards Sustainability. Inspired by conference participants’ voices and reflecting the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all, we wanted this conference to be an opportunity to demonstrate how QI can address global c...

In the context of the reform of psychiatric services in Greece, the debate about the concept of recovery is still growing. Recovery is defined as a path through which individuals facing mental health challenges are enabled to regain and further develop significant relationships with family, friends, the community, and themselves and at the same tim...

D: 394 / 8B Parallel: 4 Oral presentation Keywords: burnout, mixed methods, profiles, interview Common paths or a personal matter? Examining athlete burnout through a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design (preliminary results). Alexandra Markati, Maria Psychountaki, Philia Issari, Konstantinos Karteroliotis National and Kapodistrian Univer...

The present study offers insights into the mother – daughter relationship as seen through I. Bergman’s film, “Autumn Sonata”. Combining audiovisual analysis with thematic analysis, and adopting an object-relations theory perspective, it explores the main themes that emerge from the film and highlights the salient elements that characterize the moth...

The Open Dialogue pilot project in a Day center in Athens: A tool of health democracy within mental health reform in Greece Marina Skourteli, Stelios Stylianidis & Philia Issari

Due to today’s socio-economic variability and turbulence in the word of work career counselors’ work has become quite demanding. The professional roles practitioners have been undertaking range from strengthening individuals’ psychosocial resources (Sidiropoulou-Dimakakou, Argyropoulou, Drosos, Kaliris, & Mikedaki, 2014) to delivering therapeutical...

In our submission, we explore a set of (in)decisions coming from the first author’s expérience in the supervision arrangements of humanitarian professionals employed by N.G.Os in Greece to provide mental health care for refugees and migrants. Drawing on a fieldwork example from a postdoctoral research project on the affective/discursive practices o...

This presentation is based on a doctoral thesis regarding athlete burnout. Contemporary research in sport psychology characterizes athlete burnout as a multifaceted phenomenon, while, sports community raises concerns regarding the negative implications of the syndrome in athletes' performance and well being. As a consequence, several attempts have...

The present study attempts to explore the central themes that emerge from I. Bergman's film "Autumn Sonata", regarding the mother-daughter relationship. It combines audiovisual and thematic analysis and adopts the object-relations theory perspective, highlighting the consequences of the psycho-emotional and physical absence of the mother during the...

The present atudy provides a brief overview of the 'narrative turn' in counseling and adopts a narrative perspective and analysis to explore Greek mothers' experiences, and meaning making of involvement in their children's learning. Data were collected via ten narrative interviews (life-history/biographical narrative). Participants portrayed a vari...

Play therapy is an approach to working therapeutically with children and adolescents. It use a variety of symbolic means like stories, projective cards, sable, clay and drawings. This qualitative study explores the childcentered, non directive play therapy approach via the practitioners' perspectives and experiences based upon their own therapeutic...

Creativity is widely seen today as a multi-dimensional process, involving culture, the socio-historical framework and the creative person. According to this approach creative persons are active participants in the socio-cultural context in which they live, and they both influence and are influenced by, the creative process. The present qualitative...

Greece in the past three years has been put in aposition to address a massive and overwhelming influx of refugees moving mostly from the war afflicted areas of Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Such a massive movement came at a time of the most severe financial crisis, when little state attention or funding could be provided for the medical, mental heal...

This presentation aims to reflexively explore the impact of the affects and positive or negative emotions of mental health professionals working with refugees in the Greek context. We will also venture to contribute to the debate on whether affects of apprehension, compassion or fatigue can ultimately result in personal development and resilience,...

Abstract PERCEIVED SELF-EFFICACY RESOURCES OF CAREER COUNSELORS: IMPLICATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES. Contrary to the largest part of the 20th century, nowadays, workers “are increasingly dependent on their psychological and social resources (inner value and social capital) and less dependent on organizational career arrangements” (Coetzee, 2014, p. 5)...

Presentation at the European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, Leuven, Belgium (7-10/2/2017).

PERCEIVED SELF-EFFICACY RESOURCES OF CAREER COUNSELORS: IMPLICATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES. Contrary to the largest part of the 20th century, nowadays, workers “are increasingly dependent on their psychological and social resources (inner value and social capital) and less dependent on organizational career arrangements” (Coetzee, 2014, p. 5). Therefor...

During the past few years the country's mental health field has been greatly influenced by the consequences of the socioeconomic crisis. The present qualitative study is part of a larger project which aims to explore the experiences, work-related realities and practices of mental health professionals in the context of crisis in Greece. More specifi...

This paper focuses on the evaluation of the therapeutic use of photocards by prisoners and facilitators in a counselling psychology led European project, based on responses to open-ended questionnaires. It is part of a wider project, involving seven partner organisations in six European countries (England, Finland, Greece, Italy, Malta and Romania)...

The present qualitative inquiry explored psychological well-being among Greek children and adolescents within the context of the Promoting Psychological Well-Being Globally project. The overall sample consisted of 25 primary and 23 secondary school students from three different school districts in the wider Athens area. Focus groups were conducted...

Bergman’s “Autum Sonata”: An audiovisual analysis of the mother-daughter relationship . Abstract The present study attempts to explore the central themes that emerge from I. Bergman's film "Autumn Sonata", regarding the mother-daughter relationship. It combines audiovisual and thematic analysis and adopts the object-relations theory perspective, h...

1) παρουσιάζονται οι σημαντικότερες ιστορικές στιγμές στην εξέλιξη της ποιοτικής έρευνας· (2) γίνεται σύντομη ιστορική αναδρομή της ποιοτικής έρευνας στο πεδίο της ψυχολογίας και (3) ιστορική αναδρο-μή της ποιοτικής έρευνας στο πεδίο της εκπαίδευσης. Τέλος γίνεται σύντομη αναφορά στις «μεικτές» ή συνδυαστικές μεθόδους έρευνας. 1. Γενική ιστορική αν...

1) η ποιοτική συνέντευξη σε βάθος (θεματικού τύ-που), (2) η βιογραφική αφηγηματική συνέντευξη, (3) οι ομαδικές συνεντεύξεις (focus groups) και (4) η παρατήρηση/εθνογραφία. 1. Ποιοτική συνέντευξη (συνέντευξη σε βάθος) 1.1 Εισαγωγικά Ο όρος «ποιοτική συνέντευξη» αφορά τις σε βάθος συνεντεύξεις και αποτελεί ίσως την πιο διαδεδο-μένη μέθοδο συλλογής/πα...

Ίσαρη, Φ., Πουρκός, Μ., 2015. Ποιοτική μεθοδολογία έρευνας. [ηλεκτρ. βιβλ.] Αθήνα:Σύνδεσμος Ελληνικών Ακαδημαϊκών Βιβλιοθηκών. Διαθέσιμο στο: http://hdl.handle.net/11419/5826

Caregivers of patients with dementing disorders exhibit high rates of psychological disorders. The prevalence of these disorders is a subject that has been examined in different populations of caregivers internationally. The percentage of these psychological disorders vary, though the anxiety and depressive disorders are the most common, affecting...

This article proposes a multi-level model for crisis preparedness and intervention in the Greek educational system. It presents: a) a brief overview of leading models of school crisis preparedness and intervention as well as cultural considerations for contextually relevant crisis response; b) a description of existing crisis intervention practices...

The drug-related attitudes and behaviors of female intercollegiate athletes and their views on drug testing were assessed and contrasted with those of male athletes at the same university. Results indicated that college women athletes' attitudes toward drug use and drug testing correspond to conventional gender-related expectations about drug use a...

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Los Angeles, 2002. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 269-279).