Curriculum vitae
Alkistis Maria Igoumenaki was born in Athens. She is a graduate of the Medical School of “La Sapienza” University in Rome, Italy. She holds a PhD from the above University, which is been fully recognized in Germany. The subject of her doctoral dissertation was “ph – manometry of functional diseases of the esophagus pre-, intra- and post-operative”.
After completing her studies with particular interest in psychological influence on disease progression and vice versa, she went to Germany where she specialized in Psychiatry and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at the University Clinic in Düsseldorf/Germany.
She trained in Acupuncture at the German Medical Acupuncture Association (DÄGfA).
She has worked at the Psychosomatic University Clinic Essen in Germany and has been responsible for ambulatory patients for over two years.
In the same Clinic, he contributed to the psychosomatic examination of patients for liver transplantation in clinical collaboration with the department of transplantations of the gastroenterological University Clinic, in order to investigate current mental disorders and therapeutic needs before transplantation and to assess the needs for psychosocial care after transplant.
Wishing to deepen her knowledge in the social aspects affecting health and health prevention programs, she studied Public Health at the University of Düsseldorf.
She completed her studies with the Master of Public Health (MPH) entitled “Health Promotion as a Model in Health Psychology”.
She was involved in Health Prevention programs at the German Ministry of Health and participated in the Working Group of the European Council on Health matters in Brussels, and she also took an active part in the European Union conference in Amsterdam on the EU-MEDA Mediterranean Development Program (Financial and technical measures to improve economic and social structures in the Mediterranean partners) (Agenda 2000).
She worked at the Health Service of the municipality of Bottrop, North Rhine Westphalia and there she was promoted to Head of the Social-Psychiatric Service. In this area, she treated many patients who experienced traumatic events and she prepared expert’s opinions on refugees.
She specialized in Psychotraumatology in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) of the German EMDR Association for desensitization and reprocessing through eye movements in the treatment of psycho traumas, according to Francine Shapiro.
She also studied “Commercial/ Economy Psychology” at the European University of Hamburg, focusing on occupational and intercultural psychology and completed her studies with the Master of Science (M.Sc.). The title of her Master’s Thesis was: “Smart Globalizing: Interview Study on intercultural Management using the Example of German-Greek Collaborations”.
She worked in the private sector as psychotherapist. With particular interest in the dynamics of the relationship between physician and patient and its influence on the development and outcome of therapy, she is been trained as a Balint Group Leader at the German Balint Society, thru a three-year training around the Balint method.
She became certified and undertook the leading of Balint groups of German physicians and psychologists and the training of physicians as part or their further education in Primary Psychosomatic Care, wich is a compulsory supplementary education for specialist doctors of General Medicine, Pathology and Gynecology in Germany and optional for doctors of all other specialties.
In her homeland, she organized and supported the foundation of the Greek Balint Society. (www.hellenicbalintsociety.gr), a member Society of the International Balint Federation.
She then pursued post-graduate studies in Criminology, which she completed with a Master's degree entitled "Crime Scene" at the Open University of Como, Italy. While at the same time attending the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki postgraduate studies program "Forensics, Psychiatry" and working privately as a Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist and Forensic Counselor, Psychiatric Forensic Expert.