Sofia Mertyri

After my studies at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, in the department of Philosophy, Pedagogy and Psychology with specialization in Psychology, I attended in the MSc programme of Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapies, at NYC in partnership with the University of Bolton, where I graduated in 2020.

During my MSc studies, I gained irreplaceable knowledge and experience, I improved the level of my English, got in touch with students from other countries, strengthened my self-confidence and my self-awareness and I had the opportunity to meet remarkable people, teachers and professionals in the fields of psychology and psychotherapy.

The MSc programme required me to complete a supervised practice placement, which I undertook at the NYC Student Counseling Service Center as a trainee CBT therapist. This experience equipped me with many skills, especially the skill of self-reflection, with passion for what I would like to do as a future therapist and also prepared me to deal with difficult situations and to be flexible.

As a CBT trainee I also had the opportunity to participate in various activities, such as preparing and presenting psycho-educational seminars and webinars to NYC students, under the supervision of the course team, to contribute to the Student Wellbeing area of the NYC E-learning platform, and to hold counselling sessions with students. Throughout the whole MSc programme I was supervised by great people in the field of psychology, who prepared me well for my future career.

At this moment, I am working as a counsellor in the education and training center of Euroergasiaki SA, Educational Institution (https://euroergasiaki.gr/), where I have the opportunity to use what I learned during my studies in my daily job and also to expand my knowledge and my experience further.

My advice to young students is to not forget about their goals, to remember the reason why they want to study and to appreciate themselves as they are and to believe in themselves. Knowledge is a great journey that never stops, requires time, loyalty and patience and is a precursor to a wonderful professional career.