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Psychology Internships in Athens

Psychology Internships in Athens

Sharpen your Psychology skills by collaborating alongside a non-profit NGO in Athens, Greece. As a Psychology intern in Athens, you’ll shadow experienced professionals as they provide an array of psychosocial support and counseling services to the wider community, combating a wide range of mental health challenges. Come prepared to develop your diverse Psychology experience, including skills related to cultural intelligence, communication, listening and analysis.

Internship Highlights:
  • Collaborate with a highly-skilled team within the psychology and community health field.
  • Experience mental health treatment and initiatives within a European country.
  • Experience the popular attractions and lifestyle in Athens and wider Greece.
Type of host organizations:
  • Community Youth Center
  • Elderly support services
Fully hosted experience from $2264
Includes accommodation
Start dates every Monday
Minimum duration 2 weeks, up to 12 weeks maximum
Explore beaches and historic sites
Get job-ready with our Experiential Learning Curriculum
Suitable for English language speakers
Eligibility requirements and Associated career paths
Eligibility requirement

At least one year of relevant college/university study in social work, health sciences, psychology, nursing, public health, or a related field.

Language requirements

This internship is conducted in English. However, interns should expect that a language barrier can still be encountered to a certain extent.

Associated career paths

Clinical Psychologist, Counseling Psychologist, Educational Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Health Psychologist, Occupational Therapy, Learning Mentor/Tutor, Special Educational, Family Support Worker, Youth/Social Worker

Internship details

Sharpen your Psychology skill by collaborating alongside a non-profit NGO in Athens, Greece. As a Psychology intern in Athens, you’ll collaborate with and shadow professionals from diverse backgrounds. The team operate a community center, targeted at teens, young adults and sometimes elderly community members, to provide a range of psychosocial support and counseling services. At their heart, all activities are focused on helping others to implement positive mental health and balanced lifestyles.

This is an in-country internship, with accommodation provided. You can explore remote Psychology & Social Work internships, if you are looking for an internship program that you can undertake from home.

Founded in 2005, this community focused NGO aims to combat the social exclusion of vulnerable groups, create equal opportunities for all people, and promote widespread positive mental health. To date, the total number of those who have benefited from this organization’s services exceeds 500,000+ people.

As a Psychology intern, you’ll assist in the development of patient relationships, research and implement need/treatment strategies, coordinate training sessions, and shadow supervisors across a range of initiatives. These may be aimed at helping aspects of the community, including asylum seekers, elderly people, the homeless, and victims of domestic violence. Tasks and areas of involvement will vary depending on placement, seasonality and where the need is most at the time of participation.

While activities will vary depending on your level of experience, language skills, client permissions and the progression of different projects at the time of your participation, general tasks are related to observation and shadowing of treatments, coordination of educational activities and training, needs assessment and intervention planning, case study analysis, webinar organization, participation in cultural and educational actions in the community, and developing EU projects for funding.

Psychology interns should always come prepared to cooperate with full flexibility and sensitivity, especially while seeking to enhance their cultural intelligence and reflection on approaches that may differ. The inclusion of an intern in any treatment with a patient will always be subject to the clients agreement and relevant confidentiality requirements of the clinic.

Greek language proficiency is not a requirement to join, as Mentors and supervisors will speak English. Interactions or consultations with patients however may not be conducted in English, so interns should be prepared for the very natural and normal frustration of not always understanding what is being said around them. Come prepared and willing to surmount a language barrier (and ask for help when needed), as opposed to being intimidated by it. Should a language barrier arise during an observational occasion, your supervisor will be able to provide you with a debrief afterwards, concerning the relevant information.

In all cases, interns should expect that the first week of your experience will focus on settling in and gaining some introductory knowledge, as you will not “hit the ground running”. Rather, you should start with learning about the placement to gain an understanding of what you can build upon, develop, learn, and contribute. Ensure that you ask questions and provide feedback during the introductory period, so that your supervisor understands how you’re progressing. This will help them to better understand important details, such as how quickly you learn, what you find challenging, what you find interesting, etc.

Understand and expect that individual internship experiences vary, as the specific placement that you’re assigned will depend on review of your resume and your current level of studies and experience. Therefore, if you’re at a more introductory level, you should reasonably expect a more introductory internship. Likewise, if you’re interning for a shorter duration, you will have a different experience from someone who is interning for a longer duration. Placement preferences are considered but always subject to availability.

Typical Schedule

  • Monday to Friday, up to 8 hour per day

Career Benefits

Psychology interns learn from a qualified and experienced supervisor, and can be involved in:
  • Treatment observation.

  • Coordination of educational activities and training.

  • Needs evaluation and intervention.

  • Organizing community cultural and educational action.

  • Case study analysis.

  • Accompanied home visits with local health workers.

Professional development opportunities:
  • Understand patient and client relationship building.

  • Gain understanding about treatment strategies.

  • Develop communication skills within a professional working environment.

  • Understand the day-to-day duties of practicing psychologists and community health workers.

  • Build report writing skills based on your observations of therapy sessions.

  • Gain practical skills and boost your employability, with guidance from Intern Abroad HQ’s Experiential Learning Curriculum to support your learning and cultural intelligence.

Are you eligible for this internship?

Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.

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Greece photo gallery

What recent interns said about their experience

ML
Marianna Low
September 2024

I enjoyed the drama therapy a lot and seeing the techniques used to help those in need open up. It was a truly magical experience. I am very excited to try and find ways to bring that into my potentially future career.

...
LR
Lauren Reyes
September 2024

What I enjoyed most about my internship, is how it further developed my communication skills, as I had to find appropriate ways to connect with people whose culture was entirely different than my own. This experience allowed me to make new connections and make new friends that I wouldn’t have otherwise made on my own.

...
HY
Hannah Yeary
July 2024

One of the most influential aspects of this internship was being completely immersed in another culture and observing the work norms and perspectives on mental health in Greece. The work-life balance and greatly reduced stigma around mental health were refreshing, encouraging and opened my eyes to what a career in psychology could look like. It was also really interesting to observe the different support and activities implemented by my placement to help the beneficiaries - all of which I hope to apply in my future career. And lastly, I learned a lot from the people that I met, and they truly expanded my worldview. All of these lessons have given me a more well-rounded perspective and helped me narrow down my interests, which I believe will help me in my future career endeavours.

...
SS
Stella Stavro
September 2023

Having lived in the United States my entire life and completed my undergraduate degree there as well, one of my favourite parts of this internship was getting to learn about psychology and mental health care through a different cultural lens. While I went into my placement with an open mind, I was surprised by just how many new perspectives I gained on topics I had always assumed were straightforward. Working alongside other international interns and learning about their own unique backgrounds and knowledge of psychology only added to this experience even more. Working directly with patients and getting to build a rapport with them in the four weeks I was in Greece really strengthened my confidence to transition from academia into work that is more hands-on and personal as I continue to pursue a career in clinical psychology.

...
HC
Haihly Currie
September 2023

During my internship in Greece, I was a psychology intern at a day center. At the day center, I was in charge of creating and leading group activities and got to observe and record patient behavior. I chose this program because I love to travel and wanted to increase my knowledge of other cultures. My experience has not only taught me the value of being immersed in different cultures, but it has taught me more about the concepts of psychology and how to apply what I have learned in my university classes to real-life situations. I gained a ton of experience in the psychology field and found out that this is truly the career path I love, am good at, and want to follow.

...
AJ
Annabel Jainz
July 2023

Having completed my internship, I feel more empowered knowing I can meet new people and engage in new scenarios. Initially I thought I would be doing more shadowing, whereas in reality I had a much more practical and interactive role. The main skill that I will carry over into my future career is being able to engage with individuals no matter our differences, and despite challenges such as language, culture and different perspectives or opinions. I aim to pursue a career in the psychological domain, hence I feel this skill will be especially beneficial but it is also applicable to a plethora of other domains of career or life.

...

To read all reviews, visit our reviews page.

Our commitment to providing safe internship experiences

Academic credit available for all internships

Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing an internship abroad or remote internship program with Intern Abroad HQ.

Learn about course credit

Program fees

It’s free to apply for this internship. Once we have reviewed your suitability and accepted you onto this program, you’ll need to pay a deposit of US$499 to confirm your place. The remaining balance of your Program Fee (less your initial US$499 deposit payment) will be due no less than 60 days before your internship start date.

Duration
Program Fee (USD)
2 weeks $2,264 Equivalent to $161 /day
3 weeks $2,734 Equivalent to $130 /day
4 weeks $3,254 Equivalent to $116 /day
5 weeks $3,724 Equivalent to $106 /day
6 weeks $4,209 Equivalent to $100 /day
8 weeks $5,069 Equivalent to $90 /day
10 weeks $5,904 Equivalent to $84 /day
12 weeks $6,684 Equivalent to $79 /day
  • Airport pick-up
  • Accommodation
  • 24/7 in-country support
  • Program orientation
  • Dedicated support before, during, and after your internship
  • In-country guidance for social and tourist activities
  • Sourcing and securing your internship placement
  • Personalization of your internship plan
  • Coaching from your supervisor
  • Documented portfolio of your experiential learnings
  • Academic credit facilitation
  • International reference letter
  • Certificate of Internship Completion
  • All meals
  • All in-country transportation
  • Visa (if required), flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check
  • Transfer back to the airport at the end of your internship program
  • Personal spending money for snacks, drinks, public transport, laundry, and leisure activities during your free time.
  • A deposit of $499 (approximately 499) is required to secure your internship
  • Balance of your Program Fee is due 70 days before your internship start date. The Program Fee payment can also be completed in installments through our Zero-Fee Payment Plan. Learn more.
  • All payments attract a 5% transaction fee to cover international banking fees and currency charges.
  • Terms and Conditions apply.

Free-time experiences & tours in Athens

Take your internship to the next level with Intern Abroad HQ's affordable activity and tour add-ons in Athens! Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto an internship program.

One Day, Three Island Cruise
One Day, Three Island Cruise

Sail into the Saronic Gulf, stopping at three of the most picturesque islands - Hydra, Poros & Aegina.

$142

Arrival and Orientation

Internships in Athens begin every Monday. Exceptions may be made to this when start dates are shifted to avoid public holiday disruptions or closed when the program has already reached capacity. Note that there are typically less placements available during August, due to the summer vacation period in Greece. Interns may choose to spend a minimum of 2 weeks, up to a maximum of 12 weeks.

Airport pick up and accommodation are included in the Program Fee. The accommodation is covered from the Sunday night before the Monday start date - interns are required to arrive no later than the Sunday before their Monday start date, as all orientations are held on Mondays. Upon arrival, interns will be met, greeted, and transferred to the accommodation.

The typical port of entry is the Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH). In order to receive the airport pick up service, interns are required to arrive on the Sunday before their Monday start date, between 9am and 6pm. An extra charge applies to any airport pickups outside this timeframe.

If you are planning to spend time independently in Greece prior to your internship and will not require an international airport pick up, we can discuss alternative arrival logistics with you.

The last night of the accommodation is the Friday night of the final week, leaving interns free to depart on Saturday. Extra nights of accommodation can be arranged in advance, if requested, and are subject to availability.

Orientation covers important details for your internship, including introductions, information about culture, customs, rules, expectations, safety, language lessons, cultural excursions, and more. Your specific internship placement orientation will follow the general orientation, as you’ll be shown how to travel to and from your internship and be introduced to the team you’ll be joining.

Please note that all participants are advised not to book flights until they have first registered to confirm their internship placement.

Check what’s required to visit Greece

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Accommodation and WiFi

Interns are accommodated in clean and comfortable, furnished apartments. Upon the confirmation of specific internship details for each participant, accommodation arrangements are made, taking into consideration the location of internship placements, to ensure that any commute time is as convenient as possible.

Bedding and furnishings are provided, as well as common areas such as lounge, kitchen and laundry facilities. Standard amenities include whiteware (i.e. washing machine, stovetop, fridge, microwave) and clean linen (i.e. bed sheets, pillows, towels). Accommodation includes 24Mbps internet / WiFi access.

In most cases, between two to six guests can be accommodated per apartment, so interns should be prepared to share living arrangements. Each guest will have a single or double bed. Rooming arrangements are same-sex, however the apartments themselves may be mixed gender. Single sex apartments are possible, but this needs to be specified in advance and is subject to availability. If you are interning alongside a friend, please let us know and we can aim to ensure you’re accommodated together (subject to availability). Cleaning is provided ahead of a new occupants arrival. Outside of this, occupants are responsible for respecting common areas, keeping them clean, tidy and comfortable for all guests. Laundry facilities are also available within the accommodation.

Due to the layout of the city’s urban and residential areas, it is normal to expect an approximate commute (to / from an internship placement) of around 30 minutes. Interns should budget approximately 30 Euro per month for transportation (about US$35). The Athens Metro system makes it easy to get around the city and explore. All accommodation for the internship programs is located close to public transportation and large shopping areas.

It is important to note that an accommodation bond will be requested from the accommodation provider. The cost of the bond is US$400, so you must budget for this. However, this bond is fully refundable to you, upon your departure, provided that inspection has been completed to confirm that you have not caused damage to the property.

Please note that the accommodation pictured in the photo gallery of this webpage is provided as an example. Since we work with more than one apartment, the exact accommodation that you’re assigned may differ from the photos. However, you can expect a similar standard and similar amenities, to what is shown here.

Meals

Internships on this program do not include meals, as affordable supermarkets are easily accessible. Greece has a thriving coffee culture which is delightful to partake in (there is also WiFi in almost all coffee shops and restaurants). Try Ellinikos (a favorite style of coffee) along with Freddo Espresso / Cappucino and Frappe.

For eating out, interns may budget approximately 3 - 5 Euro for a light breakfast (about US$5 - 7) and 5 - 10 Euro for a simple lunch (about US$5 - 12). There are ample dining options ranging from budget to high end. Greek cuisine offers a range of incredible dishes to experience, including well known classics such as Moussaka and Souvlaki. The Mediterranean diet features meat (cow, chicken, lamb), pasta, rice, pulses, vegetables, and a variety of fish and seafood. When in doubt, skip straight to dessert and order Galaktoboureko (with ice cream)!

Essential country information

Capital Athens
Population 10.75 million
Languages Greek
Currency Euro (€ - EUR)
Time zone UTC+02:00
Weather and climate:

With its Mediterranean climate, Athens is one of the warmest capital cities in Europe. The summers are long, hot and dry and the winters are mild. The best time to visit Athens for the hot weather is from mid June to mid September. The hottest month is July, in which the temperature may peak around 92°F / 33°C. Heatwaves in Greece may occur but they are usually not prolonged (that coast moderates temperatures with coastal breezes). The cooler months are November through March. During this period, it rarely gets any colder than 42°F / 5°C in Athens (February is the coldest month). Rainfall in Greece varies throughout the year, although the summer months are drier in comparison. December is usually the wettest month of the year. Outside of Athens, the climate of Greece remains primarily Mediterranean. However, due to its mountainous regions, there is a range of microclimates and local variations. Snow regularly falls in the high mountains.

Apply to check if you're eligible!