Agapitos Chrysochoos

Country: Greece

Organization: Private practice

Short CV

Agapitos Chrysochoos is a mental health counsellor following the person-centered approach. He holds a Pg. Diploma in Person-Centered Counselling from University of Strathclyde. He also holds a Master’s degree in Secure e-Commerce from Royal Holloway University of London and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence from University of Bedfordshire. He has been working as a counsellor for over 10 years with adults individually, adolescents and their families, and in groups as a facilitator (Support groups for adults with ADHD). He was also a research associate at the Adolescent Health Unit specializing in Internet addiction. He has also coordinated a team of psychotherapists and counsellors for providing psychological support to vulnerable social groups (NGO). He is an active member of the Hellenic Association for Person-Centered and Experiential Approach (HAPCEA), a member of the Continuing Education Committee and currently selected as the General Secretary on the Board of Directors.

Workshop

(together with: Katerina Powell, Kostas Mavrakakis)

Title: The synthesis of polyphony through creative writing

The aim of the workshop is for participants to experience polyphony from different perspectives:

First, from the perspective of their own ‘inner’ world of thoughts and feelings or different configurations, by coming into contact with the ‘voice’ that seeks expression at that moment within themselves. Then from the perspective of the ‘outer’ world by experiencing the voice that arises from each individual participant of the workshop at that given moment creating the unique dynamic of that particular group. We will begin the workshop with a creative writing exercise that will be completed by each participant individually and will focus on the ‘here and now’ of each person. This will give the space to each participant to come into contact, express and give a ‘voice’ to an aspect of themselves through a creative means.

For the second part of the workshop, we will carry out a creative writing exercise involving the whole group. This exercise will be based on what the participants have written in the first part of the workshop. This is an interactive exercise whereby the individual ‘voice’ of each participant will become a part of a collective ‘voice’. This will enable the participants to experience both the polyphony of the group’s different ‘voices’ and expressions, whilst at the same time experiencing the outcome that arises when their individual ‘voices’ are synthesized and combined with all the ‘voices’ of the group. The final part of the workshop will give space for group discussion so that the participants can share their experience and thoughts about the synthesis of polyphony that emerged from the two different creative writing exercises.