Publications
PSYCHOLOGY | PSYCHOTHERAPY | PHENOMENOLOGY | POETRY
Authorship, Editing, and Book Publishing
From time to time, Gignesthai has published or collaborated in the authorship, translation, editing, and production of significant titles related to the existential approach in psychotherapy and counseling. Most of these publications focus on existential, humanistic, and phenomenological psychotherapy, as well as books addressing core issues in psychology, though there are also works with poetic or other artistic content. The aim is not only to provide Greek translations of important foreign titles to support the study and training in existential psychotherapy and counseling, but also to promote and deepen a comprehensive awareness of the human condition, always viewed through the existential-humanistic and phenomenological lens.
Some of our Selected Publications
Mick Cooper
Existential
Therapies
Originally published in English as:
Existential Therapies
A comprehensive introduction to a rich and hopeful field of psychotherapy. The second revised edition addresses fundamental questions such as “What does it mean to practice psychotherapy existentially?”, “What are the different approaches?”, and “What are their strengths and limitations?”, offering students and professionals a valuable overview of the diverse world of existential psychotherapeutic practice. It includes key references and an extensive case study throughout the book.
Pages: 330
Kontyli Editions, 2020
Emmy van Deurzen & Martin Adams
Developing Skills in
Existential Psychotherapy
Originally published in English as:
Skills in Existential Counselling & Psychotherapy
The first practical introduction to existential psychotherapy based on skills. Without requiring prior philosophical knowledge, it clearly describes specific, concrete skills, tasks, and interactions of existential practice, offering practical guidance, detailed insights, and illustrative examples. A crucial resource for both trainees and experienced psychotherapists seeking to deepen, broaden, and expand their knowledge and competence in existential therapy.
Pages: 232
Kontyli Editions, 2013
Emmy Van Deurzen
Psychotherapy and
the Quest for Happiness
Originally published in English as:
Psychotherapy and the Quest for Happiness
Explores the hidden longing that drives people to psychotherapy, often rooted in a desperate desire for happiness, while also examining the ethical role of therapists. Investigates what constitutes a meaningful life and how therapists can help clients live well rather than merely pursue happiness. Offers practical guidance for navigating complex emotional experiences, reflecting on the therapist’s own values, and fostering authentic therapeutic relationships that support genuine growth.
Pages: 238
Kontyli Editions, 2011
Ernesto Spinelli
Interpreting
the World
Originally published in English as:
The Interpreted World
A classic introduction to phenomenological psychology. The book traces philosophical foundations and presents phenomenological approaches to perception, social cognition, and the self, examining therapy rules and processes through the contested areas of contemporary psychological thought. It offers clear explanations and practical examples to bridge theory and practice. Readers are guided through key concepts and debates gaining a deeper understanding of human experience.
Pages: 296
Kontyli Editions, 2022
Ernesto Spinelli
Existential Psychotherapy
in Practice
Originally published in English as:
Practising Existential Psychotherapy
One of the most influential books on the existential–phenomenological approach to psychotherapy. This revised edition is considered essential reading for anyone training in, practicing, or interested in existential psychotherapy. Balancing theory with practice, the book provides readers with an accessible introduction to the author’s three-phase structural model of existential therapy, a model widely established and used in both training and clinical practice.
Pages: 416
Kontyli Editions, 2023
Ernesto Spinelli
The Hammer
and the Mirror
Originally published in English as:
The Mirror and the Hammer
In this book, Spinelli thoroughly explores alternative approaches, challenging psychotherapeutic orthodoxies on key issues such as sexuality, childhood, the self, the unconscious, the inexplicable, creativity, and the question of evil. Spinelli provocatively asks whether psychotherapy has retreated from its original promise to help us deeply understand what it means to be human, instead taking on the comforting role of a ‘peacemaker’ for personal and social upheavals.
Pages: 176
Kontyli Editions, 2013
Kirk J. Schneider & Orah T. Krug
Existential-Humanistic
Psychotherapy
Originally published in English as:
Existential-Humanistic Therapy
Existential-humanistic psychotherapy thoughtfully combines European existential philosophy, with its focus on responsibility and anxiety, with the American tradition of optimism, spontaneity, and practical pragmatism. The book offers a comprehensive in-depth overview of contemporary existential-humanistic theory, practice, and research, emphasizing its historical development, theoretical foundations, practical applications, and the most recent research findings.
Pages: 174
Kontyli Editions, 2014
Katerina Zymni-Georgalou
Ten Out of Ten
in Psychotherapy
Published in Greek as:
Δέκα στα δέκα στην ψυχοθεραπεία
The book presents the narratives of ten psychotherapists, recounting part of their personal professional journeys in psychotherapy. The participants highlight their interest in the inner life of the human being, which guided their paths, emphasizing and showcasing the importance of personal freedom in making decisions about the course of their lives. The contributors are: Georganta, Georgas, Zarogiannis, Zymni–Georgalou, Lakioti, Malikiosi–Loizou, Sakkas, Sourlaga, Stalikas, and Charisiadis.
Pages: 286
Kontyli Editions, 2023
Eugenia Georganta & Alex Charisiadis
Self-Revelation
in Two Voices
Published in Greek as:
Αυτο-αποκάλυψη σε δύο φωνές
The idea for Self-Revelation in Two Voices began a decade ago when Georganta and Charisiadis engaged in an open dialogue about what drew them to existential psychotherapy. Gignesthai had already reached its tenth year, and both were enthusiastic about promoting existential psychotherapy in Greece. The book explores the goals of psychotherapy, the psychotherapist as a person and in training, the therapeutic relationship, and existential themes.
Pages: 324
Kontyli Editions, 2024
Eugenia Georganta
The Process
of Psychotherapy
Published in Greek as:
Η διαδικασία της ψυχοθεραπείας
What is the therapist’s role within the therapeutic relationship? How can they help the client uncover the personal “script” that shapes their life? This book presents psychotherapy as a process of acceptance and responsibility — key elements for growth and self-healing. Enriched with diagrams, practical examples, and excerpts from the Code of Ethics of the Hellenic Association of Psychotherapy, it offers both theoretical insight and material from the author’s clinical practice.
Pages: 126
Kontyli Editions, 2020
Eugenia Georganta
What Is
Psychotherapy
Published in Greek as:
Τι είναι η ψυχοθεραπεία
A compact guide for both professionals and the wider public, this book dispels myths and prejudices about psychotherapy and highlights the value of exploring our inner world. Development is portrayed as a spiral rather than a straight line. Using the metaphor of the DNA helix, the author introduces the idea of the “DNA of the soul” as a guiding thread to help us unfold our potential. This vision invites readers to see psychotherapy not only as healing, but also as a path to deeper self-discovery.
Pages: 164
Asimakis Publications, 2003
Eugenia Georganta
Journey into
Emotion
Published in Greek as:
Ταξίδι στο συναίσθημα
This book explores the great ideas of existentialism through personal experience and the simplicity achieved by someone deeply “shaped” by its values. It invites readers to reflect on their lives and the choices they make, offering a path toward deeper self-understanding. It is a valuable tool for today’s individual, offering rich stimuli for introspection and personal growth, while also providing guidance to help readers discover their own answers, life principles, and sense of purpose in world.
Pages: 142
Plithora Publications, 2016
Alex Charisiadis
Notes of an
Existentialist
Published in Greek as:
Σημειώσεις ενός υπαρξιστή
Unclassifiable prose—between aphorism, poetry, and reflection—this book revives a literary form nearly lost today. The author, “caught in the web of the world… sometimes unbearably so, like the condemned man he is,” writes with stark honesty. A psychotherapist by profession, he chooses to remember his existential condition “to awaken from the slumber of daily life.” These aphorisms read collectively as a mirror of ourselves, yet each also stands alone—like a book itself.
Pages: 64
Plithora Publications, 2016
Alex Charisiadis
Traces
Published in Greek as:
Ίχνη
Back to earth you return,
to glimpse the other traces of the gods,
where humble thoughts may bloom
in the small chapels of your poetry.
Traces is Alexis Charisiadis’ second book, a poetic collection blending human experience with spirituality. It invites readers on an imaginative journey of discovery, one that carries unique meaning for each.
Pages: 60
Plithora Publications, 2021
Alex Charisiadis
Contrapunctus
Published in Greek as:
Contrapunctus
The poetry collection Contrapunctus emerges from an experimental encounter between music and poetry. The idea was first sparked by a painting exhibition of Yiannis Psychopedis at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, entitled “Painting Meets Poetry,” where the artworks served as the artist’s visual response to specific poems. In Contrapunctus, however, while some poems take musical works as their initial point of departure, they gradually move beyond them.
Pages: 34
Plithora Publications, 2023