Khrystyna Zhyvago, Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist
Khrystyna Zhyvaho is a psychiatrist, child psychiatrist, psychotherapist, Candidate of Medical Sciences (Ph.D.), and Scientific Secretary of the Ukrainian Institute of Schema Therapy.
What I can help you with:
Khrystyna Zhyvaho is a psychiatrist, child psychiatrist, psychotherapist, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Scientific Secretary of the Ukrainian Institute of Schema Therapy, and clinic founder. She is a certified supervisor and accredited schema therapy trainer of the International Society of Schema Therapy (ISST), and co-founder of the NGO "Ukrainian Institute of Schema Therapy."
Professional experience: 15 years. She specializes in the treatment of complex conditions using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and schema therapy, medical and social rehabilitation, clinical psychiatry, child psychiatry, clinical psychology, and related areas.
Author of over 40 published works, including articles in SCOPUS-indexed scientific journals. She is fluent in English and conducts consultations in English.
Education & Credentials
Bogomolets National Medical University (Residency/Internship in Psychiatry).
Bogomolets National Medical University (Defense of Master's thesis on "Clinical picture, diagnostic features, and level of functioning in depression among patients with paranoid schizophrenia"; defense of Candidate dissertation on "Medical and social rehabilitation of patients with paranoid schizophrenia presenting with symptoms of depression").
Ukrainian Institute of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Schema Therapist, CBT Therapist).
Institute for Schema Therapy Frankfurt, Germany (IST-Frankfurt) – Couples Schema Therapist.
SafePath Institute (Netherlands) – Multidisciplinary Team Trainer.
WellBeing University (Australia) – Schema Coach.
ISST Certification Program in Child and Adolescent Schema Therapy (Romania) – Child and Adolescent Schema Therapist.
Supervisions and training programs in the USA, UK, Scotland, Germany, Australia, Israel, etc.
I welcome you for a consultation if:
You have felt depressed for a long time, and the future seems hopeless.
You are struggling to realize your full potential.
You have been suffering for a long time and are looking for high-quality help.
You want to improve your adaptability in this turbulent life.
You have a complex somatic disorder, and you have been recommended to see a psychiatrist.
You suffer from chronic pain with no apparent cause or clear diagnosis.
You know you want to change thinking patterns ingrained in childhood, but don't know how yet.
You are tired of enduring and hoping that it will "go away on its own."
Your loved ones underestimate or dismiss your condition.
You blame yourself for all your problems.
You are unable to cope with your daily tasks, worry about inconveniencing others, and cannot seem to "pull yourself together."
You find it difficult to regulate your emotions.
You cannot sleep, and your emotions interfere with your relationships and living a fulfilling life.
You want to get rid of excessive anxiety.
Anxiety affects the quality of your life, making it hard to make choices and look to the future with peace of mind.
Someone close to you has begun to change in personality and/or behavior.
You worry that you are losing a loved one and don't know where to turn.
You want to recover from stress.
It feels like life will never be the same again.
You want to manage existing mental health issues.
You are looking for confidentiality, understanding, and help with solving your problems.
"My areas of interest include working with anxiety disorders and complex conditions in patients who lead socially active lifestyles. Therefore, it is essential to tailor the gentlest possible treatment for them, ensuring they can maintain their vitality and daily activity to the fullest extent."
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What do we get asked most often?
The first consultation with a psychiatrist helps to build a full picture of your state and to understand what type of help is appropriate.
To prepare for the consultation, it is worth making a short list in advance: what exactly is troubling you, when the symptoms started, and how they affect sleep, appetite, work, studies, or relationships. If you have discharge notes, test results, or a list of medications/supplements you take, bring them to the visit or prepare them for an online consultation.
It is also useful to write down your questions in advance, for example about possible diagnosis, treatment options, side effects of medications, and next steps.
It is worth seeing a psychiatrist if anxiety, low mood, sharp mood swings, panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, sleep or appetite disturbances persist for more than 2 weeks and interfere with your daily life, while symptoms are getting worse.
You should also get in touch if you notice paranoia, hallucinations, a feeling of losing control, thoughts about harming yourself, or recurring thoughts of not wanting to live.
Consulting a psychiatrist does not mean the situation has to be severe. Early help often makes it possible to identify the causes faster, create a safe support plan and avoid a worsening of symptoms.
During the first visit, the psychiatrist will carefully listen to your complaints, ask clarifying questions about the history of the condition, lifestyle, previous treatment and possible risk factors.
This is done to understand the situation more accurately, not to judge you as a patient. After the consultation you will receive a preliminary explanation of your state and practical recommendations for next steps, which can include additional diagnostics, psychotherapy, medication, or monitoring. The treatment format is selected individually.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor with higher medical education who diagnoses and treats mental disorders and prescribes psychiatric medication when needed.
The psychiatrist can assess your state, establish or clarify a diagnosis, and choose a treatment plan, including medication. A psychologist usually works with emotional distress, behavior, and emotional processing without prescribing medicines. A psychotherapist provides structured therapy using appropriate psychotherapeutic methods.
If you are not sure whether you need a psychiatrist or psychotherapist, the clinic administrator can help you choose the right specialist based on your request.
One of the common myths is that a visit to a psychiatrist automatically means hospitalization, registration, or losing control over treatment.
In reality, the first step is a conversation and clinical assessment. Treatment options are discussed with the patient, and all information about the consultation is confidential. You can consult a psychiatrist not only in crisis situations but also as soon as symptoms appear.
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General impression after consultation