Let me introduce myself
My name is Ekaterina Thomas.
I am a Russian speaking psychologist who works abroad. I have been living in Greece since 2004. I have 30 years of experience in this field (including college years).
During the early years of my career I worked on a crisis help line and helped human trafficking and domestic abuse victims.
I am a Russian speaking psychologist who works abroad. I have been living in Greece since 2004. I have 30 years of experience in this field (including college years).
During the early years of my career I worked on a crisis help line and helped human trafficking and domestic abuse victims.
For the last 16 years I have been providing psychological counseling online, in Russian and in English. My clients live all over the world: Athens, London, Sidney, Rome, Nakhodka, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Hamburg, Seoul, New York, Abu Dhabi - the list goes on and on.
I started my education in Russia. I graduated summa cum laude from Rostov-on-Don State University. I majored in Psychology.
After that I studied applied psychology and psychotherapy at the American College of Greece, DEREE.
In addition to psychological counseling I have also worked as a member of the Council organized by the Counsel Department of the Russian Embassy in Athens. I was a part of a professional team whose job it was to help and give consultations to people from Russia and CIS countries who lived in Greece.
Another huge professional and personal milestone was volunteering at the First Hospice of Ellada. While working as a Russian-speaking psychologist online and in person in Athens, I began studying and then volunteering in the center of the palliative care "Galilea." That's where I started to understand the nature of human pain and various ways to relieve it.
During the pandemic and the lockdowns I completely moved to the online format. It would not be an exaggeration to say that back then, for many immigrants, an online consultation from a Russian-speaking psychologist was the only way to find help, to overcome the feeling of hopelessness and dismay.
Since 2022 I have been very busy providing psychological counseling online and also studying existential analysis and Christian values based psychology. I also began studying catechism and theology at the Saint-Petersburg Institute of Theology and Philosophy. I am currently in my last year of the program.
At the moment, the main focus of my professional development is psychology based on the Christian anthropology and values. This decision was based on my extensive experience in the area of psychological counseling.
I take the rules of professional ethics very seriously. I work with people of different
nationalities, religions, and beliefs. At the same time, I try to stay true to myself and
my core values such as faith and compassion.
I specialize in individual psychological counseling and psychotherapy. I work with adults (18 years and older).
I use different methods and techniques of various paradigms of psychology (integrative approach). I think that every person and her/his situation is unique. This individualized approach allows me to have a meaningful and productive collaboration with my clients, and brings very good results.
I specialize in the following areas:
I love my profession very much; for me, being able to help people is a true blessing.
I started my education in Russia. I graduated summa cum laude from Rostov-on-Don State University. I majored in Psychology.
After that I studied applied psychology and psychotherapy at the American College of Greece, DEREE.
In addition to psychological counseling I have also worked as a member of the Council organized by the Counsel Department of the Russian Embassy in Athens. I was a part of a professional team whose job it was to help and give consultations to people from Russia and CIS countries who lived in Greece.
Another huge professional and personal milestone was volunteering at the First Hospice of Ellada. While working as a Russian-speaking psychologist online and in person in Athens, I began studying and then volunteering in the center of the palliative care "Galilea." That's where I started to understand the nature of human pain and various ways to relieve it.
During the pandemic and the lockdowns I completely moved to the online format. It would not be an exaggeration to say that back then, for many immigrants, an online consultation from a Russian-speaking psychologist was the only way to find help, to overcome the feeling of hopelessness and dismay.
Since 2022 I have been very busy providing psychological counseling online and also studying existential analysis and Christian values based psychology. I also began studying catechism and theology at the Saint-Petersburg Institute of Theology and Philosophy. I am currently in my last year of the program.
At the moment, the main focus of my professional development is psychology based on the Christian anthropology and values. This decision was based on my extensive experience in the area of psychological counseling.
I take the rules of professional ethics very seriously. I work with people of different
nationalities, religions, and beliefs. At the same time, I try to stay true to myself and
my core values such as faith and compassion.
I specialize in individual psychological counseling and psychotherapy. I work with adults (18 years and older).
I use different methods and techniques of various paradigms of psychology (integrative approach). I think that every person and her/his situation is unique. This individualized approach allows me to have a meaningful and productive collaboration with my clients, and brings very good results.
I specialize in the following areas:
- getting rid of depression, obsessive fears, anxiety, panic attacks, professional and emotional burnout;
- psychological help during adaptation and in a crisis: going through separation, betrayal and cheating, divorce, dependent, co-dependent, and abusive relationships (life with a tyrant, narcissistic abuse, psychological violence), loss of a significant other (grief), and other psychologically traumatic events;
- post-traumatic rehabilitation and personal growth, including building new personal relationships, psychological maturity, autonomy, exploring and finding your own path in life, finding the meaning of life.
I love my profession very much; for me, being able to help people is a true blessing.
Here you can leave your request for a consultation
and we'll meet at your appointed day and hour
Welcome to my website! I am happy you are here. My project is for people who live abroad, but still speak, think, and even "feel" in Russian.
On this page I would like to share my personal story. I hope this will help you get to know me a little bit better.
I was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. My father was in the military, and my mom taught the Russian language and literature at school. I had a wonderful childhood, and I have many fond memories of those years. My adult life started when I was 18. At that time I graduated from a teachers' training college and realized that I would not be able to make any money as an elementary school teacher. That was happening in the turbulent 1990s. Our country was going through a severe crisis, and my family was barely able to make the ends meet.
The energy of youth and optimism helped me in that situation. I simply did not want to accept the possibility of failure. I was determined to work hard to help my family and to become successful.
On this page I would like to share my personal story. I hope this will help you get to know me a little bit better.
I was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. My father was in the military, and my mom taught the Russian language and literature at school. I had a wonderful childhood, and I have many fond memories of those years. My adult life started when I was 18. At that time I graduated from a teachers' training college and realized that I would not be able to make any money as an elementary school teacher. That was happening in the turbulent 1990s. Our country was going through a severe crisis, and my family was barely able to make the ends meet.
The energy of youth and optimism helped me in that situation. I simply did not want to accept the possibility of failure. I was determined to work hard to help my family and to become successful.
My story
So, I made two important decisions. The first one was to begin studying psychology at the Rostov State University; the second - to start my own business, a company that was manufacturing printed products. That allowed me to support my family and to pay for my education.
My sister and I became co-founders of our own company. For eleven years we have been working very hard, and managed to create a firm with a good reputation in our region. During those years I had acquired two very different sets of professional skills. I was learning how to be a psychologist and how to be an entrepreneur, and I was using that knowledge when working in my company. At one point during those years I was chosen to join a highly competitive President's Managers Training program. I had internships in England and in the US, where I was studying management and also improving my English language skills.
By the time I turned 30, I had a lot of experience working with people of different professions, callings, and social status. I knew how to effectively communicate with people of different beliefs, values, and outlooks. It is impossible to be a good psychologist without these skills. At the same time, for me, psychology was not just an additional tool helping me in my everyday work. It became something that I loved deeply, something that allowed me to help others.
I had a feeling deep inside that I would like to dedicate my life to psychotherapy and to making a meaningful contribution to society, but I was just too busy to really stop and think about that possibility. If someone had told me then that I would be able to make my dreams come true in another country, I would have never believed that! However, as we know, the most interesting things happen when you do not expect them...
In my life, I often had to make difficult decisions, but getting married and moving to another country was definitely one of the biggest - you may call it life-changing. Even though I was a sensible person, deep at heart I remained a hopeless dreamer! I trusted my life to a man I fell in love with. I sincerely believed that I will spend the rest of my life with that man, that we will live happily ever after...
I left my business to my sister and signed all the papers, having waived my rights of property. By doing that, I chose a happy life with my husband; I dreamed of a cozy house that would smell like home-made pie, where friends would gather, where kids would be laughing and an icon lamp would be burning.
At that time, I seemed to ignore multiple new challenges: I was often all alone in a new country (my husband traveled a lot), with a newborn daughter, surrounded by new people, rules and traditions, having to learn a new language - everything was different! I had to start a new life! Without realizing it, I found myself in a situation when I was often dependent on other people because there was so much I merely did not know. That was very unusual for me.
I had a feeling deep inside that I would like to dedicate my life to psychotherapy and to making a meaningful contribution to society, but I was just too busy to really stop and think about that possibility. If someone had told me then that I would be able to make my dreams come true in another country, I would have never believed that! However, as we know, the most interesting things happen when you do not expect them...
In my life, I often had to make difficult decisions, but getting married and moving to another country was definitely one of the biggest - you may call it life-changing. Even though I was a sensible person, deep at heart I remained a hopeless dreamer! I trusted my life to a man I fell in love with. I sincerely believed that I will spend the rest of my life with that man, that we will live happily ever after...
I left my business to my sister and signed all the papers, having waived my rights of property. By doing that, I chose a happy life with my husband; I dreamed of a cozy house that would smell like home-made pie, where friends would gather, where kids would be laughing and an icon lamp would be burning.
At that time, I seemed to ignore multiple new challenges: I was often all alone in a new country (my husband traveled a lot), with a newborn daughter, surrounded by new people, rules and traditions, having to learn a new language - everything was different! I had to start a new life! Without realizing it, I found myself in a situation when I was often dependent on other people because there was so much I merely did not know. That was very unusual for me.
When my daughter turned 2 and a half, I started looking for a job, but, like back in Russia in the 90s, I quickly realized that it would be entirely up to me to find an area where I would be able to apply my knowledge and experience. At that point, my ability to set realistic goals and gradually, patiently move towards them turned out to be very useful. I decided to start with having my diploma from the Rostov State University evaluated, and then getting a professional license that would allow me to work as a psychologist in Greece.
Everyone was telling me that it was unrealistic, simply impossible to accomplish, especially for an immigrant. Nevertheless, in three years I became the first Russian psychologist who was officially certified to work in Greece.
From a newspaper ad I found out about "European Network of Women," a non-profit organization that helped victims of human trafficking and family abuse. I started a new subdivision for Russian speakers within that organization, and for several years I volunteered on their crisis help line. I also wrote articles for newspapers and magazines for Russian speakers living abroad, in order to prevent people from getting into dangerous situations and to help them find help when in a crisis. At that time, I mostly worked with the following: violence victims psychology, trauma, emotional disorders, psychopathology, post-traumatic rehabilitation and growth.
In addition to that, I also worked at the Consulate of the Russian Federation in Athens, together with other professional members of the Social Council. We provided free services and consultations for Russian citizens living abroad.
After getting my professional license, I was able to officially work and started offering psychological consultations to my own clients. I also began exploring new professional areas, such as emotional and food addictions.
So many people and so many life stories... It is hard to tell how many I have seen during all those years. At some point I started viewing the world in a more realistic way. Certain abstract and vague ideas were becoming more complex and nuanced for me.
My divorce was one of the most painful but, at the same time, very valuable lessons in my life. My husband felt comfortable and was sure he had everything under control. He knew laws very well, had many useful connections in town, and was in charge of all our finances. He expected me to just ignore his affairs and participate in a show called "we are a perfect couple." I met women who were doing exactly that, because they "did not want the other woman to get the house," or because they "wanted their kids to grow up in a family with both mom and dad". I saw their eyes - sad, empty...many of them even got sick from stress, but never let go. After a while, I decided to leave. For me, there was a threat of losing custody of my daughter; my husband cut me off financially, I was prohibited to go back to Russia. I got pneumonia three times, almost died - all alone, in a foreign country...but! But I never, ever felt sorry about my decision - not even for a minute.
From a newspaper ad I found out about "European Network of Women," a non-profit organization that helped victims of human trafficking and family abuse. I started a new subdivision for Russian speakers within that organization, and for several years I volunteered on their crisis help line. I also wrote articles for newspapers and magazines for Russian speakers living abroad, in order to prevent people from getting into dangerous situations and to help them find help when in a crisis. At that time, I mostly worked with the following: violence victims psychology, trauma, emotional disorders, psychopathology, post-traumatic rehabilitation and growth.
In addition to that, I also worked at the Consulate of the Russian Federation in Athens, together with other professional members of the Social Council. We provided free services and consultations for Russian citizens living abroad.
After getting my professional license, I was able to officially work and started offering psychological consultations to my own clients. I also began exploring new professional areas, such as emotional and food addictions.
So many people and so many life stories... It is hard to tell how many I have seen during all those years. At some point I started viewing the world in a more realistic way. Certain abstract and vague ideas were becoming more complex and nuanced for me.
My divorce was one of the most painful but, at the same time, very valuable lessons in my life. My husband felt comfortable and was sure he had everything under control. He knew laws very well, had many useful connections in town, and was in charge of all our finances. He expected me to just ignore his affairs and participate in a show called "we are a perfect couple." I met women who were doing exactly that, because they "did not want the other woman to get the house," or because they "wanted their kids to grow up in a family with both mom and dad". I saw their eyes - sad, empty...many of them even got sick from stress, but never let go. After a while, I decided to leave. For me, there was a threat of losing custody of my daughter; my husband cut me off financially, I was prohibited to go back to Russia. I got pneumonia three times, almost died - all alone, in a foreign country...but! But I never, ever felt sorry about my decision - not even for a minute.
"I am grateful to God for all that has happened to me, and most of all - for a very important decision, for the choice that I made. Instead of being overwhelmed by fear, I chose to love life and to stay true to my values."
You might have heard about so-called "post traumatic growth." I will not go into detail, but will say that the trauma of my husband's betrayal at first became a dead end for me. I eventually managed to find a way out from that dead end - after more than 40 hours of therapy, after tears and pain... Eventually, a new chapter of my life began. I started paying more attention to my interests; I began growing professionally. I was rediscovering myself, finding new aspects of my personality and my interests.
Also, during those challenging times, I began studying to go to the American College of Greece. My major was applied psychology.
After graduating from the American college of Greece I went on with my life. I defined my priorities in this order: faith, my family and close friends, my occupation which I loved, professional and personal growth, volunteering, sport and fitness. It is not always easy to live my values fully, but I always do my best.
Also, during those challenging times, I began studying to go to the American College of Greece. My major was applied psychology.
After graduating from the American college of Greece I went on with my life. I defined my priorities in this order: faith, my family and close friends, my occupation which I loved, professional and personal growth, volunteering, sport and fitness. It is not always easy to live my values fully, but I always do my best.
Personally, I discovered the importance of volunteering back in Russia. Perhaps this was because of the way I was brought up, at home and in school: it was natural for me to think about others and to be happy when I could help. In Greece I worked as a psychologist on the phone hotline SOS. After that, I joined a group of volunteers who worked at the "Galilea" palliative care center. I worked with a group of amazing like-minded people for two years (before the COVID lockdowns), which was a real privilege for me.
At first, each of us went through a 7-months training, followed by a specialized internship for helping professionals. We were taught a lot about the very essence of pain. I thought at first that there would be nothing new for me, but, surprisingly, I learned so much during that training. The most fundamental idea was the concept by Cicely Saunders, which stated that a person usually experiences pain and suffering not on one, but on four (!) levels. According to her, all these feelings can constitute a complete "circle" of pain. It is important, at first, to try and understand what an individual feels at each level of pain.
According to Saunders, there are different types of pain: physical (biological), psychological, social, and spiritual. Usually people are able to identify the first three types; as for the last one - spiritual pain - there is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding. It is often just a blind spot. I have never heard about this type of pain during my university years, or later, when I was taking continuing education classes. The whole idea of what makes a person - "anthropos," in Greek - always included the first three components, namely, biological, psychological, and social. No one ever mentioned the fourth - spiritual - component. During my time of providing services at the hospice I finally realized something very important. I understood that without all four components we cannot actually help a person heal completely and become integrated at all four levels. Years of my professional experience only confirmed this hypothesis for me.
This was very unexpected, but my volunteering at the Center of palliative care helped me choose the direction of my further professional development. I decided to expand my knowledge about religion and completed the Introduction to the Orthodox Religion online course. Now I am working on getting a degree in theology at the Institute of Theology and Philosophy (Saint-Petersburg, Russia).
According to Saunders, there are different types of pain: physical (biological), psychological, social, and spiritual. Usually people are able to identify the first three types; as for the last one - spiritual pain - there is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding. It is often just a blind spot. I have never heard about this type of pain during my university years, or later, when I was taking continuing education classes. The whole idea of what makes a person - "anthropos," in Greek - always included the first three components, namely, biological, psychological, and social. No one ever mentioned the fourth - spiritual - component. During my time of providing services at the hospice I finally realized something very important. I understood that without all four components we cannot actually help a person heal completely and become integrated at all four levels. Years of my professional experience only confirmed this hypothesis for me.
This was very unexpected, but my volunteering at the Center of palliative care helped me choose the direction of my further professional development. I decided to expand my knowledge about religion and completed the Introduction to the Orthodox Religion online course. Now I am working on getting a degree in theology at the Institute of Theology and Philosophy (Saint-Petersburg, Russia).
Of course, this is just a short version of my story! The tapestry of life is much more intricate and complicated; there is always something happening. Just over the last five years, in addition to my continued education and professional growth, there were so many changes in my life! My daughter is all grown up now, and she lives and studies in another country. I moved to the island of Patmos, where I keep providing online psychological consultation while working on my new project "Meet up" (for groups and individuals).
I feel that I am living my best life with zest and creativity. I keep helping people, and I am lucky to be able to live by my values.
I gained so much valuable experience in different areas of life during 20 years of immigration. Those years were far from perfect and ideal! My personal experience allows me to have a deep understanding of how a person who lives in a foreign country might feel. I know how your soul can be hurting, how exhausting anxiety can be, how waves of panic and depression can overwhelm you...
I gained so much valuable experience in different areas of life during 20 years of immigration. Those years were far from perfect and ideal! My personal experience allows me to have a deep understanding of how a person who lives in a foreign country might feel. I know how your soul can be hurting, how exhausting anxiety can be, how waves of panic and depression can overwhelm you...
I help my clients to escape from the "zone of familiar discomfort," which often feels like a swamp that is slowly sucking you in. I help people deal with difficult emotions and move to a new, better chapter of life which can be full of joy and amazement.
What are the clients saying?
Consulting a psychologist remotely (online) has long been the most popular form of work. This page contains real testimonials from my clients from all over the world. Guided by the rules of professional ethics, I let them choose just how open they would like to be. Some of them used a pseudonym, and instead of a photo, each person chose a unique symbol, an image reflecting their inner world.
- Tatiana"For the first time someone helped me to see things in a new light and be honest with myself, to understand what was really bothering me all these years, and why. Thanks to the constant interactive work, it didn't take long for me to make progress. I have a better understanding of myself and my emotions, of what I want..... All of this helped me set goals and find answers coming from within; I learned how to acknowledge my feelings instead of rationalizing!"
Read More - Alexandra"...I watched, as if from the outside, as my thoughts were structured, tension went away, anxiety dissipated. Gradually, thanks to Ekaterina, I acquired many useful skills. For example, I learned how to manage my time, how to communicate my thoughts and wishes to others, how to monitor what is happening to me. Now I know how to control my body, I remember to take time for myself and keep a diary, I know how to breathe properly. I learned even more about myself by identifying my personal values which was a very exciting process. Until then, I didn't even know what my values were. Now I have points of reference, benchmarks, goals, and plans."
Read more - Veronica"...She is easy to communicate with because, being a very tactful person, she never once made me feel uncomfortable. On the contrary, I easily shared my thoughts and feelings with her, seeing her understanding and acceptance..."
Read More
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and we'll meet at your appointed day and hour
