I was born and raised in Athens, Greece.  However, I was born a dual American and Greek citizen, getting U.S. citizenship through my mother -- who had been born in New York City many years ago.  My father had always had a strong belief that American education was more likely to emphasize critical thinking rather than rote memory learning, so I received almost all of my early schooling at an American school in Athens.   I left at 18 to go to the other land that I belonged to just as much culturally -- the U.S. -- even though geographically I had always belonged and still belong today more in Greece.  While I was studying at the college and graduate level, I became increasingly focused on philosophy -- particularly political philosophy. 

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Graduate school was greatly stimulating and for a while it seemed to me that to meet daily with others and discuss penetrating texts was an ideal life.  However, the structure of graduate school came with certain limitations which, in my view, limited the extent to which discussions of philosophy could be truly personal and authentic.  Perhaps this is due to the publish-or-perish culture that has overtaken academia, instilling a more cautious, competitive element into relations between participants.  In any case, an increasing cynicism which I had not fully admitted to, combined with many years of over-work on my part, led to intense health problems, as I developed Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and was ultimately unable to complete my PhD program, even after reaching candidacy in 2016.  Since then, I have become very interested in how beliefs about meaning and purpose affect physical and mental health: I believe especially that the exclusive focus on producing measurable value often leads people to become cut off from their real sense and intuition about what matters and what will energize them. 

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I became a certified member of the American Philosophical Practitioners' Association in 2018, and at the moment work online as a philosophical practitioner while I am again in Athens, Greece.  I offer to help each person to find a way forward through whatever difficulties they are facing by rigorously and honestly exploring how they understand their lives and the world.  I have also worked in conflict mediation (and have been a mediator for the Small Claims Court of New York City) which I value for the opportunity it provides to people to bridge conflict through constructive conversation with each other.  I offer conflict coaching as part of my counseling practice as well.  

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