More About Olga
- Olga Gonithellis is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a private practice in Manhattan in which she specializes in the mental health for artists, performers and creative individuals.
- She was born and raised in Greece. She completed her BA in Psychology at Smith College, Massachusetts and got her MA and EdM in Counseling and Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University.
- After receiving her degree in 2009, she went on to work at Aristotle's Psychological Services, a mental health clinic, where she provided psychotherapy to adults, children and families. She specialized in anxiety and mood disorders, relationship concerns, adjustment disorders and phase of life problems.
- In addition, she worked in a public high school, counseling adolescents on behavioral problems, academic goals, interpersonal and family problems. During her work with the students, she participated in the development and implementation of their Individual Educational Plans (IEPs).
- In 2012, Olga began working closely with groups and individuals in a Continuing Care Treatment Program in Harlem, servicing chemically dependent individuals. She then joined the New Hope Mental Health Counseling Center in Queens, where she held individual, group sessions and workshops.
- She received training in Advanced Creativity Coaching: Coaching Writers, Visual Artists and Performers with creativity coach, Eric Maisel.
- She is a member of the Performing Arts Medicine Association, Creativity Coaching Association and also received a certificate in Performance Psychology: Optimizing Performance with Psychology through the Zur Institute for Continuing Education. She regularly attends conferences such as the Psychoanalytic Association Conference and the Expressive Therapies Summit.
- Olga has written articles for Good Therapy, Psych Central and Counseling Today. She is a Topic Expert on the topic of Creative Blocks for GoodTherapy.com.
- In 2013 she facilitated a group as part of the State Island Arts Workshop, called Art Intersects #3: Entrepreneurial blocks: Putting Your Fears Behind You
- She continues to be a lead singer in recording and performance bands, a session singer for producers and a songwriter. With her groups she has released 2 EPs, performs regularly in music venues and has participated in a number of festivals, TV and radio shows. In 2015 she released her solo pop-rock EP and is writing and recording for a new EP to be released in 2017.
- Olga is currently attending training groups on Modern Psychoanalysis - Effective Interventions in Psychotherapy with Modern Psychoanalyst Mark Sehl, PhD and is in the process of completing continuing education course of Overcoming Defenses through the Institute for Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy
- In May 2018 her book, Counseling for Artists, Performers, and Other Creative Individuals: A Guide for Clinicians, was published by Routledge Publishing
