Psychotherapy -Treatment Sessions

Our long clinical experience in mental health, a careful evaluation and recruit of  our  staff prompted us to create an outpatient department for people who do not require hospitalization. The therapy sessions are conducted by highly qualified and experienced psychiatrists and psychologists, in order to properly treat health problems such as:

Dementia - Memory Disorders - Alzheimer

Depression

Manic Depression

Anxiety Disorders (panic attacks, traumatic stress, etc.)

Mania

Sleep Disorders

Eating Disorders (anorexia nervosa and / or bulimia)

Sexual Disorders (erectile dysfunction, orgasm, etc.)

Psychosis - Schizophrenia

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder    

Autism

Personality Disorders

Gambling

Internet addiction

Mourning

Traumatic Stress

Early diagnosis is an important factor in improving the current situation with particular focus on the reduction of inefficiencies and problems of everyday life. By observing these problems, recognizing symptoms and medical and psychological assistance, we can prevent a recurrence of dysfunctional situations.
In this context regular visits to specialized scientific staff, in the form of psychotherapy / therapy sessions and the rapid developments in pharmacology (the most modern drugs have minimal side effects and do not hinder a man’s daily life) can lead to total or partial cure.

Telephone:
2106131802, 2108044330 6970834965 or
Email: info@lyrakou.gr
Daily from 08:00 to 21:00
Weekends and holidays from 10:00 to 18:00
 

After treatment monitoring

It is known that mental illnesses require, usually, mid to long term support and monitoring in order to prevent a recurrence of the disease, which often leads to a re-hospitalization of the patient in a clinic.
Guided by the patient’s own well-being and in order to avoid relapse and to help solve problems that often arise with the discharge of the patient to the family, social and professional environment , doctors and clinical psychologists provide support after hospitalization to the patient.
Usually after discharge it’s asked from the patient, a «commitment to therapeutic contract» , which is  the follow-up at regular intervals in the outpatient department with the psychiatrists and psychologists of the clinic.

Memory Center

Memory is a key element of cognition of each individual. It is important for any activity whether academic, recreational or social. The memory characterizes the personality of the person and gives to each a distinct identity. Without the ability to remember our own history we are in a state of confusion and uncertainty. For this very reason the type of dementia disorders steal from each one its own identity and life experiences. Memory helps to acquire new skills and knowledge, in carrying out various tasks and being responsive to those we love. Quite simply, the memory is everywhere in our lives.
The Memory Center consists of qualified professional staff (neurologist-psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers, and nurses) which serves as an interdisciplinary team targeted to the diverse needs of the patient and his family.
The philosophy of the Memory Centre is to create, through the evaluation and support for patients and relatives, a positive environment, monitoring and taking care of those who suffer from dementia.  The aim is to strengthen memory, improve overall cognition, self-care skills of communication and self-esteem of patients.

Part 1: Evaluation

At the first appointment with the Memory Center, the patient gets evaluated by a neurologist, psychiatrist and then by a psychologist to investigate his cognitive and functional level. The patient’s relatives are informed by our social worker about the procedures of the Memory Center while getting additional information on the family history of the patient and living space.
The Memory Center’s initial diagnosis and evaluation of the patient’s progress along with medical monitoring are done with internationally recognized tests which give an overall picture of the patient, in order to determine the therapeutic intervention. Therefore the patient is examined upon:

   1. The presence of dementia and at what stage
   2. The presence of depression
   3. Distinction between depression and dementia
   4. A check of the overall health of the patient by a physician and when required, all of the necessary clinical-laboratory tests.

Part 2: Intervention - Support

Depending on the stage of disease and the ability of the family of the patient to follow the program of the Memory Center,  the patient follows either on an external basis through visits of the clinic twice a week where sessions are held individually or in small groups (maximum four persons) with patients that are at the same stage of illness. The sessions include exercises of cognitive functionality and psychotherapy targeting the reactivation of the affected brain and regulation of mental balance:

• Memory exercises, concentration
• Executive function or speech
• Guidance in timeliness
• Mental imaging through the use of relaxation techniques
• Indirect exercises to work out the capacity of mind skills

All of the exercises do not require great formal education but contain an increasing scale of difficulty.
These exercises use various media (music, pencil and paper, computer, animation, relaxation, imagery, play, dance, drama, memories, laughter). Also, they involve the patients’ daily activities such as shopping, recognition of time, discussion, searching the phone book directory, etc.
Nevertheless, always the exercises are designed based on the sustained ability of the patient and the observed cognitive deficiencies. A patient who is at advanced stages of the disease is briefly hospitalized to adjust medication and facilitation of existing functionality. In addition, after the end of treatment, if required our social service worker introduces the family to permanent living facilities designed for people with dementia disorder.
In parallel the Memory Center offers to caregivers training, counseling and psychotherapy support, in order to be able to cope with the effects of dementia in the family, to look after themselves and maintain their quality of life.

Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease

Dementia is characterized by a progressive degeneration and loss of mental abilities of the individual. Patients with dementia have problems of memory, thought, perception, orientation, cognitive functions. Dementia is more common in the elderly. People aged over 60 years old are the 6% of those suffering from dementia.  With increasing age, the percentage of people affected by dementia increases and this has coined the term “senile dementia”.  20% of people over 80 years old suffer from dementia. The 60% -70% of cases of dementia is due to Alzheimer’s. A 15 % of cases of dementia is due to vascular problems of the brain (very occlusive dementia).
Apart from increasing age, Alzheimer's disease and cerebral vascular diseases, other diseases which are rare causes of dementia include Parkinson's disease, hypothyroidism, AIDS, brain cancer and others.
 

Family

Living with a patient facing mental health problems, most often is difficult and puts a burden in the family with additional stress. In the same way, the difficulty of the family to understand the nature of the mental illness often brings conflicts within the family.
In the Lyrakou Clinic we offer support sessions for the family itself (either individual or group) by specialized psychologists. The purpose of these sessions is to make understand the healthy family members, how to handle a mentally ill patient, the nature of his illness and the mistakes they may have committed themselves, in order to achieve harmonious coexistence with the patient and other family members.

Treatments with medical equipment